Charlotte County Jazz Society season opener

The Charlotte County Jazz Society opened its 2016-17 season with a double concert that presented a blend of Dixieland/mainstream jazz followed by a strong taste of Brazilian jazz. The October 10 event was held at the Cultural Center of Charlotte County.

Jim Snyder

Swing with humor

Herb Bruce

Trombonist Herb Bruce's Herbicide Jazz Band performed the opening set. While billed as a Dixieland outfit, the band dug into classic swing jazz as well, and also offered humorous banter among the musicians, particularly Bruce and clarinetist Jim Snyder. 

The band also featured trumpeter Don Johnson, pianist Judi Glover, bassist Charlie Silva and drummer Eddie Metz Jr., all of them versatile players. Herb's wife, Patricia Dean, joined the merriment for several vocal numbers.

Patricia Dean

Judi Glover

Johnson, Metz, Bruce

A taste of Brazil

David Manson

The second half featured the Port Charlotte debut of St. Petersburg-based O Som Do Jazz, a band whose Brazilian name translates to The Sound of Jazz. The band included trombonist David Manson, Jack Keeling on tenor sax and flute, David Cubillos on piano, Alejandro Arenas on bass and Mark Feinman on drums. The leader's wife, Rio de Janeiro native Andrea Moraes Manson, was featured on vocals and a bit of percussion.

Andrea Moraes Manson

Jack Keeling

Mark Feinman

The band provided a vivid reminder that there is a great difference between Brazilian Jazz and Latin Jazz - and that Brazilian Jazz many more more musical riches besides the best-known and beloved bossa nova style.

The bossa nova was first popularized here in the U.S. in the early 1960s when guitarist Charlie Byrd and saxophonist Stan Getz began recording material by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto and other fine composers.

Cubillos, A Moraes-Manson, D Manson, Arenas, Keeling, Feinman