Live Jazz This Weekend (April 2 & 3)

Firehouse 12, 45 Crown Street in New Haven, continues its Spring 2010 Concert series with Adam Rudolph's Moving Picture Quintet Friday night at 8:30 and 10 p.m. (2 separate shows.) 
Percussionist/composer Rudolph, perhaps best known to jazz listeners for his long association (2+ decades) with Dr. Yusef Lateef, organized his Moving Pictures group in 1992 and has toured extensively.  In addition to recording 4 CDs with the group (and 2 more coming within the month), he has recorded with fellow percussionist Hamid Drake, pianist Omar Sosa saxophonist Sam Rivers and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith (and the 12-piece Go Organic Orchestra with Dr. Lateef.)
The group he brings to New Haven includes Brahim Fribgane (percussion, oud), Graham Haynes (flugelhorn, cornet), Joseph Bowie (trombone, percussion), Jerome Harris (acoustic bass guitar, vocals), and Wesleyan graduate Kenny Wessel (acoustic & electric guitars, banjo.)  The program will have elements of South American, Asian, Middle Eastern and African music, trance-like rhythms, and jazz.
For more information, go to www.firehouse12.com. 

The trio of Joe Fonda (bass), George Schuller (drums) and Carlo Morena (piano), known as Step In, will perform Saturday evening at 8 p.m. in The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street in Middletown.  The trio has been together over a decade now and is exploratory yet melodic, vibrant, at times quiet, and always moving forward. Joining them will be vocalist Jasmine LaBianco.
Fonda and Schuller are long-time members of guitarist Michael Musillami Trio while Morena has a busy career in Europe.
To reserve a space for the gig, call 860-347-4957.