For this week I’m thrilled to be involved in two really different concerts at two great venues. First up, on Thursday evening I’ll be connecting with pianist Geoffrey Keezer, bassist Hamilton Price, and drummer Duncan Moore for a concert at the Athenaeum Library in La Jolla. Do you know Geoffrey’s music? Click here to learn more about him but let me tell you, from where I’m sitting and listening this fellow is a true gem and we’re all thrilled to have him living among us. He had a really early start in music and by the age of 18 was already playing in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. He’s just been going full on from there and most recently playing gigs with Wayne Shorter’s group. I dig Keezer’s spirit in playing music and he loves seeing what can happen in the moment and letting it flow freely. We’ll be playing some of his music, a few new ones of mine, and making some music up on the spot too. It should be a great night of music. Look below if you want more details.

At the end of the week on Sunday we’re heading to Anthology for a night of Brazilian music as heard through the ears of Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66. When I was a kid growing up, my folks had the Sergio vinyl sides spinning and the blend of the unison voices singing in Portuguese along with the reworking of classic pop tunes really connected with me. This was my first introduction to Brazilian music and I’ve been a real fan ever since. For this concert the band will be three vocalists — Kevyn Lettau, Coral MacFarland-Thuet and Leonard Patton along with Tripp Sprague on sax, Duncan Moore on drums, Gunnar Biggs on bass and myself on guitar. Kevyn sang and recorded with Sergio’s band for 9 years and at one point she was able to get me on some gigs with Sergio too. It was a wonderful moment for me to play the samba with one of the cats that first brought it to the America. I hope you can make it out and the blendo of “Fool on the Hill” and “Mais Que Nada” with the balmy July evening ought to be a fairly magical moment.

And the last event for me for this week is cellist Carter Dewberry’s CD release concert at the Yost Theatre in Santa Ana. Carter has been an integral member of my String Consort and she’s now recorded a solo CD called “Origins”. It’s a wonderful collection of songs by different composers plus one of her originals called “Tight Rope” Super cool! She has a magic sound and creative spirit that comes through in her playing. I’ll be joining her for the concert and we’re playing a new arrangement of my tune “Mudra” for cello, clarinet, oboe and guitar. Can’t wait! Check out Carter’s info here.