The fifth annual SPC and EMIT-sponsored St. Pete Jazz Fest — which launched on Tuesday and spotlights fine Bay area talent practicing in diverse jazz realms — kicks into high gear by Thursday night with O Som Do Jazz.
The ensemble delivers a set of slinky Brazilian samba-jazz, MPB and bossa nova as led by the rich multi-lingual croons of Rio de Janeiro native Andrea Moraes Manson and composer/trombone playing husband David Manson (7:30 p.m., Studio@620, $15). On Friday, a six-piece led by conga player Frankie Pineiro and vibes man Cole Hazlitt pay tribute to late Latin jazz great Cal Tjader in a reprise of the Viva Cal! program (7:30 p.m., SPC Music Center, $15). For the Saturday evening climax, La Lucha bass and drums combo Alejandro Arenas and Mark Feinman and classical jazz guitarist Alfredo Rivero (all three also members of O Som Do Jazz) present a performance with Brazil’s renowned pianist/composer/producer/arranger Antonio Adolfo, who’s written for the likes of Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66, Stevie Wonder and Herb Alpert, among others (7:30 p.m., SPC Music Center, $10). Finally, Sasha Tuck Quartet stages a low-key jazz jam and post-festival party on Sunday evening (6 p.m., Café Alma, free). All venues are located in St. Petersburg. More info at stpetejazzfest.com.
This article appears in Feb 13-19, 2014.
