The Caribbean Jazz Connection is led by drummer Jim Royle who has been crossing genres of Jazz and Caribbean Latin styles for years. They delight audiences wherever they go in the Islands or on the mainland. Royle, the consummate educator and artist has brought so many young and old alike into the joys of percussion, especially with Steel pans and Caribbean Jazz. The band features Jim’s former student and steel pan player Bryan Garbe, now an internationally acclaimed percussionist based in NYC, who grew up in Fairfield

Join us for a warm evening of hot Jazz at Westport’s own Jazz Inferno! Melissa  is a natural talent, and really makes every song she sings her very own. With a band like this, the evening is sure to be way over the top. This show always sells out so be sure and get reservations early!

Melissa Newman had a lucrative career singing jingles for companies like AT&T and Chevrolet. Locally she has  performed at the Blue Lemon, Tengda, and Harvest in Westport,
with guitarist Tony Lombardozzi and bassist Phil Bowler. Melissa also makes, shows and sells ceramic and porcelain sculpture. Melissa was a featured artist in the recent major exhibit, “Layers Revealed” at The Norwalk Art Space. She lives in Westport with her husband and two sons.  And if that is not enough, we celebrate Melissa as an author!  She has a new book out entitled “Head over Heels”, a love story in words and pictures.

Melissa Newman , vocals
Tony Lombardozzi, guitar
Phil Bowler, bass
Bobby Leonard, drums