By J. R. Carroll
Even on the Labor Day Weekend, September 2012 gets off to strong start with a Billy Strayhorn tribute in Hyde Park and some special visitors from Brazil.
Saturday, September 1, at 2 p.m. at the Martini Shell on Truman Parkway, the third annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival offers a triple bill of guitarist Phil Sargent and his Quartet (with trumpeter Jerry Sabatini, bassist Greg Loughman and drummer Mike Connors), bassist and steel pan player Ron Reid and the Rhythm Earth Ensemble (with keyboardist Tuffus Zimbabwe and drummer Sean Skeete), and a tribute to composer/arranger Billy Strayhorn featuring saxophonist Daniel Ian Smith, pianist Nando Michelin, guitarist John Baboian, bassist Fernando Huergo and drummer Austin McMahon. Admission is free.
Later, at 8 p.m. in Inman Square, Brazilian vocalist Dani and pianist Debora Gurgel bring their quartet (with bassist Jon Burr and, from another celebrated musical family, drummer Thiago Rabello) to the Lily Pad.
Sunday, September 2, offers a couple of opportunities for jazz excursions. At 1 p.m., Berklee Summer in the City brings saxophonist Lihi Haruvi to Spectacle Island.
Up the coast in Portsmouth, NH, vocalist April Hall celebrates a CD release at the Press Room at 6 p.m.
Or head back to the Lily Pad at 9 p.m. for guitarist Assaf Kehati and his trio (bassist Ehud Ettun and drummer Oscar Suchanek).
At 6 p.m. on Labor Day, Monday, September 3 Berklee Summer in the City shifts to the Regattabar Courtyard for a performance by vocalist Vanisha Gould.
There are a lot of things we take for granted, and two of them are the Monday evening residencies of saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi and the Fringe (saxophonist George Garzone, bassist John Lockwood, and drummer Bob Gullotti) at the Lily Pad.
Remedy this with a Labor Day visit to catch Bergonzi at 8 p.m. and the Fringe at their usual, quirky 10:22 p.m.
This is just the start—check back in a few days for the full Coming Attractions in Jazz for September 2012.
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