Duo Duo Duo Trio

This inventive concert format highlights the intimacy and creativity of small-group improvisation. The evening begins with three duo performances, each pairing a different combination of musicians. In the final set, all three performers come together as a trio, exploring the musical possibilities that emerge from the earlier pairings. The result is a dynamic program that moves from focused two-person dialogue to a rich three-way conversation. Featuring world-class Boston musicians drawn from the city’s vibrant jazz and creative music scenes, curated by pianist and series director&nbsp;Brian Friedland. This is the second in an innovative Improv Series this spring at Fenway Forward, supported by the Opportunity Fund at the Mayor's Office of Arts &amp; Culture, Boston.

Newcastle Saranac Community Studio

Jazz Sunday: Sam Gilman’s Funky Hammond Organ Trio featuring Jared Sims / Tarzia-Strauss-Donovan Organ Trio

Sam Gilman’s Funky Hammond Organ Trio plays a mix of originals and classic organ funk and boogaloo in the style of Big John Patton, Jimmy Smith, Lonnie Smith, and Jack McDuff. Tonight the trio features the great sax player Jared Sims.       The TSD Organ Trio strives to authentically carry on the organ trio tradition, with Trey Tarzia (drums), Jean Strauss (tenor sax), and Michael Donovan (Hammond organ).       Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams. Cover $10-20 at the door pays the musicians.

The Square Root

Jazz Sunday: Nicholas Brust Quartet / Dominique Eade & John Lockwood Duo

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas Brust (sax) performs fresh arrangements and dazzling original compositions in a modern and thought-provoking style, with Nate Radley (guitar), John Lockwood (bass), Charlie Weller (drums). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dominique Eade (voice) and John Lockwood continue the evening, drawing on decades of duo performances together, performing originals, free improvisation, and standards. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams. Cover $10-20 at the door pays the musicians.

Jazz Sunday: Gypsy Jazz with Swing 440

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Swing 440 brings the spirited tradition of Gypsy jazz to life, drawing inspiration from legends Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. Their vibrant sound—rooted in the swing era of the 1930s and '40s—is infused with a contemporary flair. With Tomoko Iwamoto (violin), Jack Soref (guitar), John Clark (clarinet), and Greg Toro (bass). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams. Cover $10-20 at the door pays the musicians. $5 discount for musicians on jam nights.

John Zorn’s Cobra

Cobra&nbsp;is a legendary improvisational music game created by composer&nbsp;John Zorn. In this piece, musicians respond to a series of cues and signals coordinated by a facilitator, who uses colored cards and gestures to shape the performance in real time. Players can propose musical events through body signals, triggering changes in instrumentation, dynamics, direction, and texture. The result is an unpredictable, high-energy performance where strategy, listening, and spontaneous creativity collide. Featuring world-class Boston musicians from the city’s jazz and creative music communities, curated by pianist and series director&nbsp;Brian Friedland. This is the third in an innovative Improv Series this spring at Fenway Forward, supported by the Opportunity Fund at the Mayor's Office of Arts &amp; Culture, Boston.

Jazz Sunday: Gavin Connolly Trio / Mostly Bones

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Gavin Connolly Trio investigates compositions and methodologies implemented by innovators of the classic trio format of piano, bass and drums with Kevin Harris (piano) and William Mabusa (bass). They will play music by some of the most exciting pianists of the last century and their own original music inspired by them. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mostly Bones blends classic swinging jazz, high-energy fusion, and electrifying rock, with a line-up featuring four dynamic trombones (Joey Dies, Josh Gagnon, Mitchell Bailey, David Paligora), Nadav Brenner (guitar), and a tightly knit rhythm section: Ben Friedland (bass) and Jeff Sagurton (drums). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams. Cover $10-20 at the door pays the musicians.

Improvising to Film

In this cinematic improvisation event, musicians create an original live soundtrack to selected film scenes. With the film’s sound turned off, performers respond in real time to the imagery on screen—shaping mood, drama, and motion through spontaneous musical invention. Each scene becomes a unique collaboration between film and sound, revealing how improvisation can transform visual storytelling. Featuring world-class Boston musicians drawn from Boston’s jazz and creative music communities, curated by pianist and series director&nbsp;Brian Friedland. This is the first in an innovative Improv Series this spring at Fenway Forward, supported by the Opportunity Fund at the Mayor's Office of Arts &amp; Culture, Boston.

Jazz Sunday: The Ludophonics / Video Game Music Jam

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Ludophonics invites musicians to join in and jam to music from acclaimed video game series like Mario Kart, Pokémon, Sonic, Undertale, and Solitaire (lead sheets provided). With Dr. James Heazlewood-Dale (bass), Eli Block (trumpet), Ian Buss (alto sax), Henry Godfrey (drums), and Matt Marcus (piano). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams. Cover $10-20 at the door pays the musicians. $5 discount for musicians on jam nights.

Jazz Sunday: Dylan Jack & Eric Hofbauer / BLINK

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dylan Jack (percussion) and Eric Hofbauer (guitar) perform creative interpretations of shared musical influences. Dylan Jack divides his attention between playing as a sideman with some of the city’s top improvisers and leading his main creative outlet, the Dylan Jack Quartet. Eric Hofbauer performs with Charlie Kohlhase’s Explorers Club, Tony Malaby’s Firebath, the Dylan Jack Quartet and many others. Chair of Jazz Studies at Longy School of Music, he also runs the Creative Nation Music label. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jorrit Dijkstra’s guitar band, BLINK, uses a microtonal tuning system, which gives it a mesmerizing and dreamy sound full of collective melodic and multi-rhythmic layerings. Dijkstra’s compositions form a springboard for open improvisations, with references to free jazz, African high life, Indonesian gamelan, and Delta blues. With Dijkstra (alto sax), Eric Rosenthal (drums and percussion), and three guitars: Eric Hofbauer, Gabe Boyarin, and Nate McBride. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams. Cover $10-20 at the door pays the musicians.

Jam Potluck

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A playful and spontaneous format for improvised music, Jam Potluck brings performers together in ever-changing combinations. Musicians place their names into a hat, and ensembles are assembled in real time through audience requests and random selection. Once the groups are formed, each ensemble takes the stage for a five-minute improvised performance—creating a fast-moving afternoon of unexpected collaborations and musical surprises. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Featuring world-class Boston musicians from the city’s jazz and creative music communities, curated by pianist and series director Brian Friedland. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is the first in an innovative Improv Series this spring at Fenway Forward, supported by the Opportunity Fund at the Mayor's Office of Arts &amp; Culture, Boston.

Jazz Sunday: Philippe Crettien Trio / BLINK 

For this album release event, Philippe Crettien (sax) experiments with triad combinations over chords, exploring new sounds with Barry Smith (bass) and Mike Connors (drums), “a perfectly balanced trio.” Jorrit Dijkstra’s guitar band, BLINK, uses a microtonal tuning system, which gives it a mesmerizing and dreamy sound full of collective melodic and multi-rhythmic layerings. Dijkstra’s compositions form a springboard for open improvisations, with references to free jazz, African high life, Indonesian gamelan, and Delta blues. With Dijkstra (alto sax), Eric Rosenthal (drums and percussion), and three guitars: Eric Hofbauer, Gabe Boyarin, and Nate McBride. Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams.

Square Root

Jazz Sunday: Holiday Jazz Jam with Brian Friedland & Friends 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pianist (and Jazz Sundays series producer) Brian Friedland leads a set followed by a jam celebrating the season, with arrangements by Duke Ellington, Joshua Redman, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, and some fun surprises. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams. Cover $10-20 at the door pays the musicians. $5 discount for musicians on jam nights.

Jazz Sunday: Dead Cat Bounce / James Merenda Trio

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dead Cat Bounce cooks up a high energy, horn-rich fusion of blues, rock, funk and jazz, with Gary Wicks (bass), Bill Carbone (drums), and four hard-driving saxes: bandleader Matt Steckler, Jared Sims, Felipe Salles, and Charlie Kohlhase. With their cutting-edge sound, and tight, multi-part arrangements, they’ve won numerous awards and accolades throughout North America. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The James Merenda Trio plays Merenda's compositions with freedom, curiosity, and joy.&nbsp;With Merenda (alto sax), Jon Dreyer (bass), Vincent Gonzalez (drums), and featured guest Vanessa Morris (vocals). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams.

Jazz Sunday: Use the Force / Jazz Fusion Jam

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Under a new name, the John Williams Jam Band takes a wider scope as Use the Force. Celebrate the preview of their new album with its spirited celebration of movie music: funky grooves, jazzy harmony, and epic solos. With Brian Friedland (keyboard),​ Rick Stone&nbsp;(sax), Nick Grondin&nbsp;(guitar), Sean Farius&nbsp;(bass), and Giuseppe Paradiso&nbsp;(drums). Followed by an open, rollicking jazz fusion jam. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams. Cover $10-20 at the door pays the musicians. $5 discount for musicians on jam nights.

Jazz Sunday: Jeff Gardner / Peter Perfido & Dominique Humbert

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On tour from Brazil, Jeff&nbsp;Gardner&nbsp;(piano) will play solo selections from his 22 CD's including jazz, Latin jazz, samba, baião, bossa nova, and pentakosmos. A highly original voice, he has performed with countless jazz icons (Freddie Hubbard, Norma Winstone, Steve Lacy, to name a few) while teaching in New York and Paris. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And on tour from France, Dominique Humbert (sax) and Peter Perfido (percussion) will play originals plus tunes from Thelonious Monk, Paul Motian, Wayne Shorter, and friends. Their terra incognito approach to improvising varies from minimal and mediative to textured density. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jazz Sundays at the Square Root brings together Boston’s best jazz artists in an intimate restaurant setting for performances and themed jams. Cover $10-20 at the door pays the musicians.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Where

nrmna

Experiences