Boelter continued, “The dates for the festival are a little later in the season this year, so we’ve decided to hold all the events indoors — at Domus Fare, of course, but also on campus and at the venerable 1891 Fredonia Opera House.”

The Festival begins on Thursday night at Domus Fare with The Nick Finzer Quartet. This diverse group is comprised of leading New York City musicians and will perform two shows, one at 5:30 and another at 8 p.m. Domus Fare will be offering a menu of food and drink specially selected for this evening.

On Friday, the Festival moves to the university campus for performances by the Alumni Band, led by Craig Fattey (’74), and the Fredonia Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Professor Nick Weiser.

Saturday, Oct. 21, is a big day at the Opera House. It begins with an “Afternoon Showcase” of four different styles, starting at noon with some Dixieland by the Morgan Street Stompers from Buffalo followed by a solo piano performance by Pittsburgh’s Deanna Witkowski in a tribute to Mary Lou Williams.

Photo by Robin Zimmerman Dave Golando and Mark Filsinger.

It concludes with Dave Golando in a saxophone feature called SaxTime and finally the soul-oriented David Jonathan and Inner City Bedlam. All of these performances can be accessed on a single ticket.

The day culminates in a headlining performance by one of today’s most creative and skilled jazz singers — Nicole Zuraitis. The Nick Weiser Sextet will open this show,

Pianist and vocalist Zuraitis will take the stage in this 7 p.m. show with her stellar quartet of musicians from New York City. “A heart full of soul and a voice full of sunshine,” writes All About Jazz. Indeed, Nicole is a rare singer, able to express a song with elegance and finesse, and then turn around to deliver the next with roof-raising passion. Backing her will be Idan Morim on guitar, Sam Weber on bass, and Dan Pugach, drums. Zuraitis and Pugach are a creative team that has been GRAMMY-nominated for their insightful and compelling songs and arrangements.

Downbeat Magazine exclaims, “Zuraitis showcases superb songcraft.” Broadway World states that she performs”effectively, effortlessly, and oh-so-enjoyably … an artist this affable deserves as big an audience in her corner as possible — she is simply that good.”

Zuraitis has established herself as an undeniable force in jazz.

Photo by Lori Deemer Nick Weiser is above.

Her effervescent personality and boundless enthusiasm thrill her audiences. She regularly headlines at major NYC jazz venues like Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center, Birdland, the Blue Note, and the Carlyle, and has appeared as a featured soloist with several orchestras, including the Savannah Philharmonic and the Asheville Symphony.

Her career has taken her to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, San Jose Jazz Festival, Savannah Jazz Festival, Saratoga Jazz Festival, Klaipeda Jazz (Lithuania), and Port Ferry Festival (Australia). Nicole is a proud faculty member at New York University and SUNY Purchase.

Her latest recording — “How Love Begins” — is coproduced with bassist and eight-time GRAMMY winner Christian McBride, and features all-original compositions and the talents of some of the jazz world’s best. In many of her songs, she invents strong lyrics with interesting twists and turns, like this one from her new release.

You’re only crazy in the good ways…

…Like lighting fires in the wind.

Your type of crazy feels like oil on water

And that’s how love begins.

In 2019, she was nominated for a GRAMMY alongside her husband, renowned drummer and bandleader Dan Pugach, for their arrangement and performance of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”

The festival in brief:

Thursday, Oct. 19

Gala Opening Event

Domus Fare Restaurant, 41 W Main Street, Fredonia

5:30 p.m; 8 p.m.

Nick Finzer Quartet: (Finzer, Miki Yamanaka, Raul Reyes and TJ Reddick)

Friday, Oct. 20

Homecoming Concert

Rosch Recital Hall (in Mason Hall), SUNY Fredonia

8 p.m.

Alumni Jazz Band, Fredonia Jazz Orchestra

Saturday, Oct. 21

Afternoon Showcase

Fredonia Opera House, 9 Church St., Fredonia

Noon to 5 p.m.

¯ Morgan Street Stompers (Tim Clarke, Brendan Lanighan, Gordon Webster, John Curry, John Bacon and Peggy Farrel)

¯ Deanna Witkowski

¯ Sax Time (Dave Golando, Mike Taeger, Vince Cirallo, Mike Ihde, Laura Anderson, Mark Harris, Joe Baudo, and John Anderson)

¯ David Jonathan and Inner City Bedlam (David Jonathan, Armani Works, Oscar Woodrich, Tyler James, Alex Overton and Rob Huff)

Headliner Performance

Fredonia Opera House

9 Church St., Fredonia

7 p.m.

¯ The Nicole Zuraitis Quartet (Zuraitis, Morim, Weber, and Pugach)

¯ The Nick Weiser Sextet (Nick Weiser, Kieran Hanlon, John Bacon, Elliot Scozzaro, Mark Filsinger, and Brendan Lanighan) (opener)

Visit www.fredoniajazzsociety.com for more information and event tickets.

The Fredonia Jazz Society is a community-based, non-profit organization that supports and hosts live performance and related activities around Western New York for the benefit of music lovers of all ages and backgrounds. With an emphasis on high standards and on local and guest artists, the aim is to enhance the quality of life through music and the arts.