By J. R. Carroll.

Early April showers us with 40 years of the Harvard Jazz Bands and a bouquet of Brazilian artists, including Dende and Hãhãhães, Sergio Brandão and Manga Rosa, and the astonishing, young guitarist, Chico Pinheiro.

Parisian-born pianist Pierre Hurel has developed a distinctive approach to the standard repertoire in his solo performances; he returns to the Regattabar at 7:30 and 10 p.m. on Friday, April 1–no fooling!

When your first band is called “La Perfecta,” where can you go from there? Pianist Eddie Palmieri has been taking Latin music up another notch for almost half a century, and he’ll be at Scullers, teamed with the formidable trumpeter Brian Lynch, at 8 and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 1–2.

On Saturday, April 2, at 8 p.m., the Wellesley College Music Department presents The Boundary Line, a faculty showcase featuring vocalist Kris Adams, trumpeter Greg Hopkins, flutist Lance Martin, saxophonist Cercie Miller, violinist Paula Zeitlin, guitarist Glorianne Collver-Jacobson, pianist Doug Johnson, bassist Mark Henry, drummer Steve Langone, and percussionist/vocalist Kera Washington.

Also on Saturday, down in New London, CT, the Jazz Underground hosts the Greg Abate Quartet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVo9MGximeQ

Bassist Rick McLaughlin, joined by fellow Either/Orchestra members (saxophonists Russ Gershon and Hailey Niswanger and drummer Pablo Bencid) and guests (vocalist Ruthie Ristich, trumpeter Phil Grenadier, guitarists Bill Brinkley and Jamie Stewardson, and pianist David Zoffer), presents a free concert at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 3, in New England Conservatory’s Pierce Hall.

When the Instant Composers Pool appeared on what, sadly, turned out to be Eric Dolphy’s Last Date, few Americans knew who they were or what to make of them. More than four decades later, the now-celebrated pianist Misha Mengelberg, drummer Han Bennink, and their colleagues remain as delightfully unpredictable as ever; they’ll make a free (in both senses) appearance at the Harvard University Department of Music’s John Knowles Paine Concert Hall on Monday, April 4, at 4 p.m.

Saxophonist Steve Adams and bassist Ken Filiano have been playing together since the late ’70s, and they’ll play again at 8 p.m. on Monday at Outpost 186.

Guitarist Julien Kasper brings his hardcore jazz to Johnny D’s at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6. Also at 8 p.m., Latvian-born flutist Ilona Kudina is at Scullers to launch her new CD.

On Thursday, April 7, at 7:30 and 10 p.m., vocalist Gretchen Parlato releases her new CD (NPR is streaming it live all week) at the Regattabar.

Also on Thursday, at 9:30 p.m., Carlos Averhoff, Jr. (yes, he’s the son of the great Irakere saxophonist) brings his IRESI Project to the Fireplace.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 14 years since I first heard guitarist Sergio Brandão and Manga Rosa; he brings his memorable compositions and arrangements back to the Regattabar on Friday at 7:30 and 10 p.m.

Meanwhile, Milan’s experimental C.O.D. Trio is the centerpiece of the Lily Pad’s Friday Parlor Night; the Trio performs at 9 p.m.

And, from one ocean further away, classical sitar master Chirag Ketti joins Natraj at the Amazing Things Arts Center in Framingham at 8 p.m.

Elsewhere in New England, New Haven’s Firehouse 12 welcomes the Ullman/Swell Quartet on Friday at 8:30 and 10 p.m.

With second season of HBO’s Treme in the offing, the Rebirth Brass Band makes two stops on a swing through New England. On Friday, April 8, they’ll be in Portsmouth, NH at 8 p.m. at the Music Hall; the next evening they’ll play at the Spot Underground in Providence, RI at 9 p.m.

Friday is also the starting point for a two-day celebration of 40 Years of Jazz at Harvard, with Harvard Jazz Bands director Tom Everett in conversation with music scholar (and trumpeter) Ingrid Monson at 4 p.m. The main event follows on Saturday evening, April 9, at 8 p.m., with an Anniversary Concert at Sanders Theatre featuring the Harvard Jazz Bands and the Harvard All-Stars, which, indeed, they are: Benny Golson, Brian Lynch, Eddie Palmieri, Cecil McBee, and Roy Haynes (along with alumnus Don Braden).

Also on Saturday, at 7:30 and 10 p.m., pianist and physician Dr. Stanley Sagov comes to the Regattabar with his Remembering The Future Jazz Band and special guest vocalist Wannetta Jackson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHCBIYa36G4

In a nation rich with guitarists the likes of Toninho Horta, João Bosco, Guinga, and Lula Galvão, Brazil’s astonishing Chico Pinheiro is carving out a place very much his own; on Tuesday, April 12, he’ll make a not-to-be-missed appearance at 7:30 p.m. at the Regattabar.

When Bahian percussionist Dende brought his band Hãhãhães to Johnny D’s a while back, they absolutely smoked the place; you’ll have another opportunity to hear them live at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13.

On Thursday, April 14, Newpoli returns to the Regattabar at 7:30 p.m. to kick off the fund raising campaign for their next CD.

It seems singularly appropriate that one of the most celebrated musical families in New Orleans is associated with an event featuring one of the most celebrated musical families in Tel Aviv. At 8 p.m., also on Thursday, the Marsalis Berklee Jams welcome the 3 Cohens (saxophonists Yuval and Anat and trumpeter Avishai) to Cafe 939.