The eighth edition of Jazz na Rua, which precedes the Angrajazz festival, kicks off today and runs until October 4, featuring performances by Bruno Sebastian Quarteto, Wave Jazz Ensemble, João Ribeiro Quarteto, and groups including the Samuel Lercher Trio.

Launched in 2017, at the suggestion of the Regional Directorate for Culture, Jazz na Rua brings free shows to bars, restaurants, and public spaces in Angra do Heroísmo, with the aim of “bringing jazz to the city,” according to the Angrajazz Cultural Association.

Jazz na Rua kicks off today at 6:00 p.m. with a concert by the Bruno Sebastian Quartet at the Verde Maçã café.

The Wave Jazz Ensemble will perform tomorrow at the Hotel Caracol bar, on Sunday at Café Aliança, and on Monday at Loja do Gelado, in Quinta dos Açores, always at 6:00 p.m.

The João Ribeiro Quartet will perform on Tuesday at the same time at Pastelaria Central.

On Wednesday, there will be a Jam Session with the Bruno Sebastian Quartet at 10:00 p.m. at the Porta 42 bar. The group will also perform on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at the Luís da Silva Ribeiro Library.

On Friday, the Lar Doce Livro bookstore welcomes the João Ribeiro Quartet at 6:00 p.m., which will also perform on Saturday at the same time at the Expert store.

In addition to the shows around the city, Jazz na Rua includes two promotional events aimed at students from the two secondary schools in Angra, as well as a training event (masterclass) dedicated to musicians, primarily from the island’s philharmonic bands.

On Thursday at 11:00 a.m., a session for students from Jerónimo Emiliano de Andrade will take place at the library with the Bruno Sebastian Quartet. On Friday at 10:00 a.m., a session for students from Tomás de Borba will be held at the conservatory with the Samuel Lercher Trio.

The masterclass will take place on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. in the rehearsal room of the Angra do Heroísmo Cultural and Congress Center, also with the Samuel Lercher Trio.

Specially designed for students without specific training in jazz, the initiative aims to “offer a practical and accessible introduction to this dynamic and creative musical universe,” according to the Angrajazz Cultural Association.

Pianist and composer Samuel Lercher, bassist André Rosinha, and drummer Bruno Pedroso will “explore some of the fundamental elements of jazz, with an emphasis on three essential pillars: harmonic rhythm, improvisation, and interplay (the musical interaction between musicians).”

The Wave Jazz Ensemble is a quintet, formed in 2010, comprising Paulo Borges (trumpet/flugelhorn), Rui Melo (alto/tenor saxophone), Antonella Barletta (piano/keyboards), Antero Ávila (electric bass), and Nuno Pinheiro (drums).

It has performed on several islands in the Azores and on the mainland and released the album “Perspectives” in 2022, composed entirely of original songs.

Created in 2023 to add variety and value to the jazz scene in the Azores, the Bruno Sebastien Quartet is composed of Bruno Sebastien (vibraphone), Micaela Matos (alto saxophone), Eduardo Enes (double bass), and Luís Bettencourt (drums).

In upcoming shows, it will perform songs by Coltrane, Monk, Miles, among others.

The João Ribeiro Quartet proposes to revisit some absolute classics from the American songbook and jazz repertoire.

Led by drummer and vocalist João Ribeiro, the group features Micaela Matos on alto saxophone, Antonella Barletta on piano, and Paulo Cunha on double bass.

With a budget of around €16,800, Jazz na Rua is supported by the Regional Directorate for Culture and the Angra do Heroísmo City Council.

In Diáro Insular, José Lourenço-director