By J. R. Carroll

While the big event for September is the Beantown Jazz Festival, which we’ll cover in detail in our upcoming posts, the first half of the month is packed with performances that stretch the geographical and conceptual boundaries of jazz.

On Thursday, September 9, at 7:30 p.m., Musaner bring their unique fusion of jazz and Armenian folk music to the Regattabar.

Guadalajara probably isn’t the first locale that comes to mind when you think of klezmer, but it has provided a fertile base for the development of Sherele’s fresh take on a venerable style; they’ll top off this busy Thursday at 10 p.m. at the Lily Pad.

In recent years, New Haven’s Firehouse 12 has earned a notable reputation for welcoming innovative and experimental artists to its performance space as well as its recording studio; this year’s fall series opens on Friday, September 10, at 8:30 and 10 p.m. with trumpeter Taylor Ho Bynum and his Sextet.

Outpost 186 in Cambridge has garnered a similar reputation, albeit on a smaller scale, and that same evening at 8 p.m. it will host bassist Jacob William and his superb Para Quintet (trumpeter Forbes Graham, saxophonist Jim Hobbs, pianist Steve Lantner, and free jazz master drummer Laurence Cook).

On Saturday, September 11, at 7:30 and 10 p.m., the Regattabar hosts the Either/Orchestra for the release of their long-awaited new CD, Mood Music for Time Travelers (the video is a hoot).

Meanwhile, at 8 p.m. in Framingham, MA, Brazilian pianist and singer/songwriter Luiz Simas joins bassist Jason Davis and drummer Bertram Lehmann at the Amazing Things Arts Center.

Back at Outpost 186 on Monday, September 13, guitarist Garrison Fewell presents his Serious Trio, with trombonist Steve Swell and saxophonist Andrew Raffo Dewar at 8 p.m.

The following evening at 8 p.m., the Beehive welcomes the Kevin Harris Project.

Also of interest: As an adjunct to the Brazilian Independence Day festivities, the Institute of Contemporary Art screens a fascinating documentary on the Brazilian music experience outside Brazil, Beyond Ipanema, at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 10 (check out the trailer).

Much more to come this month; stay tuned for the updates.