Critic's Picks: Jazz

BRANFORD MARSALIS QUARTET Sumptuous saxophonist Marsalis has nothing to prove, so it’s a recent tectonic shift in his quartet, long one of jazz’s most stable units, that will draw attention here: Drummer Jeff “Tain’’ Watts has left to focus on band leading, and an 18-year-old prodigy (and new Berklee student), Justin Faulkner, now handles the brushes and sticks. Sept. 23, Berklee Performance Center, www.berkleebpc.com, 617-747-2261

KURT ELLING In the depleted field of straight-ahead male jazz vocalists, Elling stands out by his force and imagination. At 41, with a passel of polished records to his name, the Chicagoan is entering his prime. Now he puts himself to an arduous test: reinterpreting material from the seminal date that John Coltrane recorded in 1963 with the great baritone Johnny Hartman. Sept. 25-26, Scullers, www.scullersjazz.com, 617-562-4111

BEANTOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL The annual outdoor festival keeps growing, adding various ticketed dates, but its centerpiece remains this free, multiple-stage afternoon party on Columbus Avenue. Look out for sets by saxophonists Jane Bunnett, a Canadian with a flair for Latin connections, and Donald Harrison, an important and influential figure on the New Orleans scene. Sept. 26, www.beantownjazz.org

JOHN COLTRANE MEMORIAL CONCERT A cherished rite of fall, now in its fourth decade: A large ensemble of Boston musicians and educators (Leonard Brown, Bill Lowe, Sa Davis, and more) honors Coltrane’s music and his cultural and spiritual legacy. This year a spin-off show, featuring singer-saxophonist Stan Strickland, brings the music home to Hibernian Hall in Roxbury. Sept. 26, Northeastern University; Sept. 27, Hibernian Hall; www.jcmc.neu.edu

THE MUSIC OF JACK DEJOHNETTE Irreplaceable drummer DeJohnette emerged in the late ’60s, a time of across-the-board innovation and exchange, and his credits ever since - with Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Lloyd, and for many years now Keith Jarrett, to name a few - reflect that open and willing spirit. He joins a Berklee band for a major retrospective of his work. Oct. 8, Berklee Performance Center, www.berkleebpc.com, 617-747-2261

KURT ROSENWINKEL GROUP Now in his late 30s, Rosenwinkel is one of a select few renewing the jazz guitar, combining the instrument’s inherent cool, airy feel with just a bit of rock-inspired edge. He’s honed his craft as a sideman to the likes of Joshua Redman and Brian Blade, but it’s his quartet, now featuring dynamic young pianist Aaron Parks, that’s his primary vehicle. Oct. 8-9, Regattabar, www.regattabarjazz.com, 617-395-7757

RANDY WESTON A towering figure in every way: Weston is 83, stands well over 6 feet, and plays the piano - often solo, as in this performance - with undiminished vigor and creativity. For decades he has split his time between Brooklyn and Morocco, and his work is accordingly cosmopolitan in a wise, unostentatious way, deeply concerned with rhythm and history. Somerville Theatre, Oct. 12, www.somervilletheatreonline.com, 617-625-5700

DIANNE REEVES Expect standards, deep rhythm & blues, and gospel inspiration when Reeves - a truly complete singer laden with Grammy awards and saturated with soul - takes the stage at Berklee. A special occasion, and a guaranteed roof-raising recital. Oct. 23, Berklee Performance Center, www.berkleebpc.com, 617-747-2261

JOE LOVANO US FIVE Saxophonist Lovano is a generous performer and all-around nice guy - plus a playing and recording workhorse with an absurdly rich catalog of stylistic experiments and excursions to his name. His newest working group involves two drummers, along with the young and widely acclaimed bassist Esperanza Spalding. Nov. 12, Regattabar, www.regattabarjazz.com, 617-395-7757 SIDDHARTHA MITTER