Tampa Jazz: Jack Brokensha, Jack Wilkins, Jan Allan, Sam Rivers

Australian-born vibraphonist Jack Brokensha is the guest artist for next month's Tampa Jazz Club show at the Gorilla Theatre. Brokensha will be joined by pianist Matt Bokulic, and the rhythm section of Dominic Mancini and Johnny Moore. Show time is 6 p.m. For more details, click here.

Here's Brokensha's bio from the All Music Guide: "Fluent with vibes and drums as well as arranging and composing, Australian musician Jack Brokensha first became interested in jazz while serving in an RAAF entertainment unit in World War II. He led groups in Adelaide and played in coffee lounges after the war, as well as at concerts in Melbourne, where one of his partners was Errol Buddle. He recorded with Buddle in 1948. Brokensha toured extensively in Australia until 1953, when he traveled to Canada. He became a founding member of the Australian Jazz Quartet there a year later. The group subsequently expanded to a quintet and occasionally a sextet before disbanding in 1958 after an Australian tour. Brokensha moved to Detroit and established a production company, cutting a quartet date in 1963 with Art Mardigan. He recorded again in 1980."

Bob Seymour, jazz guru at WUSF,89.7 FM and one of the Tampa Jazz Club's mainstays, tells us that he expects to play host to singer Dianne Linscott and saxophonist Jack Wilkins later this week. Wilkins, director of jazz studies at the University of South Florida, will celebrate the release of his new CD, Dear Old Stockholm, with a performance on Monday, March 31.

Wilkins and his collaborator on the album, Swedish trumpeter Jan Allan, will be joined by special guests Per and Tamara Danielsson (piano and sax, respectively), USF jazz faculty members and the USJ Jazz Ensemble 1 (big band) for the concert. It's part of the ongoing Monday Night Jazz Series. The show, at USF Theater 1, is at 8 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for students.

Saxophone legend Sam Rivers returns to the area for a performance this Friday night in Pinellas County. Below is saxophonist Jeremy Powell's note about that show, and Jeremy's Saturday-night workshop:

"Just wanted to let you know about a great concert happening this Friday at the Catherine Hickman Theatre in Gulfport. I have the great pleasure of playing with the Infinite Groove Orchestra as we open for the legendary Sam Rivers and his quartet. We'll be playing an acoustic set with brand new music from 8-8:30pm or so and then Sam and his quartet will play. I'm really looking forward to this one, it'll be nice to play in a concert setting for a change in this really nice theatre.

Also, this Saturday is the last and final class of the Jazz Workshop that I've been doing at Musicology in Clearwater. We'll be reviewing what we've gone over in the eight classes and we'll also be playing a lot so bring your axe. We'll be playing over minor and traditional blues, ballads, rhythm changes, modal tunes, songs in 3/4, and more. Let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you this weekend. Here's the pertinent info:

Friday March 28th 8pm
Infinite Groove Orchestra
@ Catherine Hickman Theatre
5501 27th Ave. S., Gulfport, FL, 33707
Tickets are available at the door ($15 general & $12 for students and seniors) and in advance at the Gulfport Technology Center - 3037 Beach Blvd S. Gulfport, FL 33707 - (727) 388-3493

Saturday March 29th 2:30-4pm
THE LAST JAZZ WORKSHOP
@ Musicology
2576 Sunset Pt. Rd. (1 block west of US 19)
Clearwater, FL $25"

Rivers, a major jazz composer, is 80-something and still forging ahead as an artist. His web site is worth a visit.