Saturday, June 30, 2012

Nora Jones Performs at Bank of America Pavilion in Boston on Sunday, July 1


Grammy Award winner Norah Jones is performing at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston's Seaport District on Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $57 - $79 and can be ordered online.

For a full schedule of concerts at Bank of America Pavilion this summer click here.

Find year round details on jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com

Diana Krall Performing at South Shore Melody Tent


Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall is performing in concert at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset on Saturday, June 30, 2012.  For ticket information click here.

Denzal Sinclaire, one of Canada's most popular jazz vocalists and pianists, is opening the show.

To get a full schedule of events at the South Shore Music Circus this summer, click here.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com

Live Jazz Tonight Overlooking Boston at the Top of the Hub Restaurant & Lounge


Want to catch some great live jazz while enjoying an amazing, panoramic view of Boston at night on Saturday, June 30, 2012?

Check out the Marty Ballou Trio performing at the Top of the Hub Restaurant & Lounge, on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston Street,  in Boston's Back Bay.  The trio performs live from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Ballou is a seasoned bassist and sought-after studio musician who has performed with Jay McShann, Jimmy Witherspoon, Herb Ellis and others.  He is a regular performer at Top of the Hub.

For year round details on jazz clubs, festivals, campus events, weekend brunches and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.





Friday, June 29, 2012

Jazz Singer Diana Krall Performs at Cape Cod Melody Tent on Friday, June 29


Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall is performing in concert at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis on Friday, June 29, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $68.25 to $87.25 and can be purchased online or at the gate.

Opening the show for Ms. Krall is jazz performer Denzal Sinclaire, one of Canada's most popular jazz vocalists and pianists.

Krall and Sinclaire perform in the area on Saturday, June 30, 2012 at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset.  For ticket information click here

Find year round details on jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and CapeCodChamber.org.







Thursday, June 28, 2012

Lance Houston Quartet at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Boston on June 28


The Lance Houston Jazz Quartet is performing on Thursday, June 28, 2012 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Avenue One Lounge at Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Boston.

The lounge, located at One Avenue de Layfayette off of Washington Street, has live jazz every Thursday and Friday nights this summer.  For directions click here.

This summer you can find indoor and outdoor concerts in the Downtown Boston district.  For details visit Bostonbid.org

Find year round live jazz in Massachusetts, including festivals, campus events, night clubs, hotels and restaurants by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Berklee at the Regattabar Summer Courtyard Series Kicks off on Monday, July 9


The annual Berklee Courtyard Series at the Regattabar, featuring Berklee musicians performing Monday nights from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. this summer, is kicking off on Monday, July 9 with Ariadna Rivas, a gifted pianist and composer from Spain.

The free concert series, which runs through August 27, 2012,  takes place in the upper courtyard of the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, where is the home of the famous Regattabar Jazz Club.  It is free and open to the public.

View details on Berklee's Summer in the City concerts.

See schedule of upcoming jazz performances at the Regattabar this summer.

To find year round details on jazz and live performances in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.








Manhattan Transfer Performs at Scullers Jazz Club on June 27


Manhattan Transfer, the Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist group, is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 10:00 p.m.

Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online. (The 8:00 p.m. show is sold out.)

Find a full schedule of performances at Scullers Jazz Club this summer.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Jazz Pianist Yoko Miwa Performs at Les Zygomates in Boston on June 26


Yoko Miwa, jazz pianist, is performing at Les Zygomates Wine Bar at 129 South Street in Boston on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m..

Click here for a schedule of Ms. Miwa's summer performance schedule.

For details on jazz in Massachusetts throughout the year, including night clubs, concerts, campus events and more, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Monday, June 25, 2012

Flamenco Soul Project at Arsenal Center for the Arts on June 25


Berklee Mediterranean Music Institute, Spain Arts & Culture, and ArsenalArts present the Flamenco Soul Project at at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown on Monday, June 25, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $25 and can be purchased online or by calling 617 923-8487.

Under the artistic direction of Javier LimĂłn (Seven-Time Latin Grammy Award Winner), Flamenco Soul presents a sample of the best flamenco in the world, risky but pure at the same time, by the hands, feet and soul of a group of young talents that set the tempo of the sound of today.

Find year round details on live jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.




Cirque du Soleil Totem, Live in Boston Through July


Published on MassVacation Blog, June 25, 2012.

People gasped, wholly astonished. They laughed, shook their heads in disbelief, watched in nervous silence, and applauded wildly throughout the evening.

That’s what Cirque du Soleil Totem does to its audience, as we discovered firsthand after recently attending the opening show. Cirque is in Boston through July, over at the spacious Marine Industrial Park, right along the city’s stunning waterfront in South Boston.

Held under a giant, state-of-the-art Circus Tent and pavilion, Cirque features some of the world’s greatest acrobats, stuntmen, magicians, actors, comedians, mimes and athletes. The troupe is like a United Nations, with artists from Canada and the United States (including Native American Indians), as well as China, Russia, New Zealand, France and other corners of the world.

And so was the audience – diverse in every way, with kids, parents and grandparents, students, tourists, and locals all mingling together. Indeed, one of the great qualities of the show is its universal appeal.

Just to brief you – Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun) was formed in Quebec City in 1984 by a group of artists and dreamers devoted to live theatre and street performance. Since then it has become one of the truly great entertainment and cultural spectacles of our time.

This Cirque show on tour in Boston is called Totem – whose theme traces the journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly.

The opening stage set was of a gigantic turtle, from which all sorts of visual and acrobatic activity emerged. The feats of daring were breathtaking, much of them done without nets. What we loved, too, was the French-inspired whimsy and impishness that brought the audience right into the show before the curtain even went up.

The eight-piece live band was terrific, blending together indigenous melody with a driving polyrhythm that lent to the drama and flair of the performers.

A true highlight of the show had to be the state-of-the-art technology used to create shifting landscapes and seascapes throughout the show. The set designs, lighting, sound, and staging were remarkable in creating just the right ambiance and mood throughout the performance.

Even more good news – getting into Marine Industrial Park was easy; it is right off Northern Avenue, close to the Boston Convention Center and the World Trade Center.  It overlooks Boston Harbor, and is where cruise ships dock in the summer. A public parking garage is two-minutes from the tent, with local police directing traffic. The Cirque staff is efficient and friendly, from the ticket counter to the merchandise shops, food counter, and wine and beer stations. Even the restrooms were clean, well stocked, and efficiently placed around the facility to avoid long lines.

Would we go back again? Definitely! Cirque du Soleil is one of the most amazing, entertaining, and inspiring shows we’ve seen in a long time. The fact that it’s right in Boston gives visitors all sorts of options for dining, sightseeing or staying overnight in one of the hotels within walking distance.

Vive Le Cirque!

For show times, and ticket information, click here.

- Review by Michael Quinlin of MassJazz

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Paulie's NOLA Jazz & Blues Festival in Worcester on June 23-24

The 5th annual Paulie's NOLA Jazz & Blues Festival is taking place in Worcester on Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24, 2012 at the Keystone Plaza Urban Fairgrounds in Worcester. 

The festival runs from noon to midnight on Saturday and noon to 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The celebration of New Orleans and Louisiana music features top performers like Henri Smith New Orleans Friends & Flavours featuring Charles Neville & Amadee Castenell.

Also performing, Tab Benoit, Eric Lindell Band, Bonerama, Royal Southern Brotherhood, Honey Island Swamp Band, Jumpin Johnny Sansone, Sonny Landreth, and Billy Iuso.

Here is a full schedule of performers

You can find a full schedule of jazz and blues festivals in Massachusetts this summer and fall.

For year round details on jazz and blues concerts, campus events, night clubs, brunches, radio programs and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and Central Massachusetts.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Winiker Orchestra Celebrates 50th Anniversary at Scullers Jazz Club on June 20


Congratulations to the Bo and Bill Winiker Orchestra,  celebrating its 50th anniversary as one of Boston's premier jazz bands, with a concert at Scullers Jazz Club on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

The brothers got their start in music fifty years ago thanks to their parents.  Read The Boston Globe story on the Winiker Orchestra.

See schedule of Sculler events coming up this summer.

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

For visitor details, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Jazz Pianist Hey Rim Jeon Performs at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on June 19


Korean-born jazz pianist and composer Hey Rim Jeon is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 8:30 p.m.   Tickets to the show are $20 and can be purchased online or at the door.  For information about a dinner/show package for $62, click here.

A graduate of the Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory, Hey Rim is assistant professor at Berklee, where she teaches harmony and piano.

Check out Scullers' upcoming schedule of performances this summer.

Find year round details on jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For tourist information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.



Sunday, June 17, 2012

Jazz Great Lou Colombo Remembered in Hyannis on June 17


Jazz trumpet legend Lou Colombo, who died in a car accident in March while in Florida, is getting a New Orleans-style jazz procession in his memory in Hyannis Cape Cod, on Sunday, June 17, 2012 from 2:30 to 6:00 p.m.

The procession starts at Colombo Cafe on Main Street and heads to the Cape Cod Melody Tent on West Main, where an afternoon of music and memories are being shared by the Colombo family and Lou's many friends and colleagues.

Among the speakers are jazz radio hosts Ron della Chiesa and Dick Golden.  Music is being provided by the Roadhouse Band and the Gray Sargent band, with a jazz session taking place afterwards.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and CapeCodChamber.org.

Friday, June 15, 2012

14th annual Roxbury International Film Festival Taking Place in Boston This Weekend



The 14th annual Roxbury International Film Festival, featuring independent films by filmmakers of color, is taking place in Boston through Sunday, June 17, 2012, at various venues, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Mass College of the Art and Design, and Northeastern University

One of the films being premiered is Oxygen for the Ears: Living History, a story of the trials and tribulations of jazz in America. It airs on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. at the Egan Center at Northeastern University.  Tickets are $10 and are available at the venue.


For a full schedule of screenings, click here.  And read a history of RIFF

Find year round jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com





Michelle Cruz Quartet Performing at Colonial Blackinton Inn in Attleboro on June 15


Jazz singer Michelle Cruz and her quartet perform at the Colonial Blackinton Inn in Attleboro on Friday, June 15, 2012 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.  The group performs there every Friday evening through the summer.

For a complete schedule of live music taking place at Colonial Blackinton Inn, click here.

You can find year round details on jazz festivals, concerts, night clubs, weekend brunches, campus events, radio stations and other jazz-related activities in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com and Southeastern Massachusetts.


Singer Patti Austin Performs with Boston Pops at Symphony Hall on June 15-16


Singing legend Patti Austin is performing with the Boston Pops Orchestra on June 15-16, 2012 at Boston Symphony Hall. 

The show is part of the Boston Pops Visions of America: Salute to the Red, White and Blue.  Ms. Austin is  joined by singer Steve Tyrell, with Keith Lockhart conducting.  For ticket information click here.

Here is the 2012 schedule of Boston Pops spring and summer season.  

For a year round look at jazz and blues taking place throughout Massachusetts, including festivals, concerts, campus events, night clubs, hotel brunches and more, visit MassJazz.com

Find visitor and tourism information at MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

A Chorus Line opens at Reagle Theatre of Greater Boston, June 15-24


The Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston is kicking off its 44th summer season with a production of the hit musical, A Chorus Line, staring film and television star Lorenz Lamas

The show runs from Friday,  June 15 through Sunday, June 24, 2012.  For ticket information and schedule, click here.   Find out more about Reagle Music Theatre, one of the region's great community theater companies. 

For year round details on live jazz and blues in Massachusetts, including festivals, concerts, night clubs, campus events and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.



Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Win Tix to Diana Krall Concert at South Shore Music Circus on Saturday, June 30


MassJazz is raffling a pair of free tickets to see Grammy Award winner and jazz great Diana Krall perform at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, MA on Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.  The  winner also gets a $100 gift certificate to dine before the concert at Bia Bistro, an award-winning restaurant in Cohasset.

To enter the contest, click here and submit the form.

If you don't want to take a chance on missing this performance, you can purchase tickets directly from the Music Circus.

Krall is also performing at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis on Friday, June 29, 2012.

You can find year-round jazz events in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For information about visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Jazz and Blues Singer Ellen O'Brien Performs at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on June 12


Popular jazz and blues singer Ellen O'Brien is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Tuesday, June 12, 2012, at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $20 and can be purchased online or at the door.

A native of Revere, Massachusetts, O'Brien is three-time winner at the Apollo Theatre in New York and winner of the New England Urban Music Awards for best female soul/blues artist.

For a full schedule of upcoming concerts at Scullers Jazz Club, located at 400 Soldiers Field Road in Boston's Allston neighborhood, click here.

For year round details on jazz in Massachusetts, including concerts, festivals, night clubs, hotels and brunches, radio stations, campus events and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Live Jazz in Massachusetts on Saturday, June 9

Crystal Aikin, Gospel Night at the Boston Pops

Looking for great live jazz in Massachusetts on Saturday, June 9, 2012?  Check out these selections from MassJazz.

“Too Marvelous for Words: Tribute to Johnny Mercer”
Goody Goody! Quartet
Cultural Centre of Cape Cod
307 Old Main Street
South Yarmouth, Cape Cod

Boston Pops presents
Gospel Night 20th anniversary
Boston Symphony Hall
301 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston

Linda Eder
Doubletree Suites at Hilton Hotel
400 Soliders Field Road
Allston, Boston

Makanda Project with special guest Joe Ford
Dudley Library Auditorium
65 Warren Street
Roxbury, Boston

Pino Daniele
Berklee PerformanceCenter
136 Mass Ave
Back Bay, Boston

Peter Smith Trio
Battery Wharf Lounge
Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel
3 Battery Street
Downtown Boston 

Steve Soares Trio
Prudential Tower
800 Boylston Street
Back Bay, Boston

Newpoli featuring John La Barbera
Regattabar Jazz Club
Charles Hotel
Harvard Square, Cambridge

The American Songbook: The JAZZ View presents
Billy Stayhorn
Arsenal Centerfor the Arts
321 Arsenal Street
Watertown

Shepley Metcalf and Ron Roy
Acton Jazz Café
452 Great Road
Acton

For a full list of jazz clubs, hotels, concert venues and festivals in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com

Friday, June 8, 2012

Lance Houston Quintet Performs at Boston Mandarin Oriental Hotel on June 8


The Lance Houston Quintet is playing at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Boston on Friday, June 8, 2012, from 9: 00 p.m. to midnight. 

The group is led by noted flugelhorn player Lance Houston,  and includes pianist  Dayramir Gonzalez Vicente,  drummer Angelo Spampina, saxophonist Carlos Averhoff, Jr., and bassist Cyrus Sink.

Located at 766 Boylston Street in Boston's Back Bay, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is an exquisite hotel located in the heart of one of Boston's finest neighborhoods.

For year round details on jazz in Massachusetts, including concerts, festivals, night clubs, hotels and brunches, radio stations, campus events and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.




Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Jazz Singer Pat Braxton Performs at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on June 6


Pat Braxton, Boston's favorite jazz vocalist, is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. to celebrate the release of her new CD, The Lady of the Day.

Tickets to the show are $25 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Based in Boston, Braxton won the 2012 Best Jazz Singer of the Year award from the New England Music Urban Awards, and has been nominated for the Boston Music Awards jazz category.  She is influenced by Billie Holiday and other great singers of the jazz pantheon.

For a schedule of upcoming concerts at Scullers Jazz Club, located at 400 Soldiers Field Road at the Doubletree Suites by Hilton Hotel, click here.

For year round details on jazz in Massachusetts, including festivals, night clubs, campus events, radio programs and more, visit MassJazz.com.

Find visitor information by going to MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Boston Pops Presents Tribute to Cole Porter on June 5-6


The world famous Boston Pops Orchestra is paying tribute to Cole Porter, starring vocalists Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, at Boston Symphony Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 5-6, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $22-$92 and can be purchased online or at Symphony Hall box office.

Maestro Keith Lockhart is conducting. 

The concert is part of the Boston Pops Visions of America program this season, which celebrates the musical heritage of the United States.  To see a full schedule click here.

You can find year round details on jazz taking place throughout Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For tourism information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com




Saturday, June 2, 2012

Jazz Vocalist Valerie Stephens Performs at Darryl's in Boston's South End on June 2


Jazz and blues vocalist, Valerie Stephens is performing with her band at Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen in Boston's South End on Saturday, June 2, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

Stephens, also a highly regarded actress, storyteller and educator, has won numerous awards, including the Urban Music Award in Blues and the NAACP's prestigious Image Award. 

For a full schedule of upcoming performances at Darryl's, click here.  Read a profile on Darryl Settles.

You can find year round details on jazz clubs, campus events, outdoor festivals, weekend brunches, hotel jazz, educational courses, radio stations and more by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Guitar Masters Bob Wolfman and Larry Coryell Perform at Bull Run Restaurant on June 2


Two great jazz / blues /rock guitarists, Bob Wolfman and Larry Coryell, are performing with their band on Saturday, June 2, 2012 at Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley, starting at 8:00 p.m.

TIckets are $35 and can be purchased online or at the door. Doors open at 6:00 for dinner and seating. 

They're joined by James Cammack on bass, Kenwood Dennard on drums and vocals, and Ferdi Argenti on piano.

Here's a schedule of upcoming concerts at Bull Run Restaurant

You can find details on jazz concerts, night clubs, campus events and outdoor festivals year round in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and Merrimack Valley


Friday, June 1, 2012

Jazz Singer Karrin Allyson Performs in Northampton on June 1


Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Karrin Allyson is performing at the Unitarian Society in Northampton on Friday, June 1, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Joining Allyson is jazz singer Kenny Washington, Dave Wertman on bass and Jim Argiro on piano.

The Unitarian Society is located at 220 Main Street in Northampton.  Click for Map.

For year round details on jazz activities in Massachusetts, including festivals, concerts, night clubs, campus events and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com or Greater Springfield

Sun Broadcasting Corp Launches Sun Music Live Shows at Wally's Cafe Jazz Club this Fall

Sun Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) has begun production of Sun Music Live. The inaugural shows set at  Wally’s CafĂ©  in Boston will f...