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.

Samantha Farrell Returns to BOND Lounge at Boston Langham Hotel on Wednesday, March 23

Rising star Samantha Farrell has a return engagement at BOND Lounge at Boston Langham Hotel on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

The singer/songwriter, originally from Boston and now living in Los Angeles, has been described by Ben Evans of the Huffington Post as possessing "a liquor-honey voice, deft guitar work and slightly melancholic tones that meld to form an arching and elegant aural tapestry."

Samantha's show is part of the new BOND Jazz Experiment that features upcoming and established jazz artists on Wednesday nights.  A special menu is available.  For reservations, call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists coming to the BOND Restaurant and Lounge, click here.

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

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

Guitar Master Al DiMeola Performs in Fall River on Tuesday, March 22

Jazz guitar virtuoso Al DiMeola performs with his band World Sinfonia at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Massachusetts on Tuesday, March 22, 2011, at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $50 and $25 for children, and can be ordered online.

DiMeola is a pioneer in fusing jazz and world music, a prolific composer, and a seasoned performer whose career dates back to the 70s fusion band, Return to Forever.

For a schedule of upcoming events at Narrows Center for the Arts, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Roomful of Blues Performing in Ipswich on Friday, March 18

Legendary blues band Roomful of Blues is performing on Friday, March 18, 2011 at the Ipswich Performing Arts Center in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Tickets to the concert are $22 and $18 for students, and can be ordered online or at the door.

The concert is presented by the North Shore Jazz Project, and proceeds benefits the Ipswich High School music program.

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

NPR's Go Green for St. Patrick's Day Jazz List

A BlogSupreme on National Public Radio (NPR) has come up with a jazz sampler in honor of St. Patrick's Day.  Heading the list is the classic rendition of Danny Boy by pianist Bill Evans, released in 1963. 

Also included on the list: Snakes by David Sanborn.

Writes NPR: "Here are five jazz songs that wear the green, at least in their titles. We start with a gorgeous version of a song regarded by many as Ireland's unofficial national anthem. And we'll end with a musical nod to those pesky snakes that the Irish no longer have to worry about."

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

Joe Morello, Springfield Native and Jazz Drummer (1928-2011)

Joe Morello, drummer for the Dave Brubeck Quartet, died at his home in New Jersey on Saturday at age 82.

A native of Springfield, Massachusetts, Morello was sight-impaired as a child and studied the violin, performing at age nine with Boston Symphony Orchestra as a soloist in the Mendelsohn Violin Concerto, according to his biography.  He switched to the drums at age 15.

Brubeck released a statement, saying: "Drummers worldwide remember Joe as one of the greatest drummers we have known.  Many people consider the rhythm section of Eugene Wright and Joe Morello in my quartet as being one of the most consistent, swinging rhythm sections in jazz. ... His drum solo on 'Take Five' is still being heard around the world."

On the Home Page of Morello's web site was a simple note:  

 

"It is with great sadness that we report Joe's passing on March 12, 2011.His impact on the world of music and on all those whose lives he touched will live forever."

 

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

Boston Jazz Club Featuring Irish Music this St. Patrick's Day, March 17

Boston's popular jazz club, the Beehive, is holding its annual Erin Go Beehive to celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Thursday, March 17, 2011, from 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., partnering with the Boston Irish Tourism Association.

Featured performers this year include Matt & Shannon Heaton, harpist Maeve Gilchrist, Irish drummer Paddy League, and singer Sheila Linnehan.

Beehive Chef Rebecca Newel has put together a distinctive Irish menu that includes Corned Beef & Cabbage flatbread with Sauerkraut & Cheese, Finaan Haddie Smoked Fish & Chips with malt vinegar aioli and slaw, and Grilled Lamb Chops with Colcannon mashed potatoes.

There is no cover charge but reservations are suggested by calling 617 42300069.

The Beehive is located at 541 Tremont Street in Boston's South End.

For a schedule of upcoming events at Beehive, click here.

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

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