Start New Year with Jazz Brunch at Boston Langham Hotel on Sunday, January 1

The famous Sunday Brunch at Cafe Fleuri at Boston's Langham Hotel, featuring the Robert Rivera Ensemble, is taking place on Sunday, January 1, 2012.

The cost is $65 for adults, $30 for children ages 5-12, and complimentary for children under four.   The adult price includes one glass of sparking wine or mimosa.

Reservations are available at 11:30 a.m., Noon, 1:30 p.m and 2:00 p.m. To make your reservation, call 617 451-1900, ext 7125.  To see the New Year's Day menu, click here.

For more details on jazz in Massachusetts throughout the year, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Check Out Live Jazz and Blues in Massachusetts on New Year's Eve

MassJazz has compiled some great recommendations for ushering in the New Year with live jazz and blues this Saturday, December 31, 2011 in greater Boston and all around Massachusetts.  Click here for details.

Or, find a jazz club near you anywhere in Massachusetts.

If you're looking for jazz in January, 2012, click here. 

For year round details on jazz concerts, night clubs, campus events, radio stations, jazz organizations, festivals and other news, visit MassJazz.com. 

You can also follow MassJazz on Facebook, Blog and Twitter.

For information on visiting Massachusetts anytime of year, go to MassVacation.com.

David Maxwell's Maximum Blues Concert at Regattabar in Harvard Square on New Year's Eve

Blues master pianist David Maxwell is performing a Maximum Blues concert to usher in New Year's starting at 9:30 p.m. on  Saturday, December 31, 2011 at the Regattabar Jazz Club in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Winner of the 2010 Blues Music album of the Year award, Maxwell is joined by a high-powered band that includes Brian Templeton on vocals, Greg Piccolo on tenor sax, Tony Gonyea on guitar, Jon Ross on bass, Per Hanson on drums

Tickets to the show are $60 and can be purchased online.

For a schedule of upcoming performances at the Regattabar in 2012, click here.

For more details on jazz concerts, clubs, campus events and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Lance Houston Quartet Perform at Boston's Langham Hotel on Wednesday, December 28

Jazz flugelhorn player Lance Houston and his quartet perform at the BOND Lounge | Restaurant at the Boston Langham Hotel on Wednesday, December 28, 2011, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

The show is part of the BOND Jazz Experiment, which runs from  each Wednesday evening and highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and funk.  For reservations call 617 956-8765.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com. 

New Year's Eve Blues with J. Geils, Jeff Pitchell and Texas Flood at Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley

Blues masters J.Geils, Jeff Pitchell and Texas Flood are performing in concert at the Sawtell Room at Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley Massachusetts on Saturday, December 31, 2011.

The cost is $90 and includes dinner, the show, champagne toast and party favors.  Dinner is at 7:00 p.m. and the show starts at 9:00 p.m.  Check out the menu. To purchase tickets online, click here.

Also at the Bull Run Restaurant on New Year's Eve: the Amy Black Band performs in the Ballroom.  Tickets are $20 and includes a champagne toast.

And in the Tap Room Lounge, check out pianist Donn Hill from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., followed by The Jazz Depot, playing from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.  There is no cover charge.

For year-round details on jazz concerts, clubs, campus events, radio stations, weekend brunches, and jazz groups throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Jazz Duo Paul Combs and Joe Reid at Savino's Grill in Belmont on New Year's Eve

Jazz saxophonist Paul Combs and pianist Joe Reid are performing at Savinos Grill in Belmont Massachusetts on Saturday, December 31, 2011, starting at 9:00 p.m.

There is no cover charge.  Check out Chef Tom Cutrone's Italian-inspired menu at Savino's Grill or follow Savinos on Facebook. 

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Japanese Jazz Pianist Yoko Miwa Performs at Les Zygomates in Boston on New Year's Eve

This New Year's Eve, jazz pianist Yoko Miwa is performing at Les Zygomates Wine Bar and Bistro in Boston on Saturday, December 31, 2011. 

Yoko performs solo piano from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m, and then with her trio from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. to usher in the New Year.  There is no cover charge, but reservations are recommended. Call 617 542-5108.  

A native of Kobe, Japan, Yoko studied piano at Koyo Conservatory before coming to Boston on a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music.  This year she was hired to as an assistant professor at Berklee, only the second female Japanese after Toshiko Akiyoshi to teach piano at Berklee.

Located at 129 South Street in Boston's Leather District, Les Zygomates is a French wine bar and bistro with a Parisian feel.

For more details on jazz concerts, clubs, campus events and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Acton Jazz Club has New Year's Eve BBQ Dance Party featuring April Hall Band

The Acton Jazz Club in Acton MA is having a Southern-style BBQ and Soulful Dance Party to usher in the New Year on December 31, 2011 from 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Blues and gospel vocalist April Hall is performing, along with her band, consisting of Tim Ray on piano, Mike Williams on guitar, Tom Hall on saxophone, Mark Poniatowski on bass and Les Harris, Jr. on drums. They'll be performing from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

The barbeque buffet runs from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. with homemade southern fare provided by the famous Lester's Roadside BBQ of Burlington.

Cost per person is $75 including buffet, live band, dessert, champagne toast, tax, gratuity, and free parking! Alcoholic and hot beverages are additional. To make reservations online, click here.

For directions to the Acton Jazz Club, click here.

You can find year-round details on jazz concerts, night clubs, campus events, radio stations, weekend brunches and more by visiting MassJazz.com.

For tourist  information visit MassVacation.com.  

50 Massachusetts Winter Family Adventures for Under $50

The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism has issued a list of 50 winter adventures under $50 for couples or a family of four.  With twelve ski resorts and hundreds of skating ponds, ice skating rinks and cross-country trails, plus museums, shopping outlets, and holiday events, Massachusetts is the place to be this winter. 

For a full schedule of winter events in Massachusetts this winter, click here.

For information about year round visits to Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.

New Year's Eve: Bart Weisman Jazz Group Performs at Riverway in S. Yarmouth on Cape Cod

The Bart Weisman Jazz Group, featuring vocalist Dane Vannatter, is performing at The Riverway Lobster House in South Yarmouth, Cape Cod, on Saturday, December 31, 2011 from 8:15 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. 

There is no cover charge. For directions click here.

For year round details on jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and CapeCodChamber.org.

Julian Lage Trio's New Year's Eve concert at Berklee Performance Center kicks off NPR's Toast of the Nation Broadcast

The Julian Lage Trio is in concert at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 7:45  and 9:30 p.m. 

The special concert kicks off National Public Radio's  (NPR) annual worldwide jazz broadcast, Toast of the Nation, and is part of First Night Boston festivities.

Radio host Eric Jackson of  Jazz on WGBH is master of ceremonies.  Tickets to the concert are $18 by purchase of a First Night Button. 

The concert is a collaboration between Berklee College of Music, 89.7 WGBH, NPR and First Night Boston.

A 2008 graduate of Berklee, Lage performs with fellow Berklee alumni Zak Croxall on bass and Tom Hartman on drums. 

For year round jazz concerts, night clubs, campus events and weekend brrunches throughout the year in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Live Jazz New Year's Eve at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston with Christian McBride

Jazz bassist Christian McBride and Inside Straight, with vocalist Melissa Walker, are performing at Scullers Jazz Club on Saturday, December 31, 2011 for shows at 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.

To purchase tickets online click here.

For year round details on jazz in Massachusetts visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist  information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Live jazz in Hyannis, Cape Cod on Friday, December 23

Jazz singer Carol Wyeth is performing with the Bart Weisman Jazz Group at Grand Cru Restaurant at the Cape Codder Resort in Hyannis on Friday, December 23, 2011 starting at 8:00 p.m.

Wyeth has performed nationally, opening for Johnny Mathis and Jerry Vale, and has performed at the Provincetown Jazz Festival.

For year round jazz concerts, clubs, campus events and weekend brunches, visit Massjazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or CapeCodChamber.org

Singer Samantha Farrell Performs at BOND Lounge at Langham Boston Hotel on Wednesday, December 21

Jazz vocalist Samantha Farrell has a return engagement at BOND Lounge at Boston Langham Hotel on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

The singer/songwriter, originally from Boston and now living in Los Angeles, has been described by Ben Evans of the Huffington Post as possessing "a liquor-honey voice, deft guitar work and slightly melancholic tones that meld to form an arching and elegant aural tapestry."

Samantha's show is part of the new BOND Jazz Experiment that features upcoming and established jazz artists on Wednesday nights.  A special menu is available.  For reservations, call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists coming to the BOND Restaurant and Lounge, click here.

For year round details on jazz clubs, hotel brunches, campus activities, jazz festivals and concerts throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information on Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Jazz at the Arsenal in Watertown Features the Sisters of Swing on December 19

The Arsenal Center for the Arts is welcoming the Sisters of Swing for a holiday concert of Christmas on Monday, December 19, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $18 general and $15 for ArsenalArts members and students and can be purchased online.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

James Montgomery Blues Band Performs at Bull Run Restaurant on December 17

The James Montgomery Band is performing at Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley on Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 8:00 p.m., in celebration of its new CD, From Detroit to the Delta.

Tickets to the show are $15 and can be purchased online or at the door.  Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for dinner and seating.

For a list of upcoming concerts at Bull Run, click here.

For year round details on jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Jazzy, Snazzy Christmas Concert at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Friday, December 16

The Adagio Big Band is performing its Jazzy, Snazzy Christmas Concert at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Friday, December 16, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

The 27-piece band features amazing horn and string sections, jazz vocalists and an exciting combination of ballet and swing dance productions.  Tickets to the show are $26-$30 and can be ordered online.

For a schedule of upcoming performances at Mechanics Hall, located at 321 Main Street in downtown Worcester, click here.

For year round details on jazz concerts, night clubs, weekend brunches and campus events throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Check out 7th annual Holiday Jam live on WICN Radio

From 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 14, 2011, the WICN 90.5 FM Holiday Jam House Band is back for the seventh year featuring  Musical Director and pianist Pamela Hines, bassist Bob Simonelli and drummer Kenny Hadley.

Click here to listen live.

This year's performers include Grace Kelly, Amanda Carr, Dan Gable, Greg Abate, Kaourko, Dick Lupino, Suzanne Cabot, Dan Moretti, Daniel Ian Smith & Jerry Sabatini.

For year round jazz throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information go to MassVacation.com.

NEC Millennium Gospel Choir Performs at Boston's MFA on December 16

The Millennium Gospel Choir of the New England Conservatory of Music is performing live at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston on Friday, December 16, 2011, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m.

The concert takes place at Remis Auditorium   Tickets are $25 for general admission and $20 for MFA members, seniors and students, and can be purchased online.

Find more information on the Millennium Gospel Choir on Facebook.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Ten Tumbao, Afro-Cuban Band, Performing at BOND Lounge at Langham Boston Hotel on Wednesday, December 14

Ten Tumbao, a funky, soulful Afro-Latin-Caribbean band, performs at the BOND Restaurant | Lounge at the Langham Hotel in Boston on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Tumbao is a Cuban word signifying rhythm, flavor, style and flair and the band lives up to those descriptions.

 Located at the Langham Boston Hotel,  BOND Restaurant & Lounge is open seven days a week, offering gourmet sandwiches for lunch, afternoon tea, and global cuisine for dinner, plus an extensive wine list and distinctive cocktails. A special jazz menu is available on Wednesdays.For reservations call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists through this winter, click here.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Discover Roxbury Hosting Discussion on Jazz History and Civil Rights on December 14

Discover Roxbury, a non-profit group taking pride in the history, culture and community life of Roxbury, is hosting a discussion about jazz and its connection to the Civil Rights Movement in Roxbury during the 1950s.

The event takes place at Haley House Bakery Cafe, 12 Dade Street in Roxbury, on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.  For directions, click here.

For more details on upcoming events, you can follow Discovery Roxbury on  Facebook  and Twitter.

For year round details on jazz concerts, clubs, campus events, weekend brunches, musicians, radio stations and organizations throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Sax Stars Grace Kelly and Phil Woods perform in Rockport on December 11

Star jazz saxophonists Grace Kelly and Phil Woods are performing together in concert for two shows at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport on Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Tickets are $39-$49 and can purchased online or by calling 978 546-7391.

Kelly is an 18 year old rising jazz star in the music world, who has already toured the world and recorded several award-winning albums.  Woods is a veteran jazz legend whose illustrious career puts him in the pantheon of great saxophone players of his generation.

For more information on jazz concerts, night clubs, campus events, weekend brunches, radio programs and other jazz-related events taking place in Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information contact MassVacation.com. 

Massachusetts has great live jazz on Saturday, December 10

 Haily Niswanger

Looking for great live jazz in Massachusetts on Saturday, December 10?  Here are three shows to put you in the holiday spirit, recommended by MassJazz:

39th Christmas Concert

Aardvark Jazz Orchestra
Emmanuel Church
151 Newbury Street
Back Bay, Boston

Haily Niswanger Quartet
Parish Center for the Arts
10 Lincoln Street
Westford

Poetic Rhythms: Jazz and Poetry
with Robert Pinsky, former US Poet Laureate 
Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center
333 Nahanton Street
Newton

Or, check out dozens of places around Massachusetts where you can catch live jazz: at hotels, night clubs, college campuses and more!

For year round details on jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Women Jazz Stars Perform Benefit Concert for HOPES Music Program in Boston on December 11

Grammy Award Winner Esperanza Spalding

Geri Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington and Esperanza Spalding are performing a benefit concert  to benefit the HOPE music and art therapy program at Massachusetts General Cancer Center. 

The concert takes place at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Sunday December 11, 2011 at 4:00 p.m.  Tickets to the event are $75 and can be purchased online.  For more details contact Judy Roberts.

For upcoming jazz events at Scullers, click here.

For year round details on jazz clubs, campus events, concerts, lectures, hotel and brunch gigs and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Singer Jean McKenna O'Donnell Performing at Chan's Jazz Club on December 11

Big Band jazz vocalist Jean McKenna O'Donnell is performing a concert entitled "Celebrate the Seasons" at Chan's Restaurant & Jazz Club in Woonsocket, RI on Sunday, December 11, 2011 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. 

Tickets are $15 and reservations can be made at 401 765-1900.

O'Donnell is performing with the Mike Renzi Trio and special guest vocalist and pianist Daryl Sherman.

The sister of the late jazz pianist Dave McKenna, O'Donnell's CD, Full Circle is a tasteful and persuasive rendition of the American Songbook.

For year round details on jazz clubs, campus events, concerts, brunches and other musical events in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

Westfield Jazz Big Band Performing Free Concert on Thursday, December 8

The award-winning Westfield Jazz Big Band Band is performing at Dever Auditorium at Westfield State College on Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

The concert is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Westfield State College Department of Music.  Dr. Ed Orgill, coordinator of jazz studies, is the conductor.

For more information about Westfield's jazz studies program, click here.

For year round jazz and blues events in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Jazz Singer Tamara Usatova Performs at BOND Lounge in Boston on Wednesday, December 7

Russian-born jazz and soul vocalist Tamara Usatova is performing at the BOND Lounge | Restaurant at the Langham Boston Hotel on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

The Berklee graduate cites influences ranging from Etta James, Aretha Franklin and Billie Holiday to Anita Baker, Whitney Houston and Chaka Khan.

The performance is part of the BOND Jazz Experiment, which highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and funk. 

Located at the Langham Boston Hotel,  BOND Restaurant & Lounge is open seven days a week, offering gourmet sandwiches for lunch, afternoon tea, and global cuisine for dinner, plus an extensive wine list and distinctive cocktails.

A special jazz menu is available on Wednesdays. For reservations call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists through December, click here.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Maggie Scott Tribute at Berklee on December 8 Features Esperanza Spalding, Nadia Washington and Others

Maggie Scott, jazz vocal professor at Berklee College of Music for 30 years, is being honored by the college and many of her former students at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 8, 2011 at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston's Back Bay.

Tickets to the event are $20 for reserved seating and $15 for general admission and can be ordered online.

Among the performers and special guests: Antonia Bennett, Lalah Hathaway, Robin McKelle, Esperanza Spalding, and Nadia Washington.

Scott is considered a trailblazer for female musicians, being one of the first women instructors at Berklee, and the first woman named president of the Boston Musicians Association, Local 9-535.

For a year round list of jazz concerts, night clubs, campus events, radio programs, brunches, and live jazz in hotels, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Vijay Iyer Trio and the Miguel Zenon Quartet Concert at Berklee Performance Center on Friday, December 9

Pianist Vijay Iyer and saxophonist Miguel Zenon are playing in concert at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston's Back Bay on Friday, December 9, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. 

Tickets to the show are $40-$50 and can be purchased online. 

The concert is part of the Celebrity Series of Boston, which has been bringing high quality music to Boston since 1938.   For a complete schedule of the 2011-2012 season, click here.

"Iyer and Zenon are two of the most startlingly original and brilliant voices in contemporary jazz," writes Celebrity Series of Boston.  "Both are fearless explorers, ably mining whatever moves them, from honored jazz traditions to hip hop culture, all with technical mastery, grit, and wisdom. In this double bill, audiences will hear the jazz of tomorrow under construction."

For year round details on jazz nightclubs, concerts, campus events, brunches and festivals throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Christmas Concert at Scullers in Boston on December 6 & 7

A Peter White Christmas, starring smooth jazz guitarist Peter White and saxophonists Mindi Abair and Kirk Whalum takes place at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Tuesday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 10:00 p.m.

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online.

For upcoming concerts at Scullers Jazz Club, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

US Air Force Jazz Ensemble Performing Free Concert at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Wednesday, December 7

The US Air Force jazz ensemble, Band of Liberty, is performing a free lunchtime concert at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at noon.

It's part of the Brown Bag lunch series sponsored by Mechanics Hall, along with WICN 90.5 FM and Bank of America.

Made up of 13 outstanding musicians from around the country, the Band of Liberty jazz ensemble takes pride in preserving the heritage of America's true art form - jazz.  The band is based at Hanscom Air Force base in Massachusetts.

For year round jazz and blues events in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com. 

Tenor Sax Standout Seamus Blake Performs at Berklee's 939 Cafe on Wednesday, December 7

Jazz saxophonist Seamus Blake is performing at the Red Room at Cafe 939 in Boston on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the performance are $10 general admission and can be purchased online.

The concert is part of a new NPR/ WBGO Jazz 88 FM concert series called The Check Out - Live at Berklee, which features New York-based critically acclaimed alumni from Berklee College of Music.  The performances is broadcast live in New York to WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM's 350,000 listeners and streamed worldwide on NPRmusic.org. The shows will also be audio podcast from Checkoutjazz.org and from NPRmusic.org.

Born in England and raised in Canada, Blake is recognized as one of the finest exponents of contemporary jazz performance and composition.

For a schedule of upcoming performances at Cafe 939, click here.

For year round details on jazz activities in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Berklee College of Music Breaks Ground for 16 Story Tower in Boston

On Thursday, November 30, 2011, the Berklee College of Music broke ground  for a 16-story, $100 million new dormitory and music center for the school's student population, located at 160 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston.

Attending the groundbreaking were Roger Brown, president of Berklee, Tom Menino, mayor of Boston, and a number of local public official, school officials and neighborhood leaders.

Completion is expected in fall 2013, and will include 770 beds, a two-story dining hall, a 400-seat performance center for students, plus practice rooms, student lounges, and on-street retail shops.

For year round details on jazz activities in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

New Music Festival at Boston Conservatory Features German Saxophonist Phillipp Staudlin on Friday, December 2

Phillipp Staudlin

 

Day two of The Boston Conservatory's  New Music Festival features currents in contemporary composition overseas.

Entitled Jumpin into the Future: new Music Evolved From Jazz, the event takes place Friday, December 2, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.at the Boston Conservatory Theatre, located at 31 Hemenway Street.  The event is free to the public.

Guest Artists include the I/O Ensemble featuring saxophonist Philipp Stäudlin. Works include DW:16–Songbook 1 by Bernhard Lang, as well as works by Edison Denisov and others.

 For year round details on jazz nightclubs, concerts, campus events, brunches and festivals throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Grammy Awards 2012 Jazz and Latin Nominees

Jazz and Latin nominations for the 54th annual Grammy Awards were announced last night by The Recording Academy.  Among the jazz artists nominated are Chick Corea, Terri Lyne Carrington, Kurt Elling, Tierney Sutton, Arturo O'Farrill and Christian McBride.  

For a full list of jazz nominations, click here.

For a full list of Latin nominations, click here.

The Grammy Awards take place on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, and are televised live.  You can follow updates on the Grammys Facebook or Grammy Twitter.

To follow live jazz in Massachusetts throughout the year, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Music of Charles Mingus featured at Brandeis University Jazz Ensemble Concert in Waltham on December 3

Director Bob Nieske 

The Jazz Ensemble at Brandeis University is performing the music of Charles Mingus at Slosberg Recital Hall, 415 South Street in Waltham, on Saturday, December 3, 2011, starting at 8:00 p.m.  The concert is free and open to the public.

The 20-person student ensemble is led by jazz bassist and professor Bob Nieske. 

For year round details on jazz nightclubs, concerts, campus events, brunches and festivals throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Highland Jazz Series in Newton presents the Laszlo Gardony Quartet on Saturday, December 3

The Highland Jazz Series is presenting the Laszlo Gardony Quartet to perform Rhapsody in G on Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. at Newton South High School in Newton.

Tickets are $18 in advance ($17 for seniors) and $20 at the Door, and can be purchased online.  Students pay $10.

Laszlo, a noted jazz composer and pianist, is joined by Stan Strickland on sax, Yoron Israel on drums and Sean Farias on bass.

For a full schedule of the Highland Jazz Series 2011-2012 season, click here.

For year round details on jazz nightclubs, concerts, campus events, brunches and festivals throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Artists Gunther Baby Sommer and Wadada Leo Smith Perform at UMass Amherst on December 2

Jazz artists Gunther 'Baby' Sommer and Wadada Leo Smith are performing  at Bezanson Hall, Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst on Friday, December 2, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

The show is part of the Solos and Duets Series produced by the Fine Arts Center.  Tickets are $10/$5 and can be purchased online.

Günter ‘Baby’ Sommer is one of the master musicians of contemporary European jazz, a percussionist of enormous originality and humor, who has recorded with Cecil Taylor, Peter Brötzmann and Günter Grass. Trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith is a hugely influential trumpeter and educator, who has worked with every major improviser of the last 40 years.

For details on jazz clubs, concerts, campus events, radio stations and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Holy Cross Jazz Ensemble's Winter Concert is Thursday, December 1 in Worcester

The award-winning Jazz Ensemble at Holy Cross College in Worcester is performing its annual winter concert on Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. at Brooks Concert Hall at One College Street.  The event is free and open to the public.

Directed by woodwind professional Michael Monaghan, the Jazz Ensemble will perform songs from the Great American Songbook.

To find out more about jazz concerts, campus events, night clubs, radio stations and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Featured at Boston Conservatory's New Music Festival, December 1-4

This year's annual New Music Festival at the Boston Conservatory, December 1-4, 2011, is entitled Jumpin into the Future: New Music Evolved From Jazz.  

Gunther Schuller is the musical director.

The program features works by renowned composers such as Bernard Lang, Edison Denisov, Robert Graettinger, Pierre Hurel, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane and Schuller. 

The concerts take place at 8:00 p.m. each evening at the Boston Conservatory Theatre, located at 31 Hemenway Street,  and are free to the public. 

For details on jazz concerts, campus events, night clubs, radio stations and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Pandelis Karayorgis Jazz Trio at the Lily Pad in Cambridge on Wednesday, November 30

Jazz pianist and composer Pandelis Karayorgis and his Trio perform at the Lily Pad Jazz Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are just $10.

Karayorgis is joined by Jeff Charland on the bass and Luther Gray on drums.  The trio has been described as "one of the best progressive piano trios anywhere" by the Boston Globe.

For upcoming performances in December at the Lily Pad, located at 1353 Cambridge Street in Inman Square, click here.

For details on jazz clubs, concerts, campus events, radio stations and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Guitarist Alex Baboian Performs at Langham Hotel Boston on Wednesday, November 30

Jazz guitarist Alexander Baboian is performing at the BOND Lounge | Restaurant at the Boston Langham Hotel on Wednesday, November 30, 2011, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

A member of the acclaimed Berklee World Jazz Octet, Baboian performed recently at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.  To see footage of that concert, click here.

The BOND Jazz Experiment highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and funk.  BOND  is open seven days a week, offering gourmet sandwiches for lunch, afternoon tea, and global cuisine for dinner, plus an extensive wine list and distinctive cocktails. A special jazz menu is available on Wednesdays. For reservations call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists through December, click here.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Pianist Yoko Miwa Performs at Zygomates in Boston on Saturday, December 3

Jazz pianist Yoko Miwa is performing at Les Zygomates Wine Bar at 129 South Street in Boston on Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

Born in Kobe, Japan, Miwa has been a mainstay on the jazz scene in Boston since 1997.  She is an Assistant Professor in the Piano Department at Berklee College of Music.

For details on jazz clubs, concerts, campus events, radio stations and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Today! ArtsEmerson has one day sale for 2011-12 season on Monday, November 28

ArtsEmerson in Boston is having a one-day sale for its 2011-12 theatre season on Monday, November 28, 2011, with tickets available for the extraordinary price of $25.   The sale is applicable for six plays coming to Boston between January-April 2012.

To find out more details on the one-day sale, click here. 

ArtsEmerson is an exciting new theatre series launched in 2010 that brings world-class theatre to Boston.  To read more, click here.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com. 

Jazz Saxophonist Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas Quintet at Scullers Jazz Club on November 29-30

Acclaimed jazz sax player Joe Lovano is performing with the Dave Douglas Quintet at Scullers Jazz Club  in Boston on November 29-30, 2011.  They'll perform two shows each night, at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $25 each, which you can purchase online, and dinner/show is $67 per person.  To reserve for dinner and the show, call 617 562-4111.

For a schedule of upcoming jazz performances at Scullers Jazz Club, click here.

For details on jazz clubs, concerts, campus events, radio stations and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Singer Claire Dickson Performs at Lily Pad in Cambridge on November 26

Teenage jazz singer Claire Dickson and her trio perform at Lily Pad Jazz Club in Inman Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts on Saturday, November 26, 2011 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.  Admission is $10.

Winner of three Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards, the fourteen year old singer is joined by Michael McLaughlin on piano, Greg Loughman on bass and  Grant Smith on drums.

For upcoming performances at the Lily Pad in December, click here. 

For details on jazz clubs, concerts, campus events, radio stations and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Trumpeter Roy Hargrove Performs at Scullers in Boston on November 26

Jazz trumpet player Roy Hargrove is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Saturday November 26, 2011 for two shows at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Tickets are $35.00 and can be purchased online.

Considered one of the premier jazz trumpet players in jazz today, Hargrove is joined by Justin Robinson on sax, Sullivan Fortner on piano, Ameen Saleen on bass and Quincy Phillips on drums.

For a schedule of upcoming jazz performances at Scullers Jazz Club, click here.

For details on jazz clubs, concerts, campus events, radio stations and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Jazz Violinist Regina Carter at the Regattabar in Cambridge on November 25-26

Jazz violinist Regina Carter and her band appear at the Regattabar Jazz Club in Harvard Square, Cambridge on Friday, November 25 and Saturday, November 26, 2011 for two shows each night at 7:30 and 10:00 p.m..

Tickets to the show are $30 and can be purchased online.

Carter is performing songs from her latest CD, Reverse Thread, a collection of African folk melodies.  Her band includes Yacouba Sissoko on kora, Will Holshouser on accordion, Jesse Murphy on bass and Otis Brown III on drums/percussion.

For a full schedule of events at Regattabar, located at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, click here.

For year round details on jazz concerts, night clubs, brunches, campus events, radio stations and other jazz activities in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com. 

Jazz Radio Stations in Massachusetts for Thanksgiving Travel

On the road this Thanksgiving weekend?

MassJazz.com has a list of NPR stations, college jazz programs, and independent radio stations, from Boston to Amherst and from Cape Cod to the North Shore to help you chill out in traffic and enjoy the ride.  To view the radio stations across the Bay State, click here. 

To follow our daily blog of jazz performances, visit MassJazz.blogspot.com, or follow us on Twitter @massjazz.. 

For visitor information visit MassVacation.com. 

New York Voices performing at Shalin Liu in Rockport on November 25

 

Jazz vocal group New York Voices is appearing at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport on Friday, November 25, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.   Tickets are $19, $28 and $34, and can be purchased online. 

 

Formed in 1987, New York Voices is a Grammy Award-winning quartet that has emerged as one of the exemplary vocal jazz groups of our times.  

For a schedule of upcoming concerts at the Shalin Liu Performance Center, located at 37 Main Street in Rockport, click here. 

For year round jazz concerts, night clubs, brunches, campus events and radio stations throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.