Sax Master Sonny Rollins at Boston Symphony Hall on Saturday, April 18

Sonny Rollins, one of the great tenor sax players of jazz over the past 50 years, is celebrating his 80th birthday with a concert at Boston Symphony Hall on Saturday, April 18, 2010, starting at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $30-$65 and can be purchased by calling 1 888 266-1200 or by clicking here.

Joining Sonny on stage is Bobby Broom on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Kobie Watkins on Drums and Victor See-Yuen on percussion.

The concert is presented by Absolutely Live Entertainment (ALE).

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

Salem's Jazz Community All Keyed Up for April 17 Spring Gala at Peabody Essex Museum

A New Orleans-inspired piano night at the Peabody Essex Museum kicks off this year’s gala event, All Keyed Up, to officially launch the 4^th annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival.

Headliner Dave Maxwell, renowned blues pianist and Grammy Award winner, brings his unique blend of Chicago Blues, Boogy Woogie and New Orleans jazz licks that he’s perfected by playing with the likes of Bonnie Rait, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters and James Cotton.

Local piano and Hammond B3 players include Ben Zecker, Jen Kearney, Ken Clark and Marty Rowen. Supporting the All Keyed Up artists is the Salem Jazz and Soul All-Stars. MC for the evening is Henley Douglas Jr., co-founder of the festival.

Tickets are $50 ($45 for PEM members) and can be ordered online at Peabody Essex Museum or by calling 978 745-9500. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and music begins at 8:00 p.m.

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival is a 501(c)3 non profit group whose mission is to support music education programs and produce free concerts for the public.

For jazz in Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com

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.