Two upcoming shows at The Press Room in Portsmouth are the focus for this edition of The Jazz Universe. On Sunday, March 30, vocalist Chris Humphrey will host a release event for his excellent debut recording, “Nothing but Blue Sky,” accompanied by The Press Room Trio led by Ryan Parker. The following Sunday, April 6, one of Boston’s legendary jazz groups, The Fringe, will make its Press Room debut. Both shows begin at 6 p.m. and cost $10.

Chris Humphrey has long been one of the hidden gems of the greater Seacoast music scene. A talented musician who could have gone in a variety of directions, he chose to focus on being a jazz vocalist. But he’s not the kind of vocalist who is content to sit back, sing the lyrics and let the other musicians do all the work. Instead, Humphrey strives to be an integral part of the ensemble, interacting with his fellow players. It was this approach that led him to go with the quartet format for his debut album.

“I finally decided on the quartet because I wanted to be the ‘horn,’” Humphrey said in a recent interview. The choice allowed him the freedom to interact with the other players on the session, which, in turn, allowed the whole session to have a freer atmosphere, “with more room to roam around in the music,” as he describes.

“Interaction with the musicians I’m collaborating with is the single most important performance criteria for me. My favorite musicians are those who play great melodies and ideas that directly relate to everyone else in the band. I really enjoy music that is a group effort, not just a soloist with accompaniment. While everyone does have a role to play, everyone can and should react within the moment.”

A graduate of UNH, Humphrey taught for several years at the university, where he directed the Marching Band and the Jazz Choir before moving into the public school music arena in the mid-1990s. During this time, Humphrey was active as both an instrumental performer on trombone, piano and bass, and as a singer. He played and sang in both the Seacoast Big Band and the Branch Sanders Big Band. He also sang with the Boston-based vocal group The Ritz, appearing on their early 1990s CD “Almost Blue.” Humphrey also formed his own vocal group, Vocalease, which included his wife Jenn Humphrey among its five singers. After several years, Humphrey felt the time was right to focus on his own project, resulting in “Nothing but Blue Sky.” He has few regrets about his chosen path.

“I suppose I could have moved to New York when I was younger and pursued a full-time career as a performer, but I’m not sure it would have necessarily made me a better musician,” Humphrey said. “Here, I’m releasing my debut at the age of 42, which I feel is better than if I had made my debut at 25. There are trade-offs, for sure, but I feel the experiences I’ve had both in music and in my life have better prepared me for this particular moment in my career.”

“Nothing but Blue Sky” is a fine blend of incisive arrangements of standards and jazz tunes spiced up with a few originals written by Humphrey and his lyricist/wife/collaborator, Jenn. Being in total control of the session was a positive experience for Humphrey.

“It was a really great experience for me to plan the whole session, pick the musicians and the music and work through the whole process,” he said. “For me, it’s really the only way to go now for my own projects, and it allows me to have strong parameters for projects that my name is on that I’m not in charge of.”

Humphrey looks forward to playing at The Press Room on Sunday evening. “It’s such a great place to perform with a great crowd and fine musicians. And to be part of the Sunday Jazz history is special,” he said.

The Fringe is one of the Boston area’s longest running jazz groups. Formed in 1972, the trio of saxophonist George Garzone, bassist John Lockwood (who replaced original bassist Rich Appleman in 1985) and drummer Bob Gullotti pursue an approach that gets right to the critical essence of jazz—spontaneous collective improvisation. At times manic and frenetic and at times soft and thoughtful, a show by The Fringe takes listeners on a musically adventurous ride through the gamut of creative music.

While the band’s several recordings offer a good representation of the trio’s abilities, The Fringe is one of those groups that have to be experienced in a live setting, where you can take in the visual and auditory aspects. The group has held several long-term Monday night residencies in various clubs in the Boston area, including the old Michael’s Pub on Gainsborough Street and The Willow in Somerville.

All three musicians are active performers outside of The Fringe, as well. Garzone has led several recordings under his own name and has worked with vibraphonist Mike Mainieri and pianist Danilo Perez. Lockwood has performed at The Press Room on numerous occasions and has played with artists ranging from Greg Hopkins to Mel Lewis. Gullotti has performed with such figures as late trombonist J.J. Johnson and saxophonists Jerry Bergonzi and Bill Pierce. As The Fringe, these three stellar musicians showcase their highly individual and creative voices. After 30-plus years of performing around the country and the world, The Fringe finally comes to The Press Room to display its remarkable sound.