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John Chacona writes Posts

Moises Borges And Ava Preston Renew A Charming Musical Friendship

Published 7 July, 2026 By John Chacona

On paper, Moises Borges and Ava Preston are an odd match. He’s a guitarist from Bahia, the cradle of Afro-Brazilian culture, who has been a welcome fixture on northeast Ohio’s musical scene for decades. She’s a vocalist just a couple of years out of Solon High School whose international career is just beginning.

On the bandstand, though, they’re a perfect pair, and that’s where you will find them Friday at BLU Jazz+ and Saturday at BOP STOP for what is a reunion tour of sorts.

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Craft And Art: Christopher Hoffman’s ‘REX’ At The Treelawn

Published 30 June, 2026 By John Chacona
photocredit: Kenneth Jimenez

When the book is closed on the year’s most satisfying recordings, don’t be surprised to find among the big-budget productions, glossy all-star tributes and high-profile collabs, an intimately scaled solo cello recording on the tiny Out Of Your Head Records label. It’s called REX and its creator Christopher Hoffman will bring the music he wrote for it to a solo concert at The Treelawn Social Club Wednesday evening.

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At JazzFest No. 47, Tri-C Tries Something A Little Different

Published 23 June, 2026 By John Chacona
photocredit: Sam Hooper

It’s so high, you can’t get over it, so low you can’t get under it. It’s the Tri-C JazzFest, the biggest weekend on the Cleveland jazz calendar that begins Thursday, June 25 when Sheila E. takes the stage at the State Theatre.

This might be the one time all year that traditional media pay attention to jazz in Cleveland. That’s a good thing, so there’s no point in me yelling “Go Team!” from my little corner of the internet.

Still, this one feels a little different, and that’s worth noting.

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Garrett Folger’s Week Of Music ‘In Summer’s Arms’

Published 9 June, 2026 By John Chacona
Garrett Folger at Visible Voice Books

I write about Garrett Folger a lot here, and there’s a reason for that. No matter where I go to hear music, Folger is there. As a leader, sideman, composer, organizer or supporter of the scene, the Buffalonian seems to make most every interesting gig around here. I swear there must be five of him.

Folger’s gig book must be quite a sight. Yet even by his own standards of ubiquity, this week needs a big red circle around it for the two gigs in a three-day span that say a lot about his restless curiosity.

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