Festival of New Trumpet Music Various Venues Mon, Sept 14 - Sun, Sept 20
Heard Justin Mullens and Mike McGinnis blend a perfect swoop of consonance on a Wayne Shorter tune last Friday night, with the former’s brass hitching itself to the latter’s reeds as if a Justice of the Peace was uniting them. It instantly reminded me how authoritative and evocative a trumpet can sound. The annual FONT presentations have been underscoring this notion for a while now (a quarter century next year, y’all), spotlighting fresh talent and key veterans whose work warrants a wider splash of attention. From Akili Bradley and Brandon Woody to Dave Adawumi and Adam O’Farrill to Robert Vega and Bell Thompson to Pete Rodriguez and Ingrid Jensen (who brought mucho fire to a recent Dave Ambrosio gig), there are plenty of must-sees in the 2026 edition. Including the more experienced sounds of Ahmed Abdullah (picking up a recognition award) and Volker Goetze (whose duet disc with bassist Amanda Irarrázabal is an ear-opener) is a wise move. And FONT ain’t only Gotham-centric. Its Brass Without Borders streaming concert series presents artists from around the world. The action lasts all week. (photo: Jimmy Katz)
Red Hook Records Anniversary Shows Roulette Fri, Sept 18 - Sat, Sept 19
It was great to have Masabumi Kikuchi’s Hanamichi arrive five years ago. It delivered an important piano recital and signaled the kick-off of a key new improvisers imprint, Red Hook Records. With producer Sun Chung at the helm, several more titles have appeared, and the label celebrates its fifth anny with a two-evening presentation of its key artists. Amina Myers’ Solace of the Mind was solo affair that reminded fans how deep her blues and gospel roots go, a balm for these disturbingly agitated times; she kicks off the first night’s programming. The wisdom of two octogenarians, Andrew Cyrille and Wadada Leo Smith was shown on their collaboration with synthtronica whiz Qasim Naqvi. That trio shares the Friday bill. Naqvi is a percussionist as well and Saturday begins with a trio of saxophonist Caroline Davis, guitarist Grey Mcmurray playing music from their upcoming Trappings Of Sleep. The much buzzed-about confluence of pianist Jason Moran, electronics maven Blankfor.ms and drummer Marcus Gilmore, whose electro-acoustic foray into kaleidoscopic realms has turned plenty of heads, closes out the mini fest with a postmodern dreamscape.
Alternative Guitar Summit’s Pat Martino Tribute Iridium Sat, Sept 19
You put on some of those Pat Martino albums and just sit back and listen to the guy blow. Brains, craft, charisma—everything explodes when Pat takes off. Take, let’s say, “Just Friends” from El Hombre (Prestige). Between his comping and his soloing the whole house burns down. And what about something like “The Phineas Trane” from the live album, Nexus? Disturbingly intricate. So it’s little wonder that the contemporary string players genuflecting to the late master on a pair of sweet tribute albums have had to dig deep. Deep and swinging like Cecil Alexander and Pete McCann on “Lean Years.” Deep and lyrical like Kurt Rosenwinkel on “City Lights.” This live version of these two titles should be a blast, and I’m betting dollars to donuts that Rez Abbasi, Sheryl Bailey, Oz Noy, Adam Rogers, Dave Stryker, Joel Harrison and a scad of others will make hay with whatever Martino nuggets are chosen to fill this evening of swing. Especially with bassist Boris Koslov and drummer Allen Mednard driving the whole thing. (Photo: Andrew Lepley / Redferns)
MORE ITEMS OF INTEREST
Berne/Nazary/Belisle-Chi/Hébert/ Lowlands Tues, Sept 22
Slavic Soul Party Barbès Tues, Sept 15
Devin Gray/Brandon Lopez/Caroline Davis Troost Tuesday, Sept 15
Colin Stetson & Brìghde Chaimbeul Pioneer Works Tues, Sept 15
WRENS Close Up Weds, Sept 16
Steve Turre’s All Star Sextet Smoke Weds, Sept 16 - Sunday, Sept 20
Eliane Elias Birdland Tuesday, Sept 15 - Saturday, Sept 19
Christian Finger Mezzrow Wednesday, Sept 16
Coltrane Centennial Celebrating Jimmy Garrison: (Marcus Gilmore, Ravi Coltrane, Matthew Garrison) Shapeshifter Weds, Sept 16 - Thurs, Sept 17
Marta Sánchez Cafe Erzulie Thurs, Sept 17
Dennis Mitcheltree Quartet Smalls Thursday, Sept 17
Pete Rodriguez Sextet Jazz Cultural Thursday, Sept 17
Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro-Latin Orchestra The Pocket Tuesday, Sept 15
Sana Nagano The Stone Weds, Sept 16 - Sat, Sept 19
Hearing Things Barbès Saturday, Sept 19
Sonny Rollins Celebration Cathedral of Saint John the Divine Sat, Sept 19 (1pm)
Billy Mintz Quintet Smalls Friday, Sept 18 - Sunday, Sept 19
Kevin Sun Bar Bayeux Saturday, Sept 19
Mary Halvorson’s Canis Major Close Up Thurs, Sept 17 - Fri, Sept 18
Dezron Douglas’ 3Peace Bar Bayeux Weds, Sept 16
Antonio Hat Quintet Jazz Cultural Friday, Sept 18
Peter Watrous Bar Bayeux Friday, Sept 18 (6 pm)
Lucian Ban & Mat Maneri Barbès Friday, Sept 18
Álvaro Torres Trio Mezzrow Weds, Sept 16
Bobby Watson Quintet Dizzy’s Weds, Sept 16
Aaron Diehl Trio Dizzy’s Thurs, Sept 17 - Sat, Sept 19
Joe Morris Trio In Gardens Festival Saturday, Sept 19
Oscar Peñas Quartet Five Spot Thurs, Sept 17
Kneebody The Pocket Friday, Sept 18
Theo Croker x Nicholas Daley Blue Note Tues, Sept 15 - Thurs, Sept 17
Conrad Herwig Plays Miles and Trane The Pocket Fri, Sept 18 - Sat, Sept 19
Kenny Wessel Pisticci Monday, Sept 21
Jazz Passengers Nublu Thursday, Sept 17
Ari Hoenig Trio LOOVE Annex Thursday, Sept 17
Adam O’Farrill’s Elephant The Pocket Thursday, Sept 17
Jerome Sabbagh Bar Bayeux Friday, Sept 18
Stephen Haynes/Yoona Kim/Ben Stapp/Harris Eisenstadt Prospect Series Fri, Sept 18
Dirty Desmonds Barbès Sat, Sept 19 (3 pm)
Adam Nussbaum Close Up Sat, Sept 19 - Sun, Sept 20
Mike McGinnis St Peter’s Church, Jazz Vespers Sunday, Sept 20
Bill Mays Trio Birdland Sunday, Sept 20
Ben Waltzer Trio Mezzrow Sunday, Sept 20
Frank Carlberg Large Ensemble Dizzy’s Monday, Sept 21
Vinnie Sperrazza & Josh Dion Barbès Monday, Sept 21
Joe Fonda Quartet (Kenny Wessel/Sam Bardfeld/Rob Garcia) Ibeam Weds, Sept 23
Sally Gates/Caroline Davis/Trevor Dunn/Greg Fox Sisters Mon, Sept 21
Miles Okazaki’s Monkathon Roulette Tues, Sept 22
Jamie Baum Quartet Five Spot Weds, Sept 23
Jenny Scheinman Barbès Tuesday, Sept 22
Joe Hertenstein’s Future Drone Nublu Wednesday, Sept 23
Ryan Keberle’s Catharsis Trio (Camila Mela/Jorge Roeder) LunÀtico Tues, Sept 22
Tyrone Allen II Jazz Gallery Weds, Sept 23
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society The Pocket Thursday, Sept 24
Trickster Close Up Thursday, Sept 24
Wolfgang Muthspiel Jazz Gallery Friday, Sept 25
New York Forward Festival Various Venues Friday, Sept 25 - Sunday, Sept 27
Matt Wilson’s Good Trouble Birdland Friday, Sept 25 - Saturday, Sept 26
Orrin Evans/Ralph Bowen Coltrane Tribute Five Spot Fri, Sept 25 - Sat, Sept 26
Ed Neumeister’s NeuNeuNonet Birdland Sunday, Sept 27
Devon Gates Rizzoli Sunday, Sept 27
James Brandon Lewis Roulette Tuesday, Sept 29
Crypsis Quartet Lowlands Tuesday, Sept 29
Costa/Warren/Salamone/Morgan - Brandon Seabrook Three’s Brewing Thurs, Oct 1
The Rodman/Nathanson Alphabet Lounge Big Band Lowlands Oct 12
And Sonny Rollins memorial is Saturday at Cathedral of St.John the Divine.