Cumako will be perform on Stephen Ave. every Tuesday up until the kickoff of The Calgary Jazz Festival this month.

All you jazzers know that the Calgary Jazz festival is happening this month, but that’s not the only jazz in Calgary. After all, there are a few other weeks in the month, and fortunately for us, we have some major talent in town before the fest even gets started. Does it get any better?

Check this weekend, for example. On Thursday, June 11 the Karl Schwonik Trio will be playing at the Pumphouse Theatre. The Alberta-born Schwonik is an awesome young jazz drummer who has played at Carnegie Hall and has been featured on ABC and NBC TV. He’s gigged with the likes of Chucho Valdes, Dave Liebman and P.J. Perry, and he’s sure to burn it up at the Pumphouse. Karl will be joined by Kodi Hutchinson (bass) and Brent Mah (sax) for this gig.

A week later, on June 19 and 20, Beat Niq will feature one of our own jazz giants, Bob Erlendson. Local jazz fans will remember Erlendson from back in the 1980s, when he was a mainstay in Calgary’s jazz scene. He moved back home last year, and this 50-year jazz vet takes the stage with a who’s who of our best locals: Eric Friedenberg, Al Muirhead, John Hyde and John Dewaal. Don’t miss this performance — it’ll be two nights of some of the best jazz in town.

These days, jazz can be found in many venues around town, so watch Cantos mid-month for some of the coolest sounds going. Drummer Chris Dadge is well-known for his improvisational projects and his work as co-founder of the Bent Spoon Ensemble. On Sunday, June 14 you can catch him with Jay Crocker, opening for Dan Goldman.

Two days later, Beat Niq will feature a new group of fast-rising young jazz musicians who draw on influences as diverse as Wayne Shorter and Radiohead. Fronted by bass player Aaron Scholpp, the quartet features Kevin Sullivan (sax), Carl Janzen (guitar), and Andrew Clark (drums).

The jazz festival’s opening gala is on June 22, but don’t assume the fest will be silent before its kickoff. Festival organizers have put together a series of Stephen Avenue lunchtime jazz gigs with the Cumako ensemble every Tuesday prior to the festival week. It’s free, it’s jazz, and, with any luck, it’ll be sunny. Even if the weather turns sour, Cumako’s world-fusion blend of Venezuelan, Afro-Cuban and Flamenco sounds is sure to make it feel like the sun is blazing.