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Victor Goines, pictured, plays New Orleans on Friday night

Johnathan Blake quintet Village Vanguard, New York Tuesday 30 April, Wednesday 1 May, Thursday 2 May, Friday 3 May, Saturday 4 May, Sunday 5 May

The mighty Blue Note drummer Johnathan Blake with his My Life Matters Quintet featuring fab saxist Dayna Stephens, vibist Jalen ''Be Still'' Baker, pianist Fabian Almazan and bassist Larry Grenadier

Helen Sung and Geoffrey Keezer Dizzy's, New York Wed 1 May
Winard Harper and Jeli Posse Jazz Showcase, Chicago Fri 3 May, Sat 4 May (continues nightly until the 6th)

The iconic Baltimore born drummer Winard Harper to play Chicago with saxist Jalin Shiver, trumpeter Dakarai Barclay, bassist Anthony Perez, pianist Nick Masters and guitarist Charlie Sigler.

Gregory Groover Jr Regattabar, Boston Fri 3 May

Launching the brilliant Lovabye - one of the year's best jazz albums without a shadow of a doubt - make a note of where you happen to be when you first hear the full album. And where better than in Boston where tenor saxophonist Gregory Groover Jr hails from. He recorded the album on the American player's 30th birthday last summer. Two years on from Groover's Negro Spiritual Songbook, Vol. 2 (The Message), the very lush and at times romantic saxophonist whose sound connects with 1990s retro currents developed by the likes of Joshua Redman codified on Moodswing and revivified on the spirited message music of Long Gone. 'Bygone Towers' on the album is spacious and the shape of it is open, giving room for Joel Ross' vibes and the drums of Marcus Gilmore to ruminate. Groover, like Walter Smith III who produced the record, teaches at Berklee in Boston - the title track of 'Lovabye' is the fifth of 11 tracks and is later reprised as a theme. Pianist Aaron Parks who played Magy's Farm in Ireland fairly recently, the Glasperian bassist Vicente Archer whose Short Stories we liked last year and guitarist Matthew Stevens who recorded with Smith on In Common III and the ex-Vijay Iyer drum icon of his generation Gilmore (grandson of Roy Haynes) at the kit and excellent on Refract completed the band on the record. Ross' solo on 'Byone Towers' was one highlight to pick out as too is a gorgeous motif that crops up on the restorative bliss of 'May All Your Storms Be Weathered.'

Victor Goines Snug Harbor, New Orleans Fri 3 May

New Orleans' very own the saxist, clarinettist and composer Victor Goines is best known for his long tenure in New York's globally renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and with the Wynton Marsalis Septet.

On a release last year Goines excelled in the traditional jazz joy heard on Wynton Marsalis album Plays Louis Armstrong - Hot Fives and Hot Sevens drawn from themed concerts hosted by Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Hall in New York in September 2006. Such nimble, pristine playing and a whole lot of sheer passion throughout this labour of love that shone a light again on such seminal early jazz. Wynton with Wycliffe Gordon, Vincent Gardner, Goines, Walter Blanding, “Papa” Don Vappie, Jonathan Baptiste, Carlos Henriquez and Ali Jackson. Highlights included Goines' clarinet runs on Spencer Williams' 'Fireworks.'

Ms. Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton Keystone Korner, Baltimore Fri 3 May, Sat 4 May, Sun 5 May
Buster Williams Blues Alley, Washington DC Sat 4 May

Bass great Buster Williams' Unalome in 2023 proved once again the epitome of groove and deep song. Mwandishi era bass titan Williams on that record was with singer Jean Baylor, saxophonist Bruce Williams, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, pianist George Colligan and drummer Lenny White. Entering a Buddhist feeling of transcendence you are always in good hands on an album recorded in a top New York. Williams said ahead of that release: “As I get older, I discover that there's more over the horizon than you think. The horizon may look like the end, but the closer you get the more you realize that you’ll never reach it. What you can see from where you are, seems to be limited, but with each step, you see more and more.” Proof though none is needed that the dreams of the elders are more meaningful in jazz than practically any musical genre out there.

Jon Cowherd, Brian Blade & Tony Scherr Snug Harbor, New Orleans Sat 4 May

Blade's Kings Highway was album of the year on marlbank in 2023: Beginning with the hyper melodic quasi-Americana certainly found in the introductory feel of 'Until We Meet Again,' contentedness is not cheesy on Cowherd's 'Catalyst' where there is a very tender melody taken for a spin by saxophonists Gregory Tardy and Melvin Butler. Recorded in a midtown Manhattan New York City studio Cowherd's comping is ideal. And he and Blade have written separately most of the fine tunes. For textbook micro groove and power when he releases go to Blade on 'Migration' one, along with the title track, of the two epics of the album. A very intact knowing version of the hymn 'God Be With You' sung so movingly by Ella Fitzgerald in the 60s and by Little Brother Montgomery in the 1970s is a firm favourite. Linger long.