March 8: Nigel Bello Band
Nigel Bello - Trombone
Nathan Edwards - Tenor Sax
Alex Pastrana - Piano
Felipe Fournier - Vibraphones
Fernando Garcia - Drums
Nelson Bello - Percussion/Conga
Matt Dwonzsyk - Bass
Hartford-born trombonist Nigel Bello began playing at age six, introduced to the instrument by his father, Nelson Bello. He has since performed with leading artists including Zaccai Curtis, Luques Curtis, Nat Reeves, and Steve Davis. Nigel studied with Davis, Dr. Emmett Goods, and Hommy Ramos, and attended the Litchfield Jazz Camp and Newport Jazz Camp on scholarship. In 2023, he toured France with the New Jersey Youth Symphony Jazz Orchestra and has appeared at the Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series and the Greater Hartford Jazz Festival. He now studies at the Berklee College of Music on a full-tuition scholarship.
March 15: Laszlo Gardony Trio
Laszlo Gardony - Piano
John Lockwood - Bass
Yoron Israel - Drums
Winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, pianist and composer, Laszlo Gardony has been noted for his “fluid pianism” by The New York Times, and the legendary Dave Brubeck called him “a great pianist.” Two of his albums made DownBeat Magazine’s “Best of the Year” list. “A formidable improviser who lives in the moment” (JazzTimes), Laszlo has performed in 27 countries and released 14 albums on the Sunnyside, Antilles and Avenue labels. A professor of piano at Berklee College of Music in Boston, he is on the faculty at Harvard University and a voting member of the Recording Academy/GRAMMYs. Learn more at: https://www.lgjazz.com/
March 22: Rodney Jones
Rodney Jones - Guitar
Mary DiPaola - Piano
Lonnie Plaxico - Bass
Russell Carter - Drums
2024 Guggenheim Fellow for Jazz Composition, Rodney Jones is a pioneering jazz guitarist whose fearless innovation redefines tradition. Born in New Haven and influenced by Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, and McCoy Tyner, he rose through New York City’s jazz scene. Joining Dizzy Gillespie’s quartet then propelled him to global recognition and sparked a solo career that showcased his virtuosity and vision. Jones teaches at The Juilliard School and mentors students through his Jazz Guitar Scholars program. Learn more at www.rodneyjones.com
March 29: Ben Bilello Quartet
Ben Bilello - Drums
Ed Cherry - Guitar
Matt Dwonszyk - Bass
Matt DeChamplain - Piano
Ben Bilello received his Bachelors Degree in Jazz Studies at the Hartt School of music, where he studied with Ben Toth, Glen Velez, Michael Carvin, and Tony Leone. Since graduating from Hartt, Ben has performed and/or recorded with Mulgrew Miller, Eddie Henderson, Curtis Fuller, Joe Wilder, Branford Marsalis, and Larry Willis, among many others. In addition to his private teaching studio, Ben is a faculty member at Choate Rosemary Hall. At this time, Ben can be seen performing regularly with guitarist Rich Goldstein, bassist Jeff Fuller, and vocalist Leala Cyr, among others. Learn more at http://www.benbilello.com
April 12: Japanese MicroJam
Hidemi Akaiwa - Piano/prepared piano/microtonal keyboard
David Fiuczynski - Fretless Guitar
Anderson Mirafzali - Fretless Bass
Johnathon Birch - Drums
Rafael Moisa Horimoto - Percussion
Japanese pianist and composer Hidemi Akaiwa began piano at age three, winning numerous classical competitions as a youth. At 30, she transitioned from a corporate career to jazz, earning a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music and participating in the Global Jazz Institute, Jazz and Gender Justice Program, and Planet MicroJam Institute. She received the prestigious Toshiko Akiyoshi Composition Award and studied with musicians including Danilo Perez, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Joe Lovano. A member of the Screaming Headless Torsos and co-leader of Japanese Microjam, Akaiwa fuses Japanese Zen, microtonal techniques, jazz, and contemporary classical music, performing internationally at venues including MoMA New York.
April 19: Tyler Sherman and Friends
Tyler Sherman - Upright Bass
Randall Haywood - Trumpet
Nathan Edwards - Saxophones
Sam Blakeslee - Trombone
Le’Andra McPhatter - Piano
Jonathan Barber - Drums
Bassist and composer Tyler Sherman, a Connecticut native, studied at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts under Dave Santoro and Paul “PB” Brown. He earned degrees from Berklee College of Music and Vermont College of Fine Arts, and studied with Ron Carter. Tyler has performed with artists across jazz, R&B, and hip-hop, arranged for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, won a USA Songwriting Competition prize, and leads his own ensemble, creating original compositions inspired by masters such as Wayne Shorter and Roy Hargrove.
April 26th: Rene McLean: Music of the Spirit
Rene McLean - Saxophones/Flutes
Hubert Eaves III - Piano
Winard Harper - Drums
Josh Evans - Trumpet
Antoine Roney - Saxophone
Matt Dwonszyk - Bass
Baba Neil Clarke - Percussion
Rene McLean is a multi-reed instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, educator, and producer, and the protégé and son of legendary alto saxophonist Jackie McLean. A professor of African American music at the Jackie McLean Institute at the Hartt School, University of Hartford, and a Master Artist in Residence at the Artist Collective, he maintains an active international performing and recording career. He has collaborated with artists including Woody Shaw, Hugh Masekela, Tito Puente, Amiri Baraka, Yusef Lateef, and Miriam Makeba. His music blends bebop with global influences, creating a distinctive Afro-Asiatic sound spanning New York to Cape Town to Cairo. Learn more at: https://jodyjazz.com/endorser/rene-profit-mclean/
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