Tomas Fujiwara & the Hook Up
Douglass Street Music Collective; 12/18 at 7:30 p.m.; 295 Douglass St., nr. Third Ave., Gowanus; (no phone)
The drummer leads a group of improvisers in support of his new record, Actionspeak. With the debut show of Josh Sinton’s saxophone quartet, Senor Vasques.
Francisco Mela Trio
Jazz Standard; 12/22–12/23 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.; 116 E. 27th St., nr. Park Ave. South; 212-576-2232
The dazzling, Cuban-born drummer performs with a new trio featuring pianist Vijay Iyer and longtime Brad Mehldau bassist Larry Grenadier.
Escreet – Binney – Krantz – Gilmore
55 Bar; 12/17–12/18 at 10 p.m.; 55 Christopher St., nr. Seventh Ave.; 212-929-9883
Twenty-six-year-old British pianist Escreet fronts an excellent quartet with guitarist Wayne Krantz, drummer Marcus Gilmore, and one of his most frequent collaborators, alto saxophonist David Binney.
Edward Simon Trio
Jazz Standard; 12/17–12/18 at 7:30, 9:30, and 11:30 p.m., 12/19 at 7:30 and 9:30.; 116 E. 27th St., nr. Park Ave. South; 212-576-2232
The Venezuelan pianist is a current Guggenheim fellow. Here he plays in a trio with Wayne Shorter’s extraordinary rhythm section: bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade.
Mostly Other People Do the Killing
University of the Streets; 12/19 at 8 p.m.; 130 E. 7th St ., at Ave. A; 212-254-9300
The Long Island City–based quartet boasts a tight frontline from trumpeter Peter Evans and saxophonist Jon Irabagon, recalling the free-jazz collaborations of Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry.