Our beloved staff writer Shaun has posted on the Jazz scene in town a number of times before, but I feel it’s time to give a little update, especially with the arrival of new readers that, among other things, the beginning of the semester shall hopefully bring. (We do need indeed more people to write about music, art, theatre, literature etc. to give this site more variety. Shaun cannot do it all by himself!)

So here is my subjective preview of Jazz for the next week and a half. Before people feel the need to point it out: yes, some of my own bands will be in it, but I’ll make sure to give a fair overview, including the latest jive-talk of the town.

So this Friday, August 22nd, we’ll start with a rare Jazz treat. John Carden and the Greenwich Swing Time will play at Friday’s after Five at the Pavilion. Those who have never heard him perform surely missed out on something rare. It is not necessarily the most swinging or avant-garde of all ensembles in town but they are a lot of fun. Think: Billy Eckstine meets Broadway career and then gets endorsed by the Charlottesville Jazz society. The backup band features Humberto Sales of Beleza Brazil fame. His playing alone will, I think, make this a nice Summer evening event.

Also at Friday’s after Five the local jack-of-all-trades Matthew Willner will perform with his Jazz quartet. Who knows what instrument he’ll be playing here. Every time I have seen him in the past I have been astonished how creative and sophisticated his playing is and he surely surrounds himself with great musicians. He deserves the big stage.

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Sunday, in fact every Sunday from 7 to 10, you can enjoy the Baja Jazz Collective at Baja Bean on the Corner. They are an ever changing open collective that performs with an open rehearsal feel. In other words, you can watch the music take shape and join in if you like. In Charlottesville you don’t often get the chance to see a band this size and with that kind of sound variety.

Mondays Charlottesville Jazz veteran George Melvin jams at South Street. He plays a variety of keyboard instruments and hosts a variety of musicians ranging from very professional to newly introduced to their instrument. They are definitely a lot of fun.

Tuesdays at Enoteca you can see the Granville Mullings Project. With Granville on Drums, David Cosper on Bass and myself on Keys. We play from eight to eleven and have frequently featured guest musicians in the past. Melvin Butler and his wife of Brian Blade Fellowship fame as well as an array of young talented artists from Charlottesville. All I can say is: check us out!

The same night the Rick Olivarez Trio plays Django style Gypsy Jazz at 10pm at the C&O Restaurant. From what I hear, they are great. If you cannot make up your mind between Granville and Rick, come see us on the 31st at Gravity Lounge. Both bands will engage in an old fashioned battle of the bands there!!

Wednesday it’s good old Mike Rosensky & Jeff Decker at Miller’s. They play pretty straight ahead Hard Bop and Post Bop.

Thursday is as Shaun has pointed out before the biggest Jazz night in town. The self-appointed Jazz guru in town John D’Earth rocks Miller’s with his ensemble of usual suspects. Apparently for a few weeks now John has been playing with a new drummer (!) who is supposed to be the hippest thing since, well John himself appeared on the scene. I will check him out tonight but from what I hear that kid is already stirring up the scene and leaves even John breathless.

If you like to play Jazz yourself then the Jefferson Jazz Jammers are your thing for Thursday. They are a lovely bunch of Jazz musicians who create a professional yet easy going atmosphere for a Jazz jam you have never heard before. I only had the chance to play with them once so far, but it was one of the most fun sessions with the lowest level of ego polishing I have ever attended.

The rest of the week there are several solo Jazz pianists  at Fellini’s #9. Jazzin’ up good ole age of decadence Italian film making I suppose. (Did you ever notice that one of the most conservative dive bars in town with an expensive kitchen and trivia nights is named and decorated after one of the most sexually deviant and controversial film makers in European history? I wonder if there is a place in, say, China called Mapplethorpe’s #69.).

Well, I already said Sunday August 31. Gypsy Jazz meets modern Jazz at Gravity Lounge. This should be an exciting event!!

So, that’s all I can handle this morning. Feel free to add events and please comment. I know I must have left out a bunch of acts but these are my personal choices for Jazz as either art or Jazz as mere fun or sometimes even both.

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