Sasha Masakowski and Musical Playground will fill audience members' ears with Big Easy-infused jazz during their performance at 8 p.m. March 12.

The performers will be the latest to grace The Arts Council's stage for the organization's Evenings of Intimate Jazz Series. The concert will be held at the Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St., Gainesville.

Jazz vocalist Masakowski, a New Orleans native, has been performing since age 8. After graduating from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, she studied jazz abroad at the Rotterdam Conservatory of Music in the Netherlands.

After returning to the United States, Masakowski began to perform across the country. She released a CD, "Musical Playground," which shares the name of her accompanying band.

Two years ago, she received the Big Easy Music Award for Best Emerging Artist of 2009.

Musical Playground features James Westfall on piano, Jason Weaver on bass and Brent Solnick on drums.

Tickets are $30 per person. They can be purchased online at www.theartscouncil.net or by calling 770-534-2787. After Masakowski's performances, there will be two concerts left in the monthly jazz series. The Morgan Guerin Quartet will perform in April and the Steve Cunningham Trio will close out the series in May.