Saxophonist Daniel Bennett - Performing Live on WICN and at Liberty Hotel on Wednesday, April 13

Innovative jazz saxophonist Daniel Bennett is giving an interview and performance on WICN 90.5 FM Public Radio on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. 

In the evening Bennett and his group perform an acoustic jazz set at the Liberty Bar in Boston's Liberty Hotel, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

A graduate of the New England Conservatory in Boston, Bennett's music was described by the Boston Globe as "a mix of jazz, folk and trance."

For a complete list of musical programming at WICN, click here.

For year round details on jazz concerts, nightclubs, campus events, Sunday Brunches, festivals and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Wally's Jazz Cafe in Boston Features Female Musicians on Wednesdays

Wally's Cafe, one of Boston's legendary jazz clubs, has a regular feature every Wednesday night from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. called Birth of LaFemme, celebrating the work of female musicians.  This Wednesday, April 13, the night is devoted to female vocalists.

Located at 427 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston's South End, Wally's has been a fixture in the city's jazz nightlife since 1947, when Joseph L. Walcott, a Barbadian immigrant, first opened Wally's Paradise across the street from the current location. 

Since then Wally's has been a gathering spot for famous and aspiring jazz musicians, including students from nearby Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music and Boston Conservatory.

For year round details on jazz concerts, nightclubs, campus events, Sunday Brunches, festivals and more, visit MassJazz.com.

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

126th Boston Pops Season filled with Jazz, Dixieland, Gospel and More

The 2011 season of the Boston Pops - which runs from May 11 through June 26, 2011 - has a great line-up of jazz, gospel and Dixieland along with patriotic, classical, and Broadway performances.

On May 17-18, Mardi Gras in May features the Dukes of Dixieland as guests artists with conductor Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, performing classic standards like When the Saints Go Marching In.

On May 31-June 1 jazz singer and pianist Michael Feinstein performs with Lockhart and the Orchestra with selections from the American Songbook.

One June 3-4 singer Ellis Hall - the former lead singer of Tower of Power - performs his exciting mix of funk, soul and R&B hits from the music of Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder and others.

One June 14-15 conductor Thomas Wilkins and guest artist Byron Stripling cover the iconic music of Benny Goodman and Louis Armstrong.

One June 18 conductor Charles Floyd and artistic director Dennis Slaughter, along with the Boston Pops Gospel Choir, present a full evening of inspirational gospel music.

On June 23-24, Lockhart and the Boston Pops round out the American Songbook with music by Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers and George Gershwin.

For a full schedule of concerts in the 2011 Boston Pops season, click here.

For year round details on jazz concerts, nightclubs, campus events, Sunday Brunches, festivals and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Tammy Scheffer Sextet Performing at Beehive in Boston on Tuesday, April 12

Celebrating their debut album, Wake Up, Fall Asleep, the Tammy Scheffer Sextet is performing at the Beehive Jazz Club in Boston's South End on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 from 8:00 p.m. to Midnight.

Born in Belgium and raised in Israel, Ms. Scheffer is a talented singer and composer whose band includes Andrew Urbina (alto sax), Steve Pardo (tenor sax), Lefteris Kordis (piano), Brad Barrett (bass) and Ronen Itzik (drums).

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

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Makanda Project jazz ensemble is profiled in Boston Globe

The Makanda Project and its work in bringing jazz back to Roxbury in Boston has been profiled in The Boston Globe by Alexandra Legend Siegel.  To read the full story, click here.

The group was formed in honor of the late Makanda Ken McIntyre, a Boston-born jazz musician and educator who composed over 400 pieces of music in his life. The Makanda Project continues the legacy of Makanda through live concerts and educational programs.

Their next performance takes place at the Dudley Branch of the Boston Public Library on Saturday, April 23, 2011 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.  Jazz  musician Craig Harris is the featured artist.

The concert is free and open to the public.  For more information call617 442-4414. 

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

JazzBoston's 5th anniversary of JazzWeek Taking Place April 29-May 8, 2011

Hundreds of jazz events are schedule for the 5th anniversary of JazzWeek 11', taking place in greater Boston the week of April 29 to May 8, 2011.

JazzWeek is organized by JazzBoston, which has compiled over 200 events in 80 venues throughout the Boston area, including night clubs, concert halls, campuses, libraries, radio stations and more.

To find a complete schedule of events for JazzWeek 11, click here.

To read a proclamation from Governor Deval Patrick naming April as Jazz Month in Massachusetts, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Liberty Big Band Performing in Pittsfield on April 8 as Part of Jazz Appreciation Month

The U.S. Air Force jazz ensemble, Liberty Big Band, is performing a special concert on Friday, April 8, 2011 at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, as part of Jazz Appreciation Month across the United States.

The 16-piece ensemble- which has been entertaining music lovers for over 25 years -  is based at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Massachusetts.

The concert features trumpet legend Marvin Stamm, a long-time soloist for the Stan Kenton Orchestra. Stamm is also conducting a workshop with the Pittsfield High School jazz band.

Both the concert and workshop are free to the public, and are being presented by Berkshires Jazz, Inc., a non-profit- organization that promotes jazz year round in Massachusetts and hosts the annual Pittsfield City Jazz Festival each October.

The concert is also part of the 250th anniversary celebration of the City of Pittsfield, according to Edward Bride, president of Berkshire Jazz.

Also, Governor Deval Patrick proclaimed April 2011 as Jazz Month in Massachusetts to celebrate the state's vibrant jazz scene across the Commonwealth.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com

Armen Donelian Trio Performing at Castle Street Cafe in Great Barrington this Friday, April 8

The Armen Donelian Trio is performing at the Castle Street Cafe in Great Barrington, Massachusetts on Friday, April 8, 2011 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. 

Led by Armenian-born composer and jazz pianist Armen Donelian, the trio includes drummer George Schuller and bassist David Clark. 

Located at 10 Castle Street in Great Barrington, the Castle Street Cafe has live jazz every weekend. For an upcoming schedule, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com 

Governor Deval Patrick Declares April as Jazz Month in Massachusetts

Governor Deval Patrick has issued a proclamation declaring April 2011 to be Jazz Month in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The proclamation praises the legacy of jazz  as an American art form and the contributions of Massachusetts jazz performers like Chick Corea from Chelsea, Roy Haynes from Roxbury, Phil Woods from Springfield and others.

And the proclamation points to the 5th annual Jazz Week in greater Boston sponsored each year by JazzBoston, which takes place April 29 through May 8, 2011.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Radio Host Eric Jackson Presents Jazz Sax Star Grace Kelly in Live Concert at WGBH in Boston, Tonight at 9:00 p.m.

Jazz saxophone virtuoso Grace Kelly and her Band is performing live this evening, Wednesday, April 6, 2011, on the popular program Jazz on WGBH with Eric Jackson at 9:00 p.m. in Boston, Massachusetts.

You can listen to the program live at 89.7 FM or online at wgbh.org/listen/jazz.

A native of Massachusetts, Kelly is an 18 year old child prodigy on the saxophone who has performed with jazz greats like Wynton Marsalis, Phil Woods and Dave Brubeck. 

Eric Jackson is a legendary jazz radio DJ who has hosted a nightly jazz show on WGBH since 1975.

To find a complete schedule of jazz on WGBH, click here. 

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

Jazz Pianist Sharik Hansan Plays at BOND Lounge in Boston on Wednesday, April 6

Bangalore-born jazz pianist Sharik Hansan is performing at BOND Lounge at the Langham Hotel in Boston on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 from 7: 00 to 10:00 p.m.

Hansan studied at Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music in Ohio, the Longy School of Music in Boston and the Bill Evans Piano Academy in Paris, France.

His performance is part of the BOND Jazz Experiment held every Wednesday night at BOND Lounge, featuring emerging jazz artists from Boston's vibrant jazz community.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Broadway Star Liz Callaway Headlining 5th Anniversary Celebration at Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown on April 6

Broadway star Liz Callaway, acclaimed for her leading roles in Cats and Miss Saigon and Three Musketeers among others, is headlining the 5th anniversary celebration of the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, Massachusetts on Wednesday, April 6, 2011.

Also on hand for the festivities: local television arts reporter Joyce Kulhawik of WBZ-TV and radio personality Candy O'Terry of WMJX, Magic 106.7 FM.

 The festivities begin at 7:00 p.m. with an elegant reception and music by Berklee professor and alto saxophonist Larry Monroe, director of the Center's American Songbook Series.

The performance by Liz Callaway begins at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets are $85 and include pre- and post-receptions and can be ordered online or by calling 617 923-8487.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

French Jazz Pianist Michel Legrand at Regattabar in Cambridge on April 4 & 6

French composer, singer and pianist Michel Legrand is performing with his trio at the Regattabar Jazz Club at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts on Monday, April 4 and Wednesday, April 6, 2011. 

Tickets are$38.00 and can be purchased online.

Legrand won five Grammy Awards for his compositions and was nominated 27 times during his illustrious career.  Among them were the sound tracks to the Thomas Crowne Affair, the Summer of 42, Yentl and Never Say Never.

He is performing at Regattabar with bassist Francois Moutin and drummer Lewis Nash.

For a full schedule of upcoming events at Regattabar, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Harvard University's '40 Years of Jazz' featured in Boston Globe & Boston Herald

The Boston Globe and the Boston Herald each had excellent stories on the upcoming events celebrating 40 years of jazz at Harvard University this week.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Jazz Appreciation Day Taking Place in Salem, Massachusetts on Saturday, April 2

The Salem Jazz & Soul Festival in Salem, Massachusetts is putting on a Jazz Appreciation Day concert at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at the Salem Five Community Room, 210 Essex Street in Salem.

The free event features the SJSF All Stars, starring Henley Douglas, Jr. on sax, Garret Savluk on trumpet, Squantch on trombone, Dave Walker on bass and John Iltis on drums.

The event also features an art competition by local students in grades three to five.  You can cast your vote for the best student art, and winners will be recognized at the Salem Jazz & Soul Festival in August.

On Saturday, April 9, the Salem Jazz & Soul Festival holds its annual fundraiser at the Peabody Essex Museum, to support the non-profit group's free concerts and music education programs throughout the year.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Jazz Vocalist Shelley Neill Performing at Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center on Friday, April 1

Premier jazz vocalist Shelley Neill and her masterful band of musicians from Berklee College of Music are performing on Friday, April 1, 2011 at the Jazz Club at Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge Massachusetts, starting at 8:00 p.m..

Tickets to the show are $15-$20 and can be ordered online.  The doors open at 7:00 p.m. and dinner, snacks, winer and beer are available for purchase.

Neill will be performing songs from her album, Irish Eyes, Gypsy Soul, and will be accompanied by  Laszlo Gardony on piano, Ron Mahdi on bass and Yoron Israel on drums

For a schedule of upcoming activities at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Toots Thielemans and Kenny Warner at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Thursday, March 31

Jazz harmonica virtuoso Toots Thielemans and pianist Kenny Warner are wrapping up a two-day set at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $35, or $73 dinner and show, and can be ordered online.

Born in Brussells, Belgium, Thielemans has been a consummate jazz star for six decades, performing with Charlie Parker and others. He received a 2009 Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and was christened a Baron by the King of Belgium.

Kenny Warner is a world-renowned pianist from Brooklyn NY who reaches the emotional and spiritual planes of jazz.

Scullers is located at the Doubletree Suites by Hilton Hotel, 400 Soldiers Field Road in Boston's Allston neighborhood.  For a schedule of upcoming concerts at Scullers Jazz Club, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Jazz Violinist Ada Pasternak Performing at BOND Lounge in Boston on Wednesday, March 30

Violinist Ada Pasternak is performing on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at BOND Lounge at the Langham Boston Hotel from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. 

Born in Moscow, Russia, Pasternak moved to the United States and studied with her aunt, Aysa Meshberg in New York.  She received a Presidential Scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where she studied performance. 

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Vote for Boston's Best Jazz Act in Boston Phoenix/WFNX 23rd annual Music Poll

Bostonians can to vote on the city's best jazz act in the 23rd annual Best Music Poll sponsored by the weekly newspaper Boston Phoenix and WFNX radio station.

Among the nominations for Jazz:

Either/Orchestra
Florencia Gonzalez
Grace Kelly
Yoko Miwa
Natraj
Jason Palmer

There is also room for a write-in nomination on the ballot.  Voting ends on May 12, 2011 and the winner will be announced in June.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Smithsonian Institute's Jazz Appreciation Month Highlights Women Musicians

The Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC is celebrating its 10th annual Jazz Appreciation Month in April 2011.  The annual celebration pays tribute to jazz both as an historic and living art form, and encourages educators, jazz societies, musicians and the general public throughout the country to take part.

The 2011 JAM celebration honors the legacy of women jazz performers  "who helped transform race, gender and social relations in the U.S. in the quest to build a more just and equitable nation."  This year's JAM poster depicts the legendary jazz artist Mary Lou Williams.  The poster was designed by Keith Henry Brown.

Also, the National Museum of American History has developed a blog tribute to Dr. Billy Taylor (1921-2010), one of the premier jazz pianists, educators and elder statesman of the jazz world. 

For a schedule of events participating in Jazz Appreciation Month in Washington DC, click here.


For year round jazz concerts, night clubs, campus events, brunches, educational programs and festivals in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Jazz Stamp issued by US Post Office in New Orleans on March 26, 2011

The United States Postal Service has issued a Jazz commemorative stamp (44 cents) as a tribute to jazz, America's musical gift to the world, and to the musicians who play it. The stamp was officially released in New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, on Saturday, March 26, 2011.

According to the USPS Press Release, Art Director Howard  Paine designed the stamp to showcase the work of Paul Rogers, an artist from Pasadena, CA.  Rogers was inspired by the cover art from vintage jazz record albums.

Thurgood Marshall, Jr., Vice Chairman of the Postal Services Board of Governors, said, "With this evocative jazz stamp, we celebrate the music and the musicians who play it in studios, clubs and concert halls and on festival stages....Jazz is a pastime that brings people together, regardless of race, ethnicity or background."

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Singer Michelle Cruz Performing at Cafe Tatant in Roxbury on Thursday, March 31

Popular jazz vocalist Michelle Cruz from Providence is performing at Cafe Tatant at the Roxbury Center for the Arts at Hibernian Hall in Boston on Thursday evening, March 31, 2011.  

She'll be performing songs from her new debut album, The Recovery.

Cafe Tatant is a dinner club setting with upscale cuisine prepared by George Huggins of Ethnica Gourmet.  Doors open for drinks at 6:30 p.m., dinner is served at 7:00 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for the dinner and show are $28, or for two guests, $54.  Tickets to just the show are $12.   To order online, click here.

For a list of upcoming performances at Roxbury Center for the Arts, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.
 

Pianist George Winston Performs at Natick Center for Arts on Saturday, March 26

New Age pianist and composer George Winston is performing at the Natick Center for the Arts on Saturday, March 26, 2011, at 8:00 p.m.   Tickets are $37-$42 and can be ordered online.

Winston's release of his album Autumn in 1980 began a movement toward clear, melodic music with strains of jazz, classical, and folk music. 

For a full schedule of events at Natick Center for the Arts, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

We Four Perform John Coltrane Tribute at UMass/Amherst on Saturday, M arch 26

We Four, an ensemble of jazz masters, performs a tribute to saxophonist John Coltrane at Bowker Auditorium on Saturday, March 26, 2011, at 8:00 p.m.

 Tickets to the event are $15-$25, and for college students and youth 17 and under, admission is $10.

We Four is comprised of four stellar jazz musicians: tenor sax player Javon Jackson, drummer Jimmy Cobb, pianist George Cables, and bassist Peter Washington.

The concert is sponsored by WFCR, 88.5 FM. 

For a full schedule of music events at UMass/Amherst's Bowker Auditorium, click here.

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

For tourism information visit MassVacation.com.

Blues Guitarist Paul Speidel Celebrates New CD Release at the Acton Jazz Club on March 25

In celebration of its new CD, Retro Rocket, the Paul Speidel Band is performing at the Acton Jazz Club in Acton, Massachusetts on Friday, March 25, 2011 at 9:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $12 at the door, or $10 online.

Speidel, a Chicago native reared on the blues, is an electrifying blues guitar player who plays a range of jazz, rock, blues and R&B.

For a full schedule of events at Action Jazz Club, click here. For directions to the club, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Grammy Winners Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooten Performing at Royale in Boston on Thursday, March 24

Legendary jazz bassist Stanley Clarke and fellow-Grammy Award winner Victor Wooten perform tonight, March 24, 2011, at Royale Night Club in Boston at 7:00 p.m..

Tickets to the show are $27 and can be ordered online.

Clarke won a Grammy at this year's Grammy Awards ceremony for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.  The Philadelphia native has revolutionized the bass guitar and continues to perform throughout the world.  

Wooten is a five-time Grammy Award winner who was deeply influenced by Clarke, and came to prominence during his time with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.  Clarke, Wooten and Marcus Miller have released a new album, Thunder, to great acclaim.

For a schedule of upcoming concerts at Royale, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Adagio Big Band Performing at Mechanics Hall on Friday, March 25

The Adagio Big Band is performing at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Friday, March 25, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.  The band performs an impressive variety of contemporary and classic jazz, from Cab Calloway and Frank Sinantra to Diane Krall and Brian Seztler.

Tickets are $22.50 and $32.50, and a dinner/show combination is $52.00.  Tickets are available online.  Dinner is served at 5:30 p.m. and reservations are required.

For a full schedule of concerts at Mechanics Hall, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.