John Baboian Quartet Performs at Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown on Monday, April 12

The John Baboian Quartet - comprised of Jazz masters from Berklee College of Music - perform this evening at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, Massachusetts, at 7:30.

The quartet includes Baboian on guitar, Daniel Ian Smith on woodwinds, Bruce Gertz on bass and Larry Finn on drums. Their set consists of original compositions and original arrangements of jazz standards.

Tickets are $15 and $10 for students and members. For more information contact jbpr@comcast.net or call 617 923-8487.

Arsenal Center for the Arts
321 Arsenal Street
Watertown, MA 02472

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.

Jazz Pianist Carmen Staaf Plays the Lily Pad in Cambridge on April 9

Jazz pianist and composer Carmen Staaf performs tonight at the Lily Pad in Cambridge at 10:00 p.m. She is joined by Kendall Eddy on bass and Austin McMahon on drums.

Winner of the 2009 Mary Lou Williams ' Women in Jazz Piano Competition,' Staaf brings an original and wholly unique sound that suggests Eric Satie, Keith Jarrett and Mary Lou Williams herself, among other influences.

The Lily Pad is at 1353 Cambridge Street in Inman Square. Suggested donation is $8.

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

Great Vibes with Gary Burton at Berklee, April 8, 2010

Gary Burton celebrates his amazing musical career with a special concert at the Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston on Thursday, April 8, 2010, starting at 8:15 p.m.

The six-time Grammy-winning vibraphonist is being joined by other musical giants like Joe Lovano, John Scofield, Steve Swallow, Julian Lage and others.

Tickets are $25-$35 for reserved seating, and can be purchased at the box office or at Ticketmaster by calling 617 931-2000.

Burton has been associated with Berklee College of Music for 50 years, as a student, professor and adminstrator.

For jazz year round in Boston and throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

April is Smithsonian Jazz Appreciation Month

The Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC announced its 9th annual celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) throughout April. The national celebration of America's jazz heritage started in 2001 and now takes place in all 50 states as well as 40 countries around the world.

In addition to a schedule of events taking place in DC during April, JAM is also offering a free poster of JAM 2010 featuring an illustration of pianist Dave Brubeck.

To request a copy of the poster, contact jazz@si.edu.

For details on jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.

Kenny Barron Trio Plays at Regattabar, Cambridge, April 2-3, 2010

Kenny Barron, one of the great lyrical pianists of jazz, is playing four concerts at the Regattabar Jazz Club at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge this weekend, April 2-3, 2010.

He is joined by Kiyoshi Kitagawa, bass and Jonathan Blake on Drums. Tickets are $25.

Barron is regarded as one of the most influential pianists of his generation. He was recently honored with a 2010 Jazz Master Award bestowed by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), one of the nation's most prestigious awards.

To find jazz any time of the year in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.

JazzBoston announces this year's Jazz Week, April 23-May 2, 2010

(Boston) -- Jazz Week ’10: “Made in Boston, Played in Boston” celebrates the special role the Boston jazz scene plays as incubator and stage for some of the most creative musicians in the world.

The ten day celebration, which runs from April 23 to May 2, offers more than 230 events at over 80 venues, many of them inspired by this year’s theme, Made in Boston, Played in Boston.

In addition to live concerts, JazzWeek also features rare films, jazz dance, and children’s events, plus tributes to influential figures in the city’s rich cultural history.

Jazz Week is coordinated and promoted for the fourth consecutive year by the nonprofit organization JazzBoston.

Jazz Week ’10 events are being added daily. Check the JazzBoston website for the full JazzWeek ’10 schedule of events.

Favorite (Jazz) Spot in Massachusetts? Nominate Your Choice

Wally's Cafe Jazz Club in Boston's South End

From Boston to the Berkshires, Cape Cod to the North Shore and everywhere in between, Massachusetts is filled with thousands of great places, and the state’s tourism office -Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism - is narrowing them down to the Top 1,000.

MOTT is seeking nominations for the 1,000 best places in the Commonwealth, drawing upon the abundance of exceptional historical sites, cultural venues and natural landscapes all over Massachusetts. According to the guidelines, all of the sites selected must be open and available to the public.

The nomination period closes this Thursday, April 1, 2010 and the winners will be announced in May.

MOTT has set up a website to accept nominations from the public: www.massvacation.com/1000/index.php.

MassJazz is urging jazz lovers from across Massachusetts to submit their favorite jazz club or historical landmark to this project!