Michael Mwenso leads his band, The Shakes, on Friday at AMP (Photo via Facebook).
WEDNESDAY, JULY 12
Guitarist Elijah Cole leads a quartet at Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
Veteran area drummer Jay Williams leads a group through 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $22 plus minimum and surcharge.
Pianist Keigo Hirasawa earned a graduate degree in music from the prestigious New England Conservatory. Realizing he needed a “real job,” he then attended Cornell for a Ph.D. in engineering, and now serves as a computer engineering professor at the University of Dayton. He still plays music regularly and is on a jaunt to the East Coast with his trio, which will play 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Twins Jazz tonight. $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
THURSDAY, JULY 13
Area smooth jazz star Marcus Johnson kicks off a four-night run of 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $30-$35 plus minimum and surcharge.
Veteran area saxophonist Marty Nau plays 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Twins Jazz. $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
Los Gaiteros de SanGuashington is a band whose members came together to showcase the richness and diversity of Colombian music. The group plays the Bossa Bistro & Lounge at 9 p.m. FREE
FRIDAY, JULY 14
The Onyx Club Boys plays Jazz In The Garden. 5 to 8:30 p.m. FREE
Trumpeter Michael Thomas and his band pay tribute to the late, great Lee Morgan at Jazz Night in Southwest. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
L.A.-based drummer Alex Snydman brings his critically acclaimed trio to Twins Jazz on Friday and Saturday. 9 and 11 p.m. sets. $15 plus minimum and surcharge.
Trumpeter Kevin Cordt brings a band to Mr. Henry’s. 8 to 11 p.m. Two item per person minimum.
Michael Mwenso and his band, The Shakes, are actively trying to push big band music in new directions. Unlike peer large ensembles, who do so by embracing contemporary—sometimes even dystopian—sounds, Mwenso & Co. are firmly rooted in the dance and swing styles of traditional jazz. This approach, combined with Mwenso’s showmanship and vocal chops, results in an experience that combines Duke Ellington’s sophistication with hip-hop’s swagger. The band comes to AMP for an 8 p.m. show. $20-$26.
SATURDAY, JULY 15
Tropicalia hosts an evening of Colombian music with Tribu Baharú and La Colombopercutiva. The show serves as the kickoff to the International Colombian Festival. 7 p.m. $12 in advance/$15 at the door.
Kevin Greenspon, J. Hamilton Isaacs, and Dura provide an evening of ambient music at Rhizome. 8 p.m. $10 at the door.
Julia Nixon was one of the principals in the celebrated Broadway production of Dreamgirls. Her music straddles the line between jazz and R&B, and the WAMMIE and Helen Hayes award winner will perform an intimate show at Mr. Henry’s. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $14 to $19 with a $15 food and beverage minimum.
SUNDAY, JULY 16
Steve Novosel has been one of the area’s first-call bassists for decades. His resume includes some of the most respected names in jazz over the last half-century, including Pharoah Sanders, Elvin Jones, Cedar Walton, and Roberta Flack, just to name a few. Novosel’s band performs at Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
Kuba Cichocki’s Audubon Lab Experiment is an NYC-based fusion quartet that comes to Twins Jazz for 8 and 10 p.m .sets. $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
Buyepongo takes its cues from the traditional “roots” music of Colombia, Haiti, Belize, Honduras and the Dominican Republic. The band brings its Latin melange to Bossa for a 9:30 p.m. show. $10 at the door.
MONDAY, JULY 17
Trumpeter Dave Detwiler served in the U.S. Army Band from 1973 to 2000, and as a result was often music director for events at the White House. He has continued to perform since his retirement, and leads a group through 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $20 plus minimum and surcharge.
TUESDAY, JULY 18
Jojo’s hosts the Tedd Baker trio. 7:30 to 11 p.m. FREE
