Is This Jazz? Spring Guide To Jazz In RI

As we all begin to thaw out from the winter chill, it’s important to remember that warmer weather is on its way and with that a renewed batch of great jazz sprouting up at venues all around the state. While there are many events happening this spring, here is a brief selection to get you started.

On March 3, The Mike Casey Trio performs at the Sandywoods Center for the Arts in Tiverton. Asked about the group’s sound Casey responds, “It’s best described as an accessible, unique, modern, upbeat jazz trio — we appeal equally to jazz aficionados and casual music fans.” In February, they will release their first album, which was recorded live at The Side Door Jazz Club. Then on March 15, local composer and percussionist Ryan Kowal will present another one of his “meeting of the minds” extravaganzas at AS220, which will feature a slew of killer local talent. For these concerts, Kowal brings together a wide range of players on a variety of instruments and weaves them through his elaborate compositions and exploratory free improvisations. To round off the month, on March 21 “Is This Jazz?” will host the first of what will be a bimonthly jazz jam at AS220. In accordance with AS220’s policy of all originals, Is This Jazz will play from a collection of tunes called “The RI Book,” which is an assortment of compositions kindly lent to us by local artists who have performed on the series. It is an all-ages open jam, so bring your axe, your charts and of course, your chops.

On April 9 at Aurora, Boston-based trumpeter Mark Berney brings his quartet together to celebrate the music of RI’s own trumpeter Bobby Hackett as part of the Jazz Revelations series. Robert Leo “Bobby” Hackett was a Providence-born trumpet player, cornetist and guitarist who performed with Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman in the late 1930s and early 1940s, and later on with Tony Bennett and Dizzy Gillespie. Berney himself is an accomplished musician who has toured the world with such diverse acts as the Skatalites, Aretha Franklin and violinist Itzhak Perlman. On May 7, another spectacular trumpet player, Chris Botti, will stop by Providence at The Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Botti’s warm, intimate style of playing has helped him cross over to audiences usually reserved for pop music and has led to four #1 jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum and Grammy Awards. His latest album, Impressions, won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 55th Grammy Awards. On May 27 at Chan’s in Woonsocket is saxophonist and local jazz icon Greg Abate’s Quartet, which features other legendary area musicians Tim Ray, John Lockwood and Mark Walker. They will celebrate the release of their album Road To Forever.

Be sure to catch these and all the great events happening around the state, especially those listed below, which are regular sessions that mostly take place on a weekly basis. If it’s jazz you’re seeking, then Rhode Island has you covered.

Happening Around Town:

The John Allmark Jazz Orchestra; Mondays @ The Met (Pawtucket)

Is This Jazz?; first Friday, bimonthly @ AS220 (Providence) isthisjazz.tumblr.com

Joe Potenza; Fridays @ Rosmarin (Providence)

Allary At Arias; Sundays @ Arias Lounge (Providence)

Groove Merchants; Mondays @ Fifth Element (Newport)

Jazz Jam; Tuesdays @ Ten Rocks (Pawtucket)

Groove E Tuesday; Tuesdays @ Murphy’s Law (Pawtucket)

Wednesday Night Sessions; Wednesdays @ Arias Lounge (Providence)

Parlour Jazz Jam; third Sunday each month @ The Parlour (Providence)

World Class Jazz Night; Thursdays @ Norey’s (Newport)

Matunuck Beach Hot Jazz Party; Thursdays @ The Ocean Mist (Matunuck)

Jeff Platz Quartet’s Modern Sound Series; last Sunday each month @ Tea In Sahara (Providence)

 To add your listing please email isthisjazzri@gmail.com.

Ben Shaw is a local composer, performer, writer and podcaster. Dig into his works at ahueofshaw.tumblr.com or find him on Twitter @ahueofshaw.