Honey Ear Trio
Littlefield; 4/14 at 7 p.m.; 622 Degraw St., nr. Fourth Ave., Gowanus, Brooklyn; 718-855-3388
This new collective of old friends—saxophonist Erik Lawrence, bassist Rene Hart, and drummer Allison Miller—just released their sharp, irresistibly funky debut, Steampunk Serenade, and are staking a claim as one of the boldest sax trios around. With the rollicking Portland indie-jazz ensemble Blue Cranes.
Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet
Jazz Standard; 4/14–4/17 at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., 4/15 and 4/16 at 11:30 p.m.; 116 E. 27th St., nr. Park Ave. South; 212-576-2232
The ascendant trumpeter celebrates the release of his Jason Moran–produced Blue Note debut, When the Heart Emerges Glistening, a tight, rambunctious album featuring up-and-comers Walter Smith III and Justin Brown.
Martial Solal
Village Vanguard; 4/12–4/17; 178 Seventh Ave. South, nr. 11th St.; 212-255-4037
The 83-year-old French pianist played with Django Reinhardt and wrote the score for Godard’s Breathless, but he’s best known in these precincts for a week of mythic post-9/11 trio performances he gave at the Village Vanguard. Here, Solal reunites with that trio’s bassist, Francois Moutin, for six nights of pristine duets.
“The Music of the Modern Jazz Quartet”
The Allen RoomJazz at Lincoln Center; 4/15–4/16 at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; 33 W. 60th St., at Columbus Circle; 212-258-9829
A crack quartet featuring pianist Kenny Barron and vibraphonist Steve Nelson celebrates the music of one of jazz’s greatest and longest-running supergroups.
Blue Note Jazz Benefit for Japan
Highline Ballroom; 4/18 and 4/19 at 6 p.m.; 431 W. 16th St., nr. Ninth Ave; 212-414-5994
The Greenwich Village club, which has satellites in Tokyo and Nagoya, takes over a bigger space for two nights of all-star benefit concerts with bassist Ron Carter, guitarist John Scofield, pianist Kenny Barron, and many more. An after-hours set on Tuesday, geared toward those with lighter wallets, stars pianist Jason Lindner and drummer Mark Guiliana.