From NYTimes.com:
Either/Orchestra (Wednesday) The slinky, pentatonic music of Ethiopia has been a steadfast preoccupation of the Either/Orchestra, a big band mainly active in and around Cambridge, Mass. Led by the tenor and soprano saxophonist Russ Gershon, the band features a few longtime anchors, like the trumpeter Tom Halter and the baritone saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase, as well as a changing array of younger talent. At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th Street, Manhattan, (212) 576-2232, jazzstandard.net; $20. (Chinen)
The Fellowship Band (through Sunday) The sonorous warmth and elasticity of this ensemble, formerly billed under the name of its drummer and founder, Brian Blade, suggests a modern amalgam of rustic American music, from gospel and jazz to folk and country. Along with Mr. Blade, one of the most unaffectedly charismatic musicians in jazz, the band features Melvin Butler and Myron Walden on saxophones, Jeff Parker on guitar, Jon Cowherd on piano and Chris Thomas on bass. At 9 and 11 p.m., Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th Street, West Village, (212) 255-4037, villagevanguard.com; $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum. (Chinen)
Mary Halvorson’s Reverse Blue (Wednesday) Ms. Halvorson, a smart young guitarist of prickly calm, leads a new group originally thrown together for the purposes of free improvisation. The deft expertise of its lineup — with Chris Speed on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Eivind Opsvik on bass and Tomas Fujiwara on drums — has inspired her to write music for the band. At 7 p.m., Barbès, 376 Ninth Street, at Sixth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn, (347) 422-0248, barbesbrooklyn.com; $10 cover. (Chinen)
Jon Irabagon (Friday and Saturday) Mr. Irabagon, a wickedly proficient saxophonist, wraps up a brief residency at Cornelia Street Café in two separate quartets, starting on Friday with one led by the veteran drummer Barry Altschul, with Joe Fonda on bass and Jake Saslow on tenor saxophone. On Saturday Mr. Irabagon leads his own group, featuring the pianist Russ Lossing, the bassist Yasushi Nakamura and the drummer Adam Nussbaum. At 9 and 10:30 p.m., Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village, (212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com; $10 cover, with a $10 minimum. (Chinen)
Out of Your Head Brooklyn (Sunday) This biweekly series assembles crews of young musicians for first-time spontaneous interplay. The first set, at 9:30 p.m., will include the saxophonists Andrew Bishop and Oscar Noriega, the trumpeter Kenny Warren, the keyboardist JP Schlegelmilch and the drummer Gerald Cleaver. The second set, at 11 p.m., will feature the tenor saxophonist Eric Trudel, the bassist Greg Chudzik and two drummers, Kate Pittman and Nathan Ellman-Bell. At Freddy’s Bar, 627 Fifth Avenue, at 17th Street, South Slope, (718) 768-0131, freddysbar.com, outofyourhead.org; free. (Chinen)
Stacken-Knuffke Duo + 1 / James Carney Trio (Tuesday) Jesse Stacken, a pianist, and Kirk Knuffke, a cornetist, have ample experience working as a duo: “Like a Tree” (Steeplechase) is their third album in the format, though, just as in this 10:30 p.m. performance, it includes a guest turn by the drummer Kenny Wollesen. An earlier set, at 9 p.m., will feature a trio led by the pianist James Carney, who programs this series; his rhythm section consists of Chris Lightcap on bass and Ted Poor on drums. At Korzo, 667 Fifth Avenue, at 20th Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn, myspace.com/konceptions; $10 suggested donation. (Chinen)
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