Virtual 2021 Baby Grand Jazz lineup at Hartford Library ranges from traditional to modern
From a peppy tap-dancing/percussion fusion to precocious University of Hartford jazz students to veteran ensembles, Hartford Public Library is continuing to offer its Baby Grand Jazz series as a COVID-cautious virtual series in 2021. This week the library announced 16 concerts happening in the first four months of next year, which can be experienced either on its Facebook or YouTube pages.
Bridget Quinn-Carey, the library’s president and CEO, said in a statement that “We love sharing the work of these amazing musicians, many of whom come from the rich Hartford music scene. Baby Grand Jazz isn’t only a good time, but it’s an important part of the library’s mission, offering free access to the arts to the Hartford community.”
Thousands of viewers tuned in to the 2020 series, which had been hurriedly adapted for online. The concerts still happen Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m., as they did when they could be presented live at the library. One advantage of the virtual series: the shows are archived on the Baby Grand Jazz YouTube channel.
The series continues to focus largely on Connecticut-based jazz artists and, as the “Baby Grand” name suggests, pianists.
The 2021 schedule:
Jan. 3: Ken Serio Trio. The versatile drummer Ken Serio, bassist Jedd Chlebowski and guitarist Sinan Bakir, who can venture from jazz into rock.
Jan. 10: The duo of pianist Alex Nakhimovsky, who’s got both classical and jazz chops, and vocalist June Bisantz.
Jan. 17: Anton Kot Trio, led by a drummer who’s also an accomplished pianist.
Jan. 24: Andrew Wilcox Sextet. This modern jazz ensemble last played the Baby Grand series in September. It features Wilcox on piano and Jonathan Barber (who’ll lead his own set later in the series) on drums.
Jan. 31: CBG and the Hartford Sound, with pianist Damian Curtis, percussionist Nelson Bello and trombonist Emmett Goods, gigging actively together since 2014 and currently working on their first studio recording.
Feb. 7: Medusa, a conceptual breakthrough consisting of tap dancer Corey Hutchins and percussionist Jocelyn Pleasant.
Feb. 14: The John Kordalewski Trio, featuring pianist Kordalewski (of The Makanda Project) and Wes Brown and Royal Hartigan of Blood Drum Spirit.
Feb. 21: South Indian, Sufi-infused jazz pianist Charu Surl and Friends.
Feb. 28 is the date for the kickoff of the 2021 Big Read kickoff program, which may involve live entertainment.
March 7: HGTS, emanating from the Jazz and African American Music Studies departments at UMass Amherst, including pianist Jeff Holmes from the Paul Winter Consort, Thomas Giampietro, Felipe Salles and Fumi Tomita.
March 14: Japanese-born jazz pianist Kyoko Oyobe.
March 21: The Jimmy Gavagan Trio, all three of them current students of the University of Hartford, influenced by bebop and other modern jazz movements.
March 28: The New England Jazz Ensemble, including Walter Gwardyak, who has been playing professionally since the 1960s.
No concert on Easter Sunday, April 4.
April 11: Drummer Jonathan Barber and his combo Vision Ahead
April 18: People of Goodwill
April 25: The series ends with the Latin jazz/fusion act Trombeatz, led by trombonist Hommy Ramos and percussionist Nelson Bello and dedicated to exploring “cultural and social issues” through music.
The jazz series has its own page on the Hartford Public Library website, hplct.org/classes-seminars-exhibits/baby-grand-jazz.
Christopher Arnott can be reached at carnott@courant.com.
