Hartford Jazz Society

Black Eyed Sally’s Jazz Jam - Jon Bean
2026-06-10 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Black-eyed Sally’s Southern Kitchen & Bar, 350 Asylum St., Hartford, CT, 06103
Located in downtown Hartford, for the aficionado, musician, or the curious first-timer, Black Eyed Sally’s Jazz Jams are the best taste of live jazz in Hartford. Set in the southern juke joint atmosphere of Black-eyed Sally’s, these jam sessions will strike a chord as you hear what our local talent has to offer, with regular special appearances by big city jazz names. Experience the cool original music of the jam session while you enjoy the hot fierce cookin’ of Hartford’s favorite BBQ joint.
After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, regularly scheduled jazz jams have returned to Black Eyed Sally’s every Wednesday. There will be a featured jazz ensemble followed by an open jam session. Bring your axe and be ready to jam!
The music begins at 7:00 PM, jam session begins after 1st set. No cover charge most nights, under 21’s welcome.
Presented by the Hartford Jazz Society and Neefjazz Entertainment

Michael Palin's Other Orchestra
2026-06-09 20:00 - 22:00, 2026-06-02 20:00 - 22:00 | The Hungry Tiger, 120 Charter Oak Street, Manchester, CT
It’s a funky Big Band thang, a large jazz ensemble that rocks the house. Playing music from Tower of Power, Frank Zappa, The Brecker Brothers, Jaco Pastorious, Steely Dan, The Yellow Jackets, Bob Berg…..You’ll want to see them again and again!
https://www.facebook.com/OtherOrchestra/

New Haven Improvisers Collective
2026-06-09 19:00 - 21:00 | The Sandbox, 70 Audubon Street, New Haven, CT
Roundhouse Quartet (Diane Buettner, Bob Gorry, Michael Paolucci, Conor Perreault)
Michael Brooks Ensemble
COMBO NHIC

If you’d like to join COMBO NHIC on 6/9, be there and ready to play by 7pm. Music starts promptly

Jazz at Cafe Nine
2026-06-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Cafe Nine, 250 State Street, New Haven, CT, 06510
Presented by New Haven Jazz Underground on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday every month.

Hartford Jazz Orchestra
2026-06-08 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-06-01 19:30 - 21:30 | Elicit Brewery, 165 Adams Street, Manchester, CT
Every Monday at Elicit Brewery in Manchester CT. No cover.

Tuxedo Junction
2026-06-08 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-06-01 19:00 - 20:30 | Guilford VFW Post 9666, 104 Mill Road, Guilford, CT
For over 24 years, hosting public rehearsals every Monday night, now at Guilford VFW Post 7666.
Tuxedo Junction was started in 1989 by Pete Jacobs (trumpet) and Will Tayler (drums), WWII veterans who set up an 8-piece Dixieland jazz band in the basement of the senior citizens center in Madison, CT. Pat soon joined on piano.
The band quickly grew into a full swing band as Pete added big band arrangements and people joined: everyone from high school students to retired music teachers started to fill out the sections. Tuxedo Junction moved its practice home to the Westbrook Elks briefly, and in 1997 Paul James suggested that Bill’s Seafood restaurant in Westbrook would be a great place to share the sounds of swing. After more than 20 years of Monday nights at Bill’s, originally outnumbering the customers and staff before turning it into the most happening place on the Shoreline for a Monday night, we moved outside to Town Greens, Overlook Farm in Killingworth, and the Guilford VFW.
Tuxedo Junction plays original big band arrangements from the 30’s through the present, including charts from Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Sy Zentner, Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and more. We focus on danceable tunes from swing to waltz, foxtrot to two-step, Latin and even some rock. The band has weekly open rehearsals at local venues on the Eastern Connecticut shoreline. The public is invited to dance and listen in at no charge. We are also available for hire at public and private events throughout Connecticut.
After more than 1,001 performances, Tuxedo Junction has become a musical success story. We are now eighteen passionate musicians, men and women of all ages, following the great jazz tradition and warmly welcoming visiting jazz musicians to sit in.

Jumaane Smith Quartet
2026-06-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Levitt Pavilion, Westport, CT
Jumaane Smith has performed on 5 GRAMMY winning records (selling more than 60 million copies), 2 Emmy-nominated TV performances, the GRAMMY Awards with Stevie Wonder, in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” and more.Jumaane has toured to such world-class venues as Jazz At Lincoln Center, Birdland Jazz Club, The Blue Note, Tanglewood, Ronnie Scott’s, Vail Jazz Festival, Java Jazz Festival, Jazz Alley, North Star Festival, Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, Marian’s Jazz Room, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Northwest Jazz Festival, Catalina Island Jazz Festival, and many more.Musical legends that Jumaane has worked with include Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Alicia Keys, Jon Batiste, Kamasi Washington, Theo Croker, and Michael Bublé as his long-time featured trumpet/vocals soloist. As a full scholarship recipient at the Juilliard School of Music’s Jazz Studies program, Wynton Marsalis was Smith’s primary trumpet teacher.

Dr. G’s Jazz Brunch
2026-06-07 12:00 - 15:00 | Quattro’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar, 14 Water Street, Guilford, CT
Dr. G’s Jazz Brunch held on the 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays from 12pm (noon) until 3pm at Quattro’s Italian Restaurant:

All events will also include jazz masters Jeff Fuller on bass and Barry Ries on drums &/or trumpet. “Dr. G” will provide guitar accompaniment.

Rich Goldstein "Into the Blue" Quartet
2026-06-06 20:00 - 22:30 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
Brooklyn-born guitarist Rich Goldstein brings his “Into the Blue” Quartet to The Side Door for a night of hard-swinging, groove-driven jazz

Rich Goldstein – Guitar
Brian Charette – Organ
Behn Gillece – Vibraphone
Jordan Young – Drums
Born in Brooklyn New York, east coast guitarist Rich Goldstein is known for his grooving hard bop style with a modern tinge. He has appeared with a wide range of musicians including, Andy Laverne, Charles Flores, Steve Davis, Houston Person, Reverend Hubert Powell, Javon Jackson, Jaimoe(from the Allman Brothers Band), Randy Johnston, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, and many others at jazz venues including Birdland , the Berklee Performance Center, The Jazz Gallery, and Smalls. He has appeared at festivals such as The Atlanta jazz Fest, The Cancun Jazz Fest, and The Festival of Arts and Ideas. Rich has performed with the Hartford, New Haven, and Farmington Symphony in venues including The Bushnell and Woolsey Hall.. He has recorded as a sideman with Charles Flores, Rob Zappulla, Larry Derdeyn (Lingo), Ed Fast and Conga Bop, and Jim Argiro, as well as numerous other studio dates. As a leader Goldstein recorded and produced “Comin’ from Montgomery”, a tribute to the Montgomery brothers (2008), which featured Mary DiPaola (piano), Kris Jensen (tenor sax), Steve Davis (trombone), Bhen Gillece (vibes), Ben Bilello (drums), and Stephen Porter (bass). “Effervescent” featuring Andy LaVerne (piano), Steve LaSpina (bass), Anthony Pinciotti (drums) , and Billy Drewes (Sax) (2011). Co-produced a project with Jesse Hameen II (drums), Kris Jensen (Sax), and Brian Charette (organ). In 2025 Rich released “Into the Blue” through the “Truth Revolution Recording Collective”, which features Yahn Frenkel (organ), Ben Bilello(drums), and Behn Gillece (vibraphone). Goldstein is a longtime faculty member at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music, ( Jackie McLean Institute), as well as a past guitar professor at Central and Southern Connecticut State Universities. He has been involved with various jazz camps including “Meet the Masters”, runs the “Saturday Jazz Workshop” for aspiring high schoolers, and performs a number of lectures and master classes yearly. Rich keeps a busy schedule as a jazz educator, freelance guitarist, composer and recording artist, group leader, organizer, and is member of the CT Guitar Society, the Hartford Jazz Society, Jazz Ed Network (Jen) and AAUP. Rich received his initial training at the Hartt school’s Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz and completed his masters in jazz studies at Purchase College in New York.
The Side Door Jazz Club is a dedicated jazz listening room located inside the historic Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tickets are reserved seating. Guests dining at the Old Lyme Inn prior to the show receive 10% off their dinner bill.

Blue Lion Trio
2026-06-06 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-05-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Open Door Tea, 3552 Main Street, Stratford, CT
Every Saturday
Host & drummer Richard Sylvester has launched a remarkable jazz series (every Saturday!) at this cozy venue

Bob Ahern Quartet
2026-06-06 18:00 - 21:00 | Lighthouse Inn, 6 Guthrie Pl, New London, CT
The Bob Ahern Quartet will be performing the last Saturday of each month at the legendary Lighthouse Inn from 6-9. The group features Lisa Marien on vocals and Bob Ahern on drums along with various Jazz artists each month.

Jazz Jam at Cafe Nine
2026-06-06 16:00 - 19:00 | CT
Every Saturday, 4-7

Firehouse 12 Spring Jazz Series
2026-06-05 20:30 - 23:30 | Firehouse 12, 45 Crown Street, New Haven, CT
Performances are on Friday nights at 8:30pm and 10:00pm. Tickets for each performance can be purchased individually, with prices at $20 for our early shows and $15 for our late shows. Our Season Pass is available for $225, which provides 1 ticket to all sets of the 13 performances.
The complete season calendar can be viewed here.
March 20: GEORGE
March 27: Dave Fiuczynski’s KiF
April 3: Sun of Goldfinger
April 10: Amanda Monaco’s Deathblow
April 17: Caroline Davis, Solo
April 24: David Berkman Quartet
May 1: Mary Halvorson: Canis Major
May 8: Anna Badkhen Dezron Douglas Duo
May 15: Jerome Sabbagh Quartet
May 22: Allison, Cardenas & Nash
May 29: Marta Sanchez (Solo Piano)
June 5: Max Johnson Sextet
June 12: Curtis Hasselbring’s The Curhachestra
All 13 shows are on sale now at firehouse12.com. Tickets are $20 for the 8:30pm performance and $15 for 10:00pm. The complete Season Pass is $225. All tickets can be purchased online or, subject to availability, at the box office on the night of the show.

A Celebration of Elvin Jones: Dear Elvin J.
2026-06-05 20:00 - 22:30 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
Drummer Tony Moreno honors his mentor Elvin Jones with new arrangements of his classic repertoire, performed by a stellar all-star ensemble

Tony Moreno – Drums
Troy Roberts – Tenor Saxophone
Patrick Cornelius – Alto & Soprano Saxophones
Manuel Valera – Piano
Gene Perla – Bass
Mauricio Herrera – Congas
Elvin Jones is widely regarded as one of the most transformative figures in the history of jazz drumming — a musician whose volcanic energy, polyrhythmic complexity, and deeply human swing redefined what was possible behind a drum kit. His recordings with John Coltrane in the early 1960s changed the course of music, and his own work as a bandleader produced some of the most adventurous and emotionally powerful jazz of the post-bop era.
Tony Moreno’s connection with Elvin began at age eleven, when his mother brought him to a club down the street where Elvin was performing with his trio featuring bassist Jimmy Garrison and saxophonist Joe Farrell. After the show, Elvin and his wife Keiko sat with the family, and the following week Elvin gifted the young Moreno a scratched-up set of Gretsch drums — the very drums he had played on John Coltrane’s Live at Birdlandand Crescent. That same week, Moreno began a seven-year period of study with Elvin, spending time at his home talking, listening to music, eating dinner, and watching classic Western films together. “Elvin was my role model, my mentor, and my closest friend,” Moreno reflects.
For the Dear Elvin J. Project, Moreno selected ten compositions from Elvin’s classic repertoire — drawn directly from the landmark Blue Note recording Genesis — and enlisted NYC arranger and composer Rich Shemaria to create new arrangements for this stellar ensemble. The result is a tribute that honors not just the music, but the spirit and humanity of one of jazz’s most transformative figures.
This performance carries special historical weight: bassist Gene Perla is a veteran of Elvin Jones’ own working bands and appears on the original Genesis recording itself — bringing a rare and direct living connection to that historic session to The Side Door stage. Joining him are tenor saxophonist Troy Roberts, alto and soprano saxophonist Patrick Cornelius, pianist Manuel Valera, and percussionist Mauricio Herrera — a group of musicians whose collective depth and artistry are more than equal to the music’s demands.
The Side Door Jazz Club is a dedicated jazz listening room located inside the historic Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tickets are reserved seating. Guests dining at the Old Lyme Inn prior to the show receive 10% off their dinner bill.

Al Fenton Big Band - Tribute to Count Basie
2026-06-05 19:30 - 21:30 | Norwich Arts Center, 62 Broadway, Norwich, CT, 06360
Join the Al Fenton Big Band for an unforgettable concert experience celebrating the music and legacy of the “King of Swing,” Count Basie. This special tribute, presented at the Norwich Arts Center, showcases the signature swing, blues, and driving rhythmic energy that defined Basie’s sound and style. Join the Al Fenton Big Band for an unforgettable concert experience, celebrating the music and legacy of the “King of Swing,” Count Basie.
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As a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Al Fenton Big Band is dedicated to preserving and performing the great American big band tradition while keeping it vibrant for modern audiences. The ensemble features vocalist and full member Kat Volikas, whose expressive style blends classic jazz phrasing with contemporary versatility, enhancing both traditional Basie repertoire and modern big band arrangements. Founded in 2001 by its namesake, the mission of the Al Fenton Big Band, from the very start, was to perform music from the “Golden Era of Swing” alongside more modern big-band arrangements of contemporary tunes. That mixed repertoire has always made the music of the Al Fenton Big Band appeal to young, old, and in-between alike. Al has retired from the band, but his original mission and vision continue to thrive today under the capable direction of bandleader Kathy Neri. Under Kathy’s leadership, the group of 18 accomplished and dedicated jazz musicians continues to perform throughout Connecticut to wide acclaim.
$10 Adults
$8 Seniors/Military/Student
$5 Members

Jazz at Three Sheets
2026-06-05 18:00 - 21:00 | Three Sheets, 372 Elm Street, New Haven, CT
New England Jazz Underground presents jazz on the 1st and 3rd Friday every month.

Fridays with Frank
2026-06-05 17:15 - 19:00 | Institute Library, 847 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT
Join renowned jazz historian and Jazz Haven Board member Frank Cochran for BYOB “Fridays with Frank.” Happy Hour jazz listening sessions are held every Friday from 5:15 to 7:00 pm at the Institute Library in downtown New Haven. Each Friday Frank selects iconic jazz LPs to play from the Library’s extensive collection. Discussion follows. BYOB and please give a modest donation towards the IL’s spiraling utilities. A $5.00 contribution is welcome.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band
2026-06-04 20:00 - 22:00 | Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge Road, Ridgefield , CT, 06877
At a moment when musical streams are crossing with unprecedented frequency, it’s crucial to remember that throughout its history, New Orleans has been the point at which sounds and cultures from around the world converge, mingle, and resurface, transformed by the Crescent City’s inimitable spirit and joie de vivre. Nowhere is that idea more vividly embodied than in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, which has held the torch of New Orleans music aloft for more than 65 years, all the while carrying it enthusiastically forward as a reminder that the history they were founded to preserve is a vibrantly living history.
PHJB marches that tradition forward once again on So It Is. The album redefines what New Orleans music means today by tapping into a sonic continuum that stretches back to the city’s Afro-Cuban roots, through its common ancestry with the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and the Fire Music of Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane, and forward to cutting-edge artists with whom the PHJB have shared festival stages from Coachella to Newport, including legends like Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello and the Grateful Dead and modern giants like Beck, The Foo Fighters, My Morning Jacket, and the Black Keys.
Visit Southwest Cafe (109 Danbury Road, Ridgefield) for dinner before the show and enjoy a complimentary margarita with your entree when you show your ticket!

Max Johnson Sextet
2026-06-04 19:30 - 21:30 | The Drake, 44 N. Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA
Max Johnson (bass), Nate Wooley (trumpet), Anna Webber (sax/flute), Yuma Uesaka (sax/clarinet), Lester St. Louis (cello), Jeff Davis (drums)
Composer, bassist, and improviser Max Johnson presents his brand new sextet in the premiere of “Without Fear,” a new concert-length work. The piece is a sprawling, style-blurring composition that explores the many musical worlds Johnson has inhabited over the past fifteen years, weaving together elements of jazz, chamber music, folk music, free improvisation, and progressive rock.
The work draws from Johnson’s experience as an in-demand performer and prolific composer, having performed internationally and recorded with artists such as Anthony Braxton, Geri Allen, the Daedalus Quartet, David Grisman, Tyshawn Sorey, Mary Halvorson, Mivos Quartet, and several alumni of Frank Zappa’s bands. Conceived as a musical ecosystem where diverse influences coexist and interact, “Without Fear” highlights the individual voices and abilities of the ensemble while bringing Johnson’s expansive musical vision into a single personal work.
As a lover of comic books, the piece is inspired by the Green Lantern, whose power ring can create anything imaginable through sheer force of will, so long as its bearer remains without fear. Like the ring itself, the work imagines a creative space where the many musical languages Johnson inhabits can live together within a single composition.
Described as “an intrepid composer, architect of sound and beast of the bass…” (Brad Cohan, NYC Jazz Record) composer-bassist Max Johnson has recorded seventeen albums as a leader and has performed more than two thousand concerts internationally. Johnson currently teaches music theory at Brooklyn College and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania.

Black Eyed Sally’s Jazz Jam - Haneef Nelson Quartet
2026-06-03 19:00 - 22:00 | Black-eyed Sally’s Southern Kitchen & Bar, 350 Asylum St., Hartford, CT, 06103

The Levin Brothers
2026-05-31 20:00 - 22:30 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
Two of music’s most storied careers, one stage — the Levin Brothers come to The Side Door.

Tony Levin · Bass
Pete Levin · Keys
Pat LaBarbera · Saxophone & Flute
Jeff Siegel · Drums
Trained in Classical music, Pete and Tony Levin were also influenced by the 1950’s jazz recordings by bassist Oscar Pettiford. Both were encouraged by high school music faculty to pursue music careers. Pete went to The Juilliard School in New York City, Tony to The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. After graduating, Tony also moved to New York City. By the 1970’s both were active in the New York City music scene.
Style-wise, Tony and Pete have had divergent careers. Their musical paths have crossed many times, backing other artists and playing in each other’s bands. In the late ‘70s they toured together with Paul Simon. But other than a 1976 recording by their first group – “The Clams” – the Levin Brothers band was their first time developing a project together.
While their 2014 debut album “Levin Brothers” was rooted in ‘50s-era jazz, over the years they’ve added a lot of eclectic material to the band’s repertoire, drawing from Classical, Pop and Prog Rock genres and adapting it to the band’s jazz style. Performances now include compositions by Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Ennio Morricone, Ralph Towner, Astor Piazzolla and Jimi Hendrix, as well as originals by Pete and Tony.
Over the last 10 years the quartet has toured the U.S. and internationally, releasing 4 more albums. While Woodstock drummer Jeff Siegel has been with them from the beginning, the 4th member has varied over the years: saxophonist Erik Lawrence, guitarists David Spinozza and Jeff Ciampa, flautist Ali Ryerson and saxophonist Ken Gioffre. In 2024-25 they are joined by iconic saxophonist Pat Labarbera.
Tony has become the bass and Chapman Stick voice for Peter Gabriel, King Crimson and BEAT. He has played on notable recordings for John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Dire Straits, Carly Simon, Judy Collins, Buddy Rich, Gary Burton, Chuck Mangione, Herbie Mann and many others. He currently records and tours with Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Stick Men and BEAT.
In the 1970s, Pete switched to keyboards, becoming a synthesizer specialist in the New York City recording studio scene. Over the years, he has graced hundreds of jazz and pop recordings and performances with artists including Gil Evans, Jimmy Giuffre, David Sanborn, Miles Davis, Joe Louis Walker, Annie Lennox, Jaco Pastorius and Wayne Shorter. He has released 19 solo albums. He currently leads the “Gil Evans Remembered” band, an 11-piece group made up of alumni of the Gil Evans Orchestra of the 1970’s.
Drummer/Composer/Educator Jeff Siegel is a veteran of the New York Jazz Scene. A member of Sir Roland Hanna’s Trio from 1994-99, Jeff has performed and recorded with jazz legends including Ron Carter, Kenny Burrell, Jack DeJohnette, Benny Golson, Frank Foster, Helen Merrill and Mose Allison. For many years he was a member of legendary pianist Lee Shaw’s recording and touring trio. He currently tours “The Professors” a jazz group made up of four members of the SUNY music faculty.
American-born Canadian jazz tenor sax player, Pat Labarbera is best known as a long-time featured soloist in Buddy Rich’s band and Elvin Jones’ quartet. Pat comes from a musical
family, sharing jazz history along with his two brothers, John (Buddy Rich) and Joe (Bill Evans, Tony Bennett). Pat also played in groups led by Woody Herman, Louie Bellson and Carlos Santana. Living in Toronto, Ontario since 1974, Pat has played a major role in the development of a generation of Canadian saxophonists. Pat joined the Levin Brothers quartet in 2024, appearing with them for four shows at the Rochester International Jazz Festival.

Zaccai Curtis
2026-05-31 14:30 - 16:30 | South Church – New Britain, 90 Main Street, New Britain, CT
Grammy-winning pianist and composer Zaccai Curtis is a dynamic force in contemporary Latin jazz and beyond. Celebrated for his masterful leadership of the Zaccai Curtis Quintet and Sonido Solar, Curtis earned the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album and continues to push musical boundaries with his highly anticipated 2025 release, Sonoluminescence. A visionary artist and co-founder of the TRRcollective label, Curtis has collaborated with legends including Santana, Eddie Palmieri, Christian Scott, and Donald Harrison. His innovative compositions and arrangements have earned him three ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards and prestigious grants, while his educational impact reaches students at the University of Hartford and Western Connecticut State University. A compelling performer and prolific composer, Curtis embodies the vibrant spirit of modern jazz — blending tradition and innovation to create a sound that captivates and inspires audiences worldwide.

Secular Music Group
2026-05-30 22:00 - 23:00, 2026-05-30 20:30 - 21:30 | Firehouse 12, 45 Crown Street, New Haven, CT
Chris Ruggiero: Tape loops, synthesizer, piano. Greg LaPine: Woodwinds, piano. Ted Morcaldi: guitars, synthesizer Will Berman: percussion, piano, guitar Yannis Panos: trumpet, flugelhorn, piano
Secular Music Group (SMG) is a Connecticut-based ensemble working in the soft margins of jazz, free improvisation and minimalism. Their recordings explore the boundaries between structure and improvisation and between musical sound and atmosphere. The Secular Music Group will be performing selections from their forthcoming LP “Volume 3“, out on Love All Day Records.

Mike Rodriguez Quintet
2026-05-30 20:00 - 22:30 | Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, United States
A Grammy-winning trumpeter from the highest levels of jazz comes to The Side Door.

Mike Rodriguez – Trumpet
Nicole Glover – Sax
Gary Versace – Piano
Joe Martin – Bass
Ele Howell – Drums
Mike Rodriguez is one of the most in-demand trumpeters in jazz today — a Queens-born musician whose career has taken him to the very top of the music. A Grammy Award winner as part of Chick Corea’s Spanish Heart Band, he has performed and recorded alongside Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Joe Lovano, Quincy Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Maria Schneider, Kenny Barron, Carla Bley, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. He is currently a member of the internationally acclaimed SFJazz Collective and serves on the faculty at NYU and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Rodriguez’s playing is rooted in the hard bop tradition but reaches comfortably across the full spectrum of jazz — from straight-ahead to Latin, from chamber settings to large ensembles. His recordings as a leader, Reverence (Criss Cross) and Pathways (2021), showcase a mature voice that is at once lyrical, searching, and deeply swinging. Alongside his brother, pianist Robert Rodriguez, he has recorded five albums as the Rodriguez Brothers — a long-running creative partnership that has earned Grammy nominations and international acclaim.
At The Side Door, Rodriguez brings his own quintet — an intimate format that puts his voice front and center in a room built for exactly this kind of music.
The Side Door Jazz Club is a dedicated jazz listening room located inside the historic Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tickets are reserved seating. Guests dining at the Old Lyme Inn restaurant prior to the show receive 10% off their dinner bill.

June Bisantz Quartet
2026-05-30 19:30 - 21:30 | River Room, 50 Riverside Drive, Willimantic, CT
An evening of great jazz at the River Room – Willimantic’s fabulous new music venue with
June Bisantz – voice
Alex Nakhimovsky – piano
& the great
Harvie S – bass
Space is limited, so reserve now!
$33.85 | $23.18 students
