12th annual Provincetown Jazz Festival Taking Place on Cape Cod, August 11 & 15

Nicki Parrott

The 12th annual Provincetown Jazz Festival is taking place on Thursday, August 11 and Monday, August 15, 2016 on Cape Cod.

Here is the full schedule of events.

The August 11 concert features jazz vocalist Billy Stritch, singing from the Mel Torme songbook, and jazz saxophonist Scott Avidon, who performs with Fabiano de Castro, Ron Ormbsy and Bart Weisman.  The concert takes place at the Crown & Anchor in Provincetown.

The August 15 concert features jazz vocalist and double bassist Nicki Parrott, who played with legendary guitarist Les Paul.  Also on the bill is jazz clarinetist Evan Christopher, who will perform with Nicki Parrott, Fred Boyle and Bart Weisman. The concert takes place at the Cotuit Center for the Arts.

Find out about ticket information here.

Check out more jazz on Cape Cod.

For more about live jazz and blues in Massachusetts, read the 2016 MassJazz Guide.

To visit Massachusetts, check out MassVacation.com

Rockport Jazz Festival, August 11-14, Features Top Jazz Artists

Terence Blanchard

Rockport Music presents the 5th annual Rockport Jazz Festival taking place on August 11-14, 2016 at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport.

This year's festival includes top jazz performers such as Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Harold Lopez-Nussa, Thinkin' Big Jazz Rising Stars and Ravi Coltrane.

Here is a schedule of other Rockport Music performances through the fall.

For more details on live jazz and blues in Massachusetts, check out the MassJazz Guide.

To make plans for visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

Jazz & Blues Festivals in Massachusetts, August 2016

Ravi Coltrane at Rockport Jazz Festival 

There are some amazing jazz and blues festivals coming up in Massachusetts in August, according to MassJazz.com.

You can find more details by visiting the respective festival links or by reading the digital version of the 2016 MassJazz Guide, a free, 40 page magazine with details on the state's vibrant jazz scene.

August 6
Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival 
Court Square 
Springfield
springfieldjazzfest.com

August 6

24th annual Onset Blues Festival

Onset Beach

onsetbluesfestival.com

August 11-14
5th Annual Rockport Jazz Festival
Shalin Liu Performance Center 
Rockport
rockportmusic.org

August 11 & 15
12th Annual Provincetown Jazz Festival
Provincetown& Cotuit 
provincetownjazzfestival.org

August 14
9th annual Jazz on the Vineyard
Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard
jazzonthevineyard.org

August 20-21
Salem Jazz and Soul Festival
Salem Willows
Salem
salemjazzsoul.org

August 21
Green Harbor Roots Festival
Marshfield Fair 
Marshfield
marshfieldfair.org

August 26-27
Springfield Indie Soul Festival
Springfield
springfieldindysoul.com

August 27-28
North River Blues Festival
Marshfield Fair 
Marshfield 
marshfieldfair.org

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

Jazz Singer Lizz Wright Performs at Shalin Liu Center in Rockport on July 29

Celebrated vocalist Lizz Wright is in concert at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, July 29, 2016.  Tickets to the concert  range from $45 - $59 and can purchased online or at the venue. 

Presented by Rockport Music, Ms. Wright is a vocalist of uncommon talent and spirit who slides effortlessly between jazz, R&B, gospel, blues and folk, Lizz Wright has built a career centered on her smoky, supple voice and an earthy/ethereal style. 

Here is a schedule of other concerts taking place this season.

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

7th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival takes place on Saturday, July 23 at DCR Martini Shell in Boston

The 7th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival takes place on Saturday, July 23, 2016 from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the DCR Martini Shell along Truman Parkway in Hyde Park, a neighborhood of Boston.

Among the performers at the festival are the Jason Palmer Quintet, MIXCLA+1 featuring Zahili Gonzalez Zamora, Alonso Blanco/ Daniel Ian Smith Group and Ron Reid's Precious Metals Project. Here is information on the musicians.

Admission is free.

The Hyde Park Jazz Festival is sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (MDCR), Hyde Park Main Streets, Tutto Italiano and Northwinds Jazz Productions.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

Festival Betance in Boston's South End Celebrates Latino Culture and Music, July 15-17

  

Festival Betances 2016 - the longest running Latino festival in New England - takes place in Boston's South End the weekend of July 15-17, 2016. 

The Festival is named after Ramón Emeterio Betances, a Puerto Rican patriot whose medical contributions benefited Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States.

 Here is a schedule of performances and activities taking place. 

Find year round details on jazz, blues and world music by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com. 

2016 MassJazz Guide Highlights Vibrant Jazz Scene in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) has released its 8^th annual MassJazz Guide, a compendium of jazz festivals, concerts, night clubs, brunches, college courses and radio shows in Massachusetts.

Read the digital 2016 MassJazz Guide online. 

The free, 40-page MassJazz Guide highlights hundreds of jazz festivals - from Rockport to Provincetown -  and concerts across the Bay State from July through December, 2016.  Among the headliners are pianist Chick Corea, trumpeters Chris Botti and Arturo Sandoval and vocalists Lizz Wright and Dianne Reeves.

The 2016 issue profiles jazz pianist Vijay Iyer and saxophonist Grace Kelly, and two international musicians studying in Boston.  It includes stories on WGBH’s new “Jazz 24/7” online streaming service, the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival and the new renovations at Scullers Jazz Club.  The magazine lists the best jazz brunches in Massachusetts, including hotels and restaurants featuring jazz during “Dine OutBoston” in August.

The free MassJazz Guide is available at visitor kiosks, college campuses, and venues where live jazz is heard year-round. 

Find ongoing information on live jazz in Massachusetts at MassJazz.com. 

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

Django in June Jazz Workshops in Northampton, June 14-19

Django in June - an immersion camp to on the music of legendary French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt  - is returning to Smith College in Northampton the week of June 14-19, 2016.

The five day educational program includes workshops, concerts and jazz sessions with some of the top 'gypsy jazz' players in the world.  Here is a schedule of classes and activities.

Register for Django in June here.  Read more about Django in June here.

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

To learn more about accommodations, sightseeing, restaurants and cultural activities in the area, to to VisitHampshireCounty.com.  For details on visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

5th annual New Bedford JazzFest on Saturday, June 11 Features Top Jazz Bands and Orchestras

The 5th annual New Bedford JazzFest is taking place at Pier 3 in downtown New Bedford on Saturday, June 11, 2016 from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m.

This year's lineup includes the Greg Abate Quartet, the Southcoast Jazz Orchestra, Monteirobots, Global Learning Charter Jazz Combo and the UMass/Dartmouth Jazz Band.

Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 at the gate the day of the festival.

Proceeds from the festival benefit Your Theatre, Inc. a 69 year old local theater group that produces several dramatic productions each year while exposing the community to the riches of theater.

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

Find out more about visiting New Bedford at DestinationNewBedford.

For details on visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

Harvard Medical School's Improvised Music & Medicine Series presents Jazz Concert on Friday, June 10

The Harvard Medical School's (HMS) Improvised Music and Medical Series kicks of with a concert by the Breakaway Quartet starting at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 10, at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, located at 677 Huntington Avenue in Boston.

The series is part of the Harvard Medical School Arts & Humanities Initiative, a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional effort to utilize arts and humanities in medical education.

After the concert, Dr. Lisa Wong of the HMS Arts Initiative will lead a question and answer session with the audience and musicians.

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

MassJazz's Festival Schedule Has Arrived!

Check out Mass Jazz's schedule of jazz festivals taking place throughout Massachusetts in 2016.  

The season kicks off on June 4th with the Cambridge Arts River Festival and continues through October, concluding with the Northampton Jazz Festival.

Visit us at MassJazz.com/festivals for the most up-to-date information.

To keep up to date and find more information on live jazz in hotels, clubs, campuses, concert halls and other cultural venues throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.MassJazz is part of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and promotes the state's vibrant jazz scene to residents and tourists throughout the year.

Live Jazz in Massachusetts, June 1-5, 2016

Arturo Sandoval

Check out the live jazz and blues in Massachusetts the first week of June, topped off by the great Arturo Sandoval performing at the Cabot Theater in Beverly.

June 1 
Jazz and Blues Open Jam
Spire Center for Performing Arts
25½ Court St., Plymouth
spirecenter.org

June 2
Blue Horizon Jazz Band
Primavera Ristorante
20 Pleasant St., Millis
primav.com

June 2
The Jazz Depot
Destaré Martini Bar
320 Main St., Fitchburg
destare.com

June 3
Christian Sands
Scullers Jazz Club
scullersjazz.com

June 3
Michael Dessen Trio
Gateway City Arts
92 Race St., Holyoke
jazzshares.org

June 3-4
Christian McBride Trio
Scullers Jazz Club at the Double Tree Guest Suites
400 Soldiers Rd., Boston
scullersjazz.com

June 4
Cambridge Arts River Festival
East Cambridge Waterfront
Cambridge
cambridgema.gov

June 5
Leah Souza
Bullfinchs Restaurant
730 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury
bullfinchs.com

June 5
Arturo Sandoval
The Cabot
286 Cabot St., Beverly
thecabot.org

Find year round information at MassJazz.com.

Plymouth Rock Assurance Jazz Fest Takes Place May 27-29 in Plymouth, Massachusetts

The 3rd annual Plymouth Rock Assurance Jazz Fest 2016 takes place this weekend, from Friday, May 27 through Sunday, May 29, 2016 at the Spire Center for the Performing Arts in Plymouth.

Among the performers:

Friday: vocalist Donna Byrne and the Marshall Wood Trio, the Greg Abate Quintet

Saturday: Rich Greenblatt Sextet and the Eldar Djangirov Trio

Sunday: All Star Open Jam featuring Johnny Souza and the Spire House Jazz Band.

Eric Jackson, noted jazz radio host for the WGBH show, Eric in the Evening, serves as Master of Ceremony at the Friday and Saturday shows.

Here is a complete schedule of 2016 jazz festivals in Massachusetts through October.

For year round details on live jazz, visit MassJazz.com.

Live Jazz in Massachusetts this Weekend

Grace Kelly

Here is a sampling of live jazz taking place in Massachusetts this weekend.  Check out our list of Jazz Clubs to find live jazz near you. 

SATURDAY, May 21 
Saturday Jazz Brunch
Beehive
541 Tremont St., Boston
beehiveboston.com

Wendee Glick
Colonial Inn
48 Monument Sq., Concord
concordscolonialinn.com

Yoko Miwa

Les Gyzomates

129 South Street, Boston

winebar129.com

Mark Marguis
New Players Theatre Guild
15 Rollstone Street, Fitchburg
nptg.org

SUNDAY, May 22 
Dave Whitney
Bullfinchs Restaurant
730 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury
bullfinchs.com

New Black Eagle Jazz Band

Ken's Steak House

Route 9, Framingham

Ken'sStateHouse.com

Grace Kelly in Concert
Berklee Performance Center
136 Massachusetts Ave., Boston
sueauclairpromotions.com

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

Massachusetts Celebrates International Jazz Day on April 30

Devlin’s in Brighton

The global community of jazz fans celebrated International Jazz Day on April 20, 2016, by performing live concerts, bringing music to the classrooms and singing the praises of this distinctly American art form that is now shared around the globe.

Massachusetts has a vibrant, year-round jazz scene that attracts musicians from across the globe, including Central and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Many come here to study or teach at schools like the Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, and UMass/Amherst and many others. See a list of Massachusetts colleges offering jazz courses.

JazzBoston held its JazzWeek from April 22-May 1 this year leading up to the International Jazz Day celebrations. 

MassJazz offers live jazz concerts throughout the year, as well as information on jazz radio programs, organizations, and promoters.

Here is a schedule of Jazz and Blues festivals in Massachusetts in 2016.

For information about visiting Massachusetts any time of year, contact the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism. 

Re-imagine Mexico Concert at Berklee College of Music in Boston on May 5

Mexican music and culture is taking front stage on Thursday, May 5, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston's Back Bay.  

Entitled Reimagine Mexico: A Musical Celebration, the 90 minute program features Berklee students performing original songs written or arranged by Mexican students, with a special performance by Berklee alumnus Alexander Acha, winner of the Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist. 

The concert is a joint collaboration of Berklee College of Music and the Consulate General of Mexico. Admission is free. 

The concert is part of Berklee’s global initiatives, which include opportunities for students to experience Latin American culture. At Berklee, students can minor in performance studies in Latin music and pursue focused studies in Latin music. Artists can also participate in Berklee Latino, the college’s Spanish-language program, in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

The Consulate General of Mexico’s Cultural Program aims to foster a deeper knowledge of cultural diversity in New England through literature, poetry, cinema, theater, music, visual arts, and gastronomy.

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

Live Jazz in Massachusetts This Weekend, April 22-24, 2016

SFJazz Collection 

Here is a sampling of live jazz & blues scene in Massachusetts the weekend of April 22-24, 2016.   

FRIDAY, April 22

Karrin Allyson
Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Road
Boston
scullersjazz.com

April 22
Roomful of Blues
Regattabar
Harvard Square, Cambridge
regattabar/

April 22
Jay Geils All Star Quintet
Bull Run Restaurant, Shirley
bullrunrestaurant.com

April 22 
Yonghyun Lee: Hardcore Jazz Party
Red Room at Café 939
939 Boylston St., Boston
berklee.edu

SATURDAY, April 23
Delfeayo Marsalis and Ellis Marsalis
Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Road
Boston
scullersjazz.com

April 23
Second Annual Makanda Saturday Night Dance Party
Hibermain Hall
184 Dudley St., Roxbury
makandaproject.com

April 23 
Howard Brubeck’s Dialogues Combo
Littleton High School
56 King St., Littleton
littletonps.org

SUNDAY, April 24
SFJAZZ Collective
Berklee Performance Center
136 Mass Ave, Boston
berkleebpc.com 

April 24 
Duo Laroo/Byrd W Jason Schwartz & Jon Fisher
Chez Albert
178 N Pleasant St., Amherst
facebook.com

In addition, check out Jazz Week 2016 organized each year by JazzBoston, which runs from April 22 to May 1. 

Find more upcoming jazz by visiting MassJazz.com.   For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

Live Jazz in Massachusetts tonight: Kevin Harris, Minguel Zenon, Women of the World on Thursday, February 11

There is always great live jazz in Massachusetts, but check out these three special concerts taking place on Thursday, February 11, 2016!

Invictus! With Kevin Harris
Berklee Performance Center
136 Mass Ave, Boston 

Kevin Harris 

Miguel Zenon’s Big Band
Fine Arts Center
University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Miguel Zenon

Women of the World

Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Road
Boston

 Check out MassJazz.com for ongoing jazz in Massachusetts.

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

Live Jazz in Massachusetts in February 2016.

Cyrille Aimee at Scullers on February 14

Check out the MassJazz schedule of live jazz in Massachusetts in February 2016.

Performers range from saxophonists Gerald Albright and Miguel Zenon to pianist Donal Fox and trumpeter Terence Blanchard to vocalists Linda Eder and Tony Award winner Betty Buckley.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

Annual John Coltrane Memorial Concert Takes Place in Boston on October 24

The 38th annual John Coltrane Memorial Concert is taking place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at the Blackman Auditorium at Northeastern University in Boston.

The theme of this year's concert is Ornette 'N Trane, a tribue to Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane. Eric Jackson, popular jazz host on WGBH, is serving as Master of Ceremonies.

Tickets to the concert are $30 general admission and $25 for seniors and students.  They can be purchased at the ticket office the night of the performance.

Read more about the John Coltrane Memorial Concert, and the Educational Outreach Program.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

2015 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival Features Randy Brecker, Greg Hopkins and Frank Vignola

The 2015 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival is underway this week, featuring trumpet masters Randy Brecker and Greg Hopkins, guitar virtuoso Frank Vignola and other great performers.  The festival runs through Sunday, October 18, 2015 and includes a variety of concerts.

Here is a full schedule of performances and activities.

The Pittsfield CityJazz Festival is produced by Berkshires Jazz, Inc, a non-profit group formed in 2009 to present jazz performances and promote jazz education in Berkshires County in Western  Massachusetts.

Find more live jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

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

10th annual Honk! Festival of Street Bands Performs in Massachusetts Weekend of October 9-11

The Honk! Festival of Activist Street Bands returns to Massachusetts this weekend for the 10th annual celebration of live music and spectacle.

Marching bands and street bands come from all across North America, and as far away as France, to participate in Honk!  Here is a roster of this year's performers.

Among the local favorites: AfroBrazil, Dirty Water Brass Band, Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band and the Expandable Brass Band.

On Friday, bands like the Leftist Band from Portsmouth, NH and the Les Vilains Chicots from Paris, France, perform on Boston Common on a day of action in solidarity with workers. On Saturday, the action shifts to Davis Square, Somerville, and on Sunday, finishes up in Harvard Square, Cambridge.
Here is the full schedule of performances.

You can find live music throughout the year in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

Berklee Beantown Jazz Fest Kicks off Season of Live Jazz in Massachusetts

Alissia and the Funketeers Perform at BeanTown on September 26

Jazz is everywhere in Massachusetts – on college campuses, in hotels and restaurants, night clubs and coffee shops, concert halls and outdoor venues. And it flourishes all year round.

Last Spring, Governor Charlie Baker issued a Proclamation declaring April to be Jazz Month in Massachusetts, calling jazz “one of America’s most treasured imports” and praising the state’s “rich jazz heritage.”

The 2015 fall festival season kicks off with the Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival in Boston’s South End. The free, annual, outdoor festival runs from noon to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2015.  The festival stretches across six blocks, filled with live music on multiple stages, an array of food vendors from all over the world, and local artisans who are selling their wares.

This year’s theme is Jazz: The Voice of the People, and features amazing contemporary artists like trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, clarinet master Felix Peikli, the Mosaic Project featuring Terri Lyne Carrington and Jaguar Wright, Latin percussionist Eguie Castrillo Orchestra, sax player George Garzone, and New Orleans singer Ledisi. Beantown also features dozens of great performers from the Berklee College of Music faculty and students. Here is a full roster of performers.

Below is a schedule of other upcoming jazz festivals in Massachusetts through October, 2015.

September 27-October 4
JazzFest Falmouth 2015
Three-time Grammy Nominee Denise Donatelli, Toni Lynn Washington, Jon Weber, Goodis & Glenn are among the performers. Also, outdoor jazz strolls, jazz brunch and lectures.

October 8-11
HONK! Festival
Davis Square, Somerville
Harvard Square, Cambridge
Activist street bands from all over the world converge to Honk! each year. The 2015 roster includes Brazil, Italy, Germany and Britain. Check out local favorites Dirty Water Brass Band and Samba Tremeterra, as well as the Hot 8 from New Orleans.

October 9-18
Pittsfield City Jazz Festival
Six-time Grammy winner Randy Brecker performs with the Greg Hopkins Jazz Orcestra, plus jazz virtuoso Frank Vignola, the poupular jazz crawl on Columbus Day weekend, jazz prodigy concert, jazz brunch, and nightly jazz in clubs and restaurants.

October 9
Holyoke Latin Jazz Festival
Holyoke War Memorial Auditorium
Downtown Holyoke
Latin Jazz bands include Victor Sterling & Sabor a Timba, WILO & DeLomas & Sones Band and Dino & Su Alegre Swing.

For year round info on live jazz, visit MassJazz.com.  For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

Newton Jazz Festival Celebrates "100 Years of Frank & Billie" September 18th, 2015.

 

Get ready to scat and swing into fall as New England Jazz Enrichment Foundation presents, The Newton Jazz Festival (NJF), as part of the 2015 Newton Jazz and Wine Festival. Join them for, "100 Years of Frank & Billie" to celebrate the 100th birthdays of the two biggest legends in jazz; Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday. Come and listen to some of the area's best vocalists with this all-star lineup at Newton Veteran's Auditorium at City Hall, located at 1000 Commonwealth Ave. in Newton, MA on September 18th, 2015.

 

Swing by, relax, and break it down with our great line-up of musicians, including:

Dale LePage- Multi-award winning New England entertainer performing a blend of soul and swing

Lydia Harrell- Also known as The Lovely Singer with her sultry and soulful voice

Tracy Clark-Native Bostonian with vocals that sound like "velvet and silk"

David Thorne Scott-An associate professor at Berklee College of Music with unbelievable musical talent

And last but not least, trumpeter/vocalist Christine Fawson along with pianist Mark Shilansky, bassist Keala Kaumeheiwa and Steve Langone on drums

General Admission Seating: $35.00
Balcony Seating: $20.00

Purchase your tickets here.

This event is presented by the New England Jazz Enrichment Foundation, the Power of Music and Community Coming Together.

You can find year round details on live jazz and blues in Massachusetts, including festivals, concerts, night clubs, radio programs and campus events, by visiting MassJazz.com

Find Visitor Information at MassVacation.com and Bostonusa.com

Rolling Stone, Italian Edition, Publishes Story on Jazz Scene in Massachusetts

Here is a story on the jazz scene in Boston, Massachusetts, published in Rolling Stone, Italian edition.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

FREE Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival Taking Place on Saturday, August 8

An all-star line-up of jazz and roots musicians are set to perform at the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival in Court Square, Springfield, MA on Saturday, August 8, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The festival is free and open to the public.

Among the performers: Big Chief Donald Harrison with jazz keyboard legend Lonnie Smith; Avery Sharpe and the New England Gospel Choir, featuring Angel Rose and Charles Neville; Elan Trotman; Jeff Holmes Quartet and more.

Here is a full list of this year's performers.

You can find a schedule of jazz festivals throughout Massachusetts in 2015 by visiting MassJazz/Festivals.

For year round details on live jazz in the Bay State, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourism in formation, go to MassVacation.com.

Live Jazz in Massachusetts, Weekend of July 25-26

Adonis Puentes and Voice of Cuba Orchestra

Looking for live jazz in Massachusetts this weekend?  Check out these events taking place Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, 2015.

Boston Summer Arts Weekend/ Saturday-Sunday
Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Bettye LeVette on Saturday; Aaron Neville on Sunday.

Cambridge Jazz Festival/ Sunday
Nnenna Freelon, Ron Savage Trio, JoAnne Brackeen, Egule Castrillo, Laszlo Gardony and Anthony Toth.

Hyde Park Jazz Festival/ Saturday
John Funhouser Quartet, Fernando Brandao, Daniel Ian Smith & New World Jazz Composers, Gerry Beaudoin and Jesse Williams duo.

Lowell Folk Festival/ Saturday and Sunday
Adonis Puentes and the Voice of Cuba Orchestra, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, both days.

Maudsley Arts Center/Newburyport/ Saturday
Grace Kelly

South Shore Music Circus/ Cohasset/ Saturday
Boz Scaggs

Check out the 2015 MassJazz Guide for live jazz throughout the year.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Massachusetts Promotes Its Vibrant Jazz Scene

(Boston) – Massachusetts boasts one of the nation’s most vibrant jazz scenes, according to the 7^th Annual MassJazz Travel Guide issued by Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT). 

The 40-page MassJazz Guide highlights hundreds of jazz festivals, concerts, night clubs, college courses and related jazz activities across the Bay State this summer and through spring 2016.  The Guide is free and available at visitor centers around the state and at jazz clubs, hotels, restaurants and college campuses. 

You can read the digital online 2015 MassJazz Guide here.

Top jazz artists performing in Massachusetts in the coming months include Diana Krall, Cassandra Wilson, Chris Botti, Trombone Shorty, Manhattan Transfer, Harry Connick, Jr., Lizz Wright, Ron Carter and Arturo Sandoval.

“Jazz is part of the state’s creative economy,” said Assistant Secretary of Business Development Nam Pham. “The creative economy employs over 100,000 residents and helps to define our quality of life and our appreciation of the arts community.”

Profiled in this issue are impresario Fred Taylor of Scullers Jazz Club; Jose Masso, radio host of !Con Salsa! on WBUR; Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen; Hungarian pianist Laszlo Gardony; orchestra leader Mark Harvey of MIT: and three jazz students from Berklee College of Music.

  

Rich Doucette, Executive Director of MOTT, praised Massachusetts’ vibrant statewide jazz scene for its “international flavor, with musicians from 100 countries living or studying here.”

In addition to details on the Bay State’s jazz festivals and concerts, the 2015 MassJazz Guide lists jazz radio programs, college courses, jazz brunches, night clubs and organizations, as well as tourism offices throughout the state.

MOTT launched MassJazz in 2009 to promote the Commonwealth’s vibrant jazz scene to visitors and residents.  For more details, visit MassJazz.com or follow on twitter @massjazz.

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