South Bend Jazz Festival has an international vibe this year

Jazz began as a distinctly American art form, but it’s been an international music for several decades now.

And the roster of artists at this year’s fourth annual South Bend Jazz Festival illustrates just what a cross-cultural phenomenon jazz has become.

Although plenty of Americans figure into the picture, some of the brightest stars come from as far as Trinidad, France and Azerbaijan. The groups cover a wide gamut of subgenres, but what they all have in common is a critical element of jazz swing at their core.

The first official event of the festival spotlights one of the principal organizers of the show — saxophonist Danny Lerman. A contemporary/smooth jazz player, his latest single is titled “Rio de Dinero.” His group, the Danny Lerman Experience, plays Wednesday at the Exchange Whiskey Bar. He’s followed by Lalo Cura and Dance4Life Productions on Thursday at the Gillespie Conference Center at Hilton Garden Inn in South Bend, and the Tim Gant Project at Exchange Whiskey Bar on Friday.

The docket for Saturday afternoon kicks off with local big band the Twin Cities Jazz Orchestra. The day’s other performers are soul singer Johnny Davis, jazz-funk combo Forecast, Amina Figarova, the Moutin Factory Quintet and a trumpeter from Trinidad, Etienne Charles. A 2015 Guggenheim Fellow, Charles made a big splash with his 2013 album, “Creole Soul,” which married New Orleans jazz harmonies with Caribbean rhythms. Saturday, he’s presenting a brand-new piece, “San Jose Suite.”

A highlight of Saturday night will be the set from the Moutin Factory Quintet, co-led by French twin brothers François and Louis Moutin. With their previous ensemble, the Moutin Reunion Quartet, they played two memorable concerts at the now-defunct Trio’s Restaurant and Jazz Club in South Bend. Now François (bass) and Louis (drums) return with a thrilling new configuration that plays heavily on the rare combination of electric guitar and sopranino saxophone among the primary solo instruments.

The debut recording of the Moutin Factory Quintet is titled “Lucky People.”

“We will mostly be playing material from ‘Lucky People’ and probably also a couple of newer compositions,” François Moutin says in an email to The Tribune, while the group wraps up some work in France.

The brothers do all the composing, with the exception of “Ornette’s Medley,” which interweaves several pieces by Ornette Coleman, a leading light of American avant-garde jazz. It’s more than just a tribute to the recently deceased saxophonist, however. The brothers spent many formative hours listening to those incredible Coleman rhythm sections.

“We are definitely huge fans of Billy Higgins, Ed Blackwell, Charlie Haden, Scott LaFaro and all the bassists and drummers who have collaborated with Ornette,” Moutin says. “So we surely dedicate this tribute to them as well.”

A pianist and composer, Figarova cut her teeth on American jazz records as a young musician in Azerbaijan. She moved to Holland after making the decision to go pro, and she switched her headquarters to New York City in 2011. Her 13th album, “Blue Whisper,” is due out this fall.

Figarova fronts a quintet for this show, her working New York band that features her husband, Bart Platteau, on flute. His spotless ensemble playing and endlessly imaginative soloing has been a regular feature in Figarova’s music throughout her career.

The pianist thrives when writing for multiple horns and winds.

“My inspiration comes from big bands,” Figarova says by telephone from Manhattan. “I don’t see my groups as five or six players; I see them as an instrument, an orchestral instrument.”

Several artists on the bill are still relative newcomers, while some of the veterans have already ascended to a lofty status on the jazz scene. The Moutins, for instance, have racked up some heavy accolades over the years, and Figarova is getting there.

She placed No. 6 in the 2014 DownBeat magazine critics’ poll “Rising Star Composer” category. It’s noteworthy praise from an iconic journal, but after a dozen albums packed with intricate and profound compositions, it’s odd to see her relegated to “rising” status. She is characteristically gracious on the topic.

“I’m grateful to be a rising star,” Figarova says with a laugh. “It’s all about progress.”

In concert

• Who: Danny Lerman Experience

• When: 8 p.m. Wednesday

• Where: Exchange Whiskey Bar, 112 W. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend

• Cost: $10

• For more information: Call 574-310-8999 or visit the website southbendjazzfestival.com

In concert

• Who: Lalo Cura and Dance4Life Productions

• When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday

• Where: Gillespie Conference Center at Hilton Garden Inn, 53995 IN-933, South Bend

• Cost: $10

• For more information: Call 574-232-7700 or visit the website southbendjazzfestival.com

In concert

• Who: Tim Gant Project

• When: 9 p.m. Friday

• Where: Exchange Whiskey Bar, 112 W. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend

• Cost: $10

• For more information: Call 574-310-8999 or visit the website southbendjazzfestival.com

In concert

• What: South Bend Jazz Festival featuring Johnny Davis, Forecast, Etienne Charles, Amina Figarova and the Moutin Factory Quintet

• When: 3:45 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday

• Where: Jon Hunt Plaza outside the Morris Performing Arts Center

• Cost: Free

• For more information: Email info@southbendjazzfestival.com or visit the website southbendjazzfestival.com