Elan Trotman Playing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on March 1

Boston-based jazz saxophonist Elan Trotman is performing at Sculler's Jazz Club in Boston on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to the show are $20 and can be ordered online.

Trotman, a native of Barbados, is releasing his new album, Love and Sax, a collection of soul-jazz ballads described as expressive and passionate.  It's the second album for Trotman, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and an up-and-coming star in smooth jazz.

 Scullers Jazz club is located at the Doubletree Suites/ Hilton Hotel at 400 Soldiers Field Road in Boston. For a full schedule of upcoming concerts click here.

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

For visitor information on Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.

New England Winter Blues Festival at the Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury on Saturday, February 26

The second annual New England Blues Festival gets underway on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at the Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salsibury, Massachusetts, starting at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $22-26 and can be purchased at the door or ordered online.

Featured blues bands include Mr. Nick and the Dirty Tricks, the Chris Fritz Band, the Matthew Stubbs Band, and Nick Moss and the Flip Tops.

For a full schedule of upcoming concerts at the Blue Ocean, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, visit MassVacation.com
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Berklee Jazz Students React to Esperanza Spalding's Grammy Award

New England Cable News did a great local story on students at the Berklee College of Music reacting to the news that Berklee alumni Esperanza Spalding had won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist of the Year.

For year round information on jazz clubs, campus events, concerts and festivals, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com

Cyrus Chestnut Trio Performing at Regattabar in Cambridge on Friday, February 25

Jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut and his Trio are performing at the Regattabar Jazz Club at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square on Friday, February 25, 2011, at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $25 and can be ordered online.

Cyrus is joined by Dezron Douglas on bass and Neal Smith on drums.

For a full schedule of jazz at the Regattabar, click here.

For year round information on jazz clubs, campus events, concerts and festivals, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com

Jazz Singer Kurt Elling Performing at Scullers in Boston on February 25-26

Legendary jazz vocalist Kurt Elling is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Friday, February 25, and Saturday, February 26, 2011.  Tickets to the show are $30 and can be ordered online.

For a list of upcoming concerts at Scullers, click here. 

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

US Census Bureau Pays Tribute to Jazz as Part of Black History Month

John Coltrane

Profile America for the 23rd day of Black History Month, 2011.

It has been called "the only true American art form." Over a century old, it's appreciated around the world -- what else but the music called jazz? A blend of religious and work songs, Spanish and French influences, ragtime and marching bands, all laid over African rhythms, the history of jazz is uniquely tied to the African-American experience. From Jelly Roll Morton to Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis on to Wynton Marsalis, African-Americans have kept jazz evolving through the decades. Nearly 8 percent of adults in the U.S. attend a live jazz performance at least once a year.

You may Listen or download this story in .mp3 format or as a .wav file.

This special edition of Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Stan Strickland and Dancers Perform at Boston Center for the Arts on February 24

Jazz saxophone and flute player Stan Strickland is performing with dancers Callie Chapman and Sara June at the Cyclorama at Boston Center for the Arts on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $20 and can be ordered online. 

A veteran jazz player has performed all over the world, opening for Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, Strickland  is featured in a film documentary entitled Black Man Up, with Blair Underwood and Lamar Burton.  He has worked with dozens of choreographers, including Alvin Ailey, Jose Limon and Bill T. Jones.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Congratulations to Jazz Drummer Roy Haynes on Winning Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

Congratulations to Roy Haynes, who grew up in Roxbury and learned his music there, for receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

Boston Herald jazz writer Bob Young noted, "Roxbury-born Roy Haynes has kept some pretty good company in his nearly seven decades in the music business. Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Pat Metheny have all shared the stage with the man known as the father of modern jazz drumming."

With this award, Young writes,  Haynes joins "Dolly Parton, the Ramones, Julie Andrews and the Kingston Trio as a Grammy award Lifetime Achievement honoree."

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

Don't Worry, Be Happy: Bobby McFerrin is Performing at Berklee in Boston on February 24

Ten-time Grammy Award winnder Bobby McFerrin, considered one of the most gifted improvisational jazz vocalists of all time, is presenting Sing Song at the Berklee Performance Center on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 8:15 p.m.

For this concert, McFerrin performs an improvisational program with Berklee student vocalists in the 24-member Singing Tribe Ensemble, conducted by associate voice professor Joey Blake.

Tickets to the concert are $10 and can be ordered online.

For a full schedule of upcoming concerts at Berklee Performance Center, click here.

For year round information on jazz clubs, concerts, campus activities, and jazz festivals throughout Massachusetts any time of year, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information about Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.

Celestial Septet Performing at UMass Amherst on Thursday, February 24

Avant-garde jazz ensemble Celestial Septet: Rova Sax Quartet + Nels Cline Singers, perform at the Bowker Auditorium at University of Massachusetts in Amherst on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $12 general admission and $7 for students, and can be purchased online.

The concert is part of the Magic Triangle Jazz Series presented in conjunction with WMUA radio.  For a list of other concerts coming up in this series, click here.

For year round information on jazz clubs, concerts, campus activities, and jazz festivals throughout Massachusetts any time of year, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information about Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.

Samantha Farrell Performing at BOND Restaurant & Lounge on Wednesday, February 23 in Boston

Samantha Farrell is performing at the new jazz series at BOND Restaurant and Lounge at the Boston Langham  Hotel on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

"She possesses a liquor-honey voice, deft guitar work and slightly melancholic tones that meld to form an aching and elegant aural tapestry," wrote Ben Evans about Farrell in the Huffington Post.  Originally from Boston, the singer-song writer got her start in Los Angeles and has been touring the country for the past few years, playing at concert venues and festivals.

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.

Jazz Bassist Buster Williams Performing at Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on Tuesday, February 22

Legendary jazz bassist Buster Williams performs with his quartet at Irish Horse Music Hall in Northampton, Massachusetts at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22, 2011.  Tickets are $17.50 in advance and $20.00 at the door, and can be ordered online.

A veteran of jazz for his whole life, Williams has played with McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Nancy Wilson and many others.  On Tuesday he'll be playing with his talented quartet, featuring Cindy Blackman-Santana on drums, Patrice Rushen on piano, and Steve Wilson on alto soprano sax.

For a full schedule of shows at the Iron Horse in the coming months, click here.   Click directions to get to the club.

For year round jazz concerts, night clubs, campus activities and jazz festivals year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information to Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

Black History Month: Tribute to Lena Horne at Berklee Performance Center in Boston on February 22, featuring Jo Thompson

Jazz musicians, dancers and professors  - led by vocalist Jo Thompson - are gathering in Boston for a tribute to Lena Horne - a trailblazer in music,dance, film, human and civil rights.  The event takes place on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at the Berklee Performing Center, located at 136 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston's Back Bay.  For directions click here.

General admission is $10 and tickets can be ordered online.  The show begins at 8:15 p.m.

Along with this all-star big band concert, the tribute includes a clinic with Thompson and a panel discussion featuring Berklee faculty members who recount their stories of working as musicians during this turbulent period in American history.

The event is part of Black History Month celebrations in Boston. For a list of resources, click here.

For a schedule of upcoming events at Berklee Performance Center, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Reagle Music Theatre presents The Mills Brothers and Gina Eckstine in Waltham on February 20

The Famous Mills Brothers, who made an indelible contribution to the American Songbook with hits like Paper Doll and Lazy River, are performing at the Robinson Theatre in Waltham on Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.  They'll be joined by rising star Gina Eckstine, daughter of famed jazz vocalist and bandleader Billy Eckstine.

The show is presented by the Reagle Music Theatre, one of the leading community theater organizations in New England.  Tickets to the show are $35-$50 and can be ordered online or by calling 781 891-2330 or 781 901-5600.  For directions to Robinson Theatre at 617 Lexington Street, click here. 

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

James Montgomery performing at Back Page, a new jazz club in Lowell, on February 18

Blues legend James Montgomery and his band officially open the new Back Page Jazz & Comedy Club in Lowell, Massachusetts on Friday, February 18, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. Admission is $15 at the door, first come, first served.

Considered one of the most dynamic blues performers today, Montgomery learned from the masters in his native Detroit - James Cotton, John Lee Hooker and Junior Wells.  He's toured with every major blues artist on the scene -- the Allman Brothers, B.B. King, Bruce Springstein, Bonnie Rait -- the list goes on.

Located at 15 Kearney Square in Lowell, the Back Page Jazz & Comedy Club is on the ground floor of the old Lowell Sun Newspaper building.  For a list of upcoming music and comedy performances, click here.

For year round jazz clubs, hotel brunches, concerts, campus events and jazz festivals, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information to Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com

BOND Restaurant at Boston's Langham Hotel Launches a Wednesday Night Jazz Series Starting February 16

Silvina Moreno

A cool new place to hear live jazz in Boston is starting up on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 when BOND Restaurant & Lounge kicks off  The BOND Jazz Experiment with Argentinean Silvina Moreno, a singer and songwriter specializing in Tango. 

BOND Jazz Experiment, which runs from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. each Wednesday, highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, R&B and funk.  For reservations call 617 956-8765.

Located at the Langham Boston Hotel,  the 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 a full schedule of artists through April visit BONDBoston.com and click on events.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Jazz Jam at the Island Merchant in Hyannis with Bart Weisman on February 20

A live jazz jam hosted by drummer Bart Weisman takes place on Sunday, February 20, 2011, at The Island Merchant at 302 Main Street in Hyannis, Cape Cod.  The music goes from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and there is no cover charge.

Weisman, a well known jazz musician on Cape Cod, started the annual Provincetown Jazz Festival, which takes place this year on August  12, 13 & 15, 2011. 

For a full schedule of upcoming jazz sessions, concerts and gigs by the Bart Weisman Trio, click here.

For year round jazz throughout Massachusetts, including concerts, festivals, night clubs and jazz brunches, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information on Cape Cod, visit CapeCodChamber.com and MassVacation.com.

Berklee's Esperanza Spalding Wins Grammy Award for Best New Artist

Jazz singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding won the Best New Artist of the Year award at this year's 53rd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California. 

A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Spalding is an inventive composer and performer whose latest recording, Chamber Music Society, is influenced by classical, jazz, folk and world music.  The Portland, Oregon native has been touring the world over the past two years.  She last performed locally at Sanders Theatre in Cambridge in October.

Spalding is one of thirty-three Berklee alumni or faculty  nominated for a Grammy Award this year, along with John Mayer, Makeba Riddick, Danielo Perez and others.  For a complete list, click here.  

For a full schedule of upcoming jazz concerts, night clubs, campus events and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com. 

 

For visitor information, visit MassVacation.com

David Garrett Performing at Boston Symphony Hall on February 15

Virtuoso violinist David Garrett is performing at Boston Symphony Hall on Tuesday, February 14, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets are $32.50 - $42.50 and can be ordered online.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com

Bill Charlap Trio Performing at Regattabar in Cambridge on February 11-12

Pianist Bill Charlap performs with his trio this weekend at the Regattabar at the Charles River Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge, on Friday and Saturday, February 11-12, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Considered one of the world's premier jazz pianists, Charlap is joined by Peter Bernstein on guitar and Sean Smith on bass.  Tickets to the show are $25 and can be ordered online. 

For a full schedule of jazz at the Regattabar this winter, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, visit MassVacation.com

Tierney Sutton Band Performing at Harvard on Thursday, February 10

Acclaimed jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton and her band are giving a master class at the New College Theatre, 10-12 Holyoke Street in Cambridge on Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

The band is celebrating its third consecutive Grammy Nomination for "Best Vocal Jazz Album." 

Members of the band are Christian Jacob, Trey Henry, Kevin Axt and Ray Brinker. 

The event is presented by Learning From Performers at the Office for the Arts at Harvard, a visiting artist program that allows students to interact with professionals in all disciplines. 

On Friday, February 11, the Tierney Sutton Band is performing at Sanders Theatre in Harvard Square, as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston season.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

Jazz Singer Amanda Carr Appearing at Chianti Jazz Lounge in Beverly on Sunday, February 13

Jazz vocalist Amanda Carr is performing two special shows at the Chianti Tuscan Restaurant & Jazz Lounge, 265 Cabot Street in Beverly Massachusetts on Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are available online for $18, or at the door the day of the concert for $20. The concert is sponsored by North Shore Jazz Project, which promotes jazz year round north of Boston.

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

For tourist information on Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.

National Public Radio Reveals 100 Quintessential Jazz Songs

(February 7, 2011) National Public Radio released its list of "100 Quintessential Jazz Songs" based on feedback from listeners of Jazz24.org and NPR Music.

Here are the top ten:

1. Dave Brubeck, "Take Five"
2. Miles Davis, "So What"
3. Duke Ellington, "Take The A Train"
4. Thelonious Monk, "Round Midnight"
5. John Coltrane, "My Favorite Things"
6. John Coltrane, "A Love Supreme (Acknowledgment)"
7. Miles Davis, "All Blues"
8. Weather Report, "Birdland"
9. Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto, "The Girl From Ipanema"
10. Benny Goodman, "Sing, Sing, Sing"

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

Boston's Beehive Jazz Club - Four Days of Luv'n to Celebrate Valentine's Day

The Beehive Jazz Club in Boston's South End is celebrating Valentine's Day from Friday, February 11 through Monday, February 14 -- four days of great food, cocktails and live performances. 

The Beehive is located at 541 Tremont Street in Boston's South End.  To get full details of the Valentine Day extravaganza, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com

Saxophonist Wayne Shorter at Berklee Performance Center on February 8

Six-time Grammy Award winner Wayne Shorter brings his quartet to Boston for a concert at the Berklee Performance Center on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $46-$66 and can be ordered online. 

Considered one of the most inventive and daring musicians and composers of his generation, Shorter began his career playing with John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Miles Davis.  In 1970 he formed Weather Report with keyboardist Joe Zawinal, creating a new style of jazz fusion.  In recent year's he's worked with smaller ensembles, and in 2007 he partnered with some of the world's leading orchestras to to unveil his symphonic repertoire.

For a full schedule of events at Berklee Performance Center, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Boston's Cafe Tatant pays tribute to jazz legend Abbey Lincoln on February 3

Jazz vocalist Diane Richardson pays tribute to the late, great Abbey Lincoln on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at Cafe Tatant at the Roxbury Center for the Arts in Boston.  She'll be joined by percussionist Yoron Israel, trombonist Bill Lowe, bass player John Lockwood and keyboard player John Kordalewski.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for cocktails; dinner is served at 7:00 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $12 for the show, or $28 for meal and show.  For advance reservations, contact Dillon Bustin at 617 849-6322 or dbustin@madison-park.org, or, you can order tickets online.

For more information on the show, including the menu, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Black History Month: Ayana McDonald Performing at Boston's Villa Victoria on February 5

Gospel and R&B singer Ayana McDonald is performing at the Villa Victoria Center for the Arts in Boston's South End on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 11:30 a.m.  She'll be joined by various performances by local youth and community groups. 

The free event - featuring, music, dancing and soul food - is one of many Black History Month celebrations taking place across Boston.  For more information call 617 927-1707 or RSVP to the event on Facebook.

The center is located at 85 W. Newton Street.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com

Tony Bennett Performing in Boston on Saturday, February 5

Tony Bennett, one of America's most revered and iconic singers, is performing at the Citi Performing Arts Center in Boston at 8:00 p.m. this Saturday, February 5, 2011.

Tickets to the concert are  $50-$125 and can be ordered online.

Bennett has perfected the great American Song Book over the past fifty years, starting his career alongside Frank Sinatra and in recent years performing with a host of great musicians, from Stevie Wonder to K.D. Lang.  He has won 15 Grammy awards, and dozens of other prizes throughout his career.  In 2006 he was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

For year round information on jazz, visit MasssJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.