Get Ready to Jazz It Up!

The may be over, but there are plenty of events to look forward to on the Branford Green. On June 30, the third annual Branford Jazz on the Green Series begins with the smooth sounds of saxophonist , and the performance launches nine weeks of jazz music in Branford Center.
Sponsored jointly by the , the Branford Festival, the , and Connecticut jazz radio station Blue Plate Radio, the event runs every Thursday night from June 30 through August 25. Several restaurants surrounding the green are planning to stay open late to serve jazz series patrons. 

Vincent Ingala, a contemporary jazz artist, has impressed critics and jazz aficianados alike with his smooth sound at his young age. Only 18 years old, he composed six original compositions for his debut album, North End Soul. Ingala performs June 30.

The Faye Green Jazz Band will perform contemporary jazz, standards, and R&B for their July 7 performance. Green has been a staple of jazz performances in New Haven area for the past 30 years, and has frequently received the New Haven Advocate's Best Jazz Vocalist citation.

Joe Cardinale and Friends featuring Elise Cardinale, features Shoreline jazz man Cardinale, who daylights as an area physician. Cardinale is the man behind the jazz series in Guilford restaurants, and will be joined by several well-known Connecticut jazz performers on July 14.

Jazz standards will be brought to the green by Tony Dioguardi and A Brief Episode on July 21. Along with tunes from the Great American Jazz Songbook, the group will put their own spin on popular contemporary numbers.

Connecticut native Doug Jones shares his passion for jazz through his saxophone performance on July 28. Jones has performed from Newport to South America over the course of his 30 year career. 

The Christine Spero Group starts August off with a Latin beat on August 4. Brazilian/Latin/world fusion performer Christine Spero's compositions feature a unique sound with piano, bass, drums, and soulful singing with a creative, improvisational feel. 

Marcus Anderson and Will Donato join forces for a night of urban jazz and R&B on August 11. Donato has performed on saxophone with notable artists, including Al McKay of Earth, Wind, and Fire, and Anderson was the first saxophonist to perform with Pieces of a Dream and Four80East.

Regular performers with Anderson, Four80East hits the stage the next week with their undefinable, acid jazz sound on August 18. Elements of pop music combine with contemporary jazz to create a style of music made to get people out of their seats and dancing.

On August 25, the series concludes with soprano saxophonist Marion Meadows. The former student of Joe Henderson and Eddie Daniels has been performing solo since 1990, with six albums released in his first decade on his own.

All shows begin at 6:30 p.m. and are free of charge. Bring a blanket, bring a picnic, and get ready to sit back and listen or get up and dance to the sounds on the green.