PORT TOWNSEND — That quintessential American art form is enveloping the town this week in Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend festival: Three nights of Jazz in the Clubs start tonight, and then a slew of free Friday events are open to the public at Fort Worden State Park. Beginning at 8 this evening, three downtown venues are hosting those intimate Jazz in the Clubs concerts, and four more venues will be added Friday and Saturday night. An all-access pass costs $25 at www.Centrum.org/jazz and 800-746-1982.

Updates on Jazz in the Clubs shows are also at the Centrum website, and much more about Jazz Port Townsend can be found in this Friday’s Peninsula Spotlight, the Peninsula Daily News’ weekly entertainment magazine.

Just to get things started, here’s tonight’s club lineup:

■ The Public House, 1038 Water St.: Jeff Clayton, alto saxophone; Terell Stafford, trumpet; Wycliffe Gordon, trombone; Benny Green, piano; Ben Wolfe, bass; Rodney Green, drums.

■ The Upstage, 923 Washington St.: Tamir Hendelman, piano; Martin Wind, bass; Matt Wilson, drums.

■ Northwest Maritime Center, 431 Water St.: Jazz Port Townsend Workshop participant combos.

Next up is the “Free Friday Workshop Blow-out,” which Centrum Executive Director John MacElwee describes as an insider’s look at the jazz-week workshops. And along with the clinics and master classes, there will be a free concert at high noon: the Jazz Port Townsend Participant Big Band, led by Clarence Acox, outdoors on Fort Worden’s Nora Porter Commons.

Screening of ‘Girls’

Then comes a preview screening of “The Girls in the Band,” a documentary to be featured in September’s Port Townsend Film Festival.

The movie, about the women of jazz past and present, takes the screen in Fort Worden’s Wheeler Theater at 1:15 p.m. Friday. Afterward, drummer Sherrie Maricle, who appears in “The Girls,” will lead a discussion.

Here are other highlights of Friday’s Blow-out at venues around Fort Worden State Park, 200 Battery Way.

■ At 10:30 a.m. — Saxophone Summit master class and discussion with Jeff Clayton, Walter Smith III, Gary Smulyan and Jay Thomas, Building 204; and “Understanding Jazz,” discussion led by pianist Eric Reed in the fort’s schoolhouse.

■ At noon — Jazz Port Townsend Participant Big Band concert with bandleader Clarence Acox, outside on the fort’s Nora Porter Commons; food and drink for sale.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

■ At 3:30 p.m. — “The Hippest and Coolest Jazz Records EVER,” Benny Green’s discussion of recordings by Lee Morgan, Jackie McLean, Horace Silver, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Art Blakey and more, in fort Building 204.

Also at 3:30: A “Singing is Something for Everyone” workshop with singer-pianist Dena DeRose in Building 204.

And “A Conversation with Johnny Mandel,” with composer Mandel discussing his 70-year career in music with Jazz Port Townsend Artistic Director John Clayton, in the fort’s Wheeler Theater.

More details about these events, plus public concerts Friday and Saturday night at Fort Worden’s McCurdy Pavilion, are also available in Friday’s Peninsula Daily News and at Centrum.org.

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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.