Ahead of the Curve

1. TRUE BLUES Defeat the heat with a straight shot of old-school blues, courtesy of Little Eddie and the Fatfingers. Vintage amps, period instruments and suit-clad band members create an aura of natty nostalgia, but the music remains the real show. "This is not pop music blues," promises Ryan "Little Eddie" Bladen, the lead singer and guitarist. "This is real, deep down and dirty." To which we say: Cool, man. Dates and venues around Southwest Florida at www.myspace.com/littleeddieandthefatfingers.

2. WHO’S THE BOSSA? All girls—and boys—from Ipanema and elsewhere won’t want to miss Samba and Sunset, which brings a Brazilian beat to the Ritz-Carlton, Naples. This three-piece instrumental group plays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Fridays through Sundays, at the hotel’s Gumbo Limbo boardwalk restaurant, where watching the waves of our own Vanderbilt Beach may gently suggest the sands of Copacabana, too. For information, call (239) 598-3300.

3. THE MOD SQUAD Mix up your summer nights with Modulation, a new musical group that combines the tunes and talents of two Southwest Florida groups, Adrenalinn and the Heather Brooks Band. Expect everything from this versatile five-some—with four lead singers and an array of influences, Modulation’s playlist features funk and soul, rock ’n’ roll and some seriously smooth originals. Dates and venues around Southwest Florida at www.myspace.com/djnutt.4.

4. SUMMERJAZZ RETURNS Groove beneath the palms when the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club hosts its 23rd annual SummerJazz on the Gulf. The free concert series includes jamming performances by nationally known jazz artists, such as the Women’s Blues Revue, and is held from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday July 19, Aug. 23 and Sept. 13. For full concert details, visit www.naplesbeachhotel.com.

5. BRITISH INVASION Practice your screaming and swooning. On Saturday, July 19, The Fab Four, an acclaimed Beatles tribute band, lands at the Naples Philharmonic for a costume-clad performance of the beloved Beatles songbook. Can’t buy me love, but tickets to this show are a steal at only $35, www.thephil.org or (239) 597-1900.

6. HIT THE RIGHT KEY Head to the islands—Sanibel Island, that is—for classic jazz in the sophisticated supper club setting of Ellington’s Jazz Bar & Restaurant. The restaurant is home to the Danny Sinoff Quartet, another fabulous foursome with impressive influences: lead singer and pianist Sinoff has been likened to a young Frank Sinatra, and trumpeter Dan Miller toured with Harry Connick Jr. The quartet performs from 7 to 11 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. No cover, but a two-drink minimum on weekends. More information at www.ellingtonsjazz.com or
(239) 337-JAZZ.

7. A SLICE OF JAZZ So you want something saucy? Try The Trio on Tuesday nights at Aldo’s Pizza in Naples. From 6 to 9 p.m., you’ll savor a sampling of jazz standards, all delivered in a straight-ahead style by musicians Dan Heck, Rick Howard and Sir John. And if you’re still craving more, visit www.naplesjazz.com for additional performances, including dates with Rebecca Richardson, Heck’s wife and a professional jazz vocalist.