Friday, September 9, 2011

WICN to be the home of the New England Jazz Hall of Fame in Worcester, Massachusetts



WICN 90.5 FM Public Radio is going to be home to the New England Jazz Hall of Fame, a tribute to the greats who have made the region’s jazz scene so vibrant. The Hall of Fame is a special project of the New England Jazz Alliance (NEJA), which initiated it as a traveling exhibit in 2001. A decade later, the scope and popularity of the Jazz Hall of Fame has required organizers to find a permanent home.

That will be at the WICN radio station, located at 50 Portland Street in Worcester, right in the heart of the city’s cultural district. The good news was announced on April 29,  2011 during the Smithsonian Institute’s Jazz Appreciation Month, by WICN president Tom Lucci and NEJA president Ed Bride.

“April 29 is Duke Ellington’s birthday,” Lucci and Bride said in a joint statement, “and three Ellington alumni – Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney and Paul Gonsalves – were among the original ten inductees in 2001.”

“We’re thrilled with our evolving relationship with WICN,” said Bride this summer. “The performance space at WICN is an ideal spot to display our historical information as well as host relevant performances.”

The NEJA plans to announce the process for nominating inductees into the Hall of Fame shortly, and the winners will be announced next winter, with an induction ceremony planned for April 2012 during Jazz Appreciation Month sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.


This article first appeared in MassJazz Travel Guide, summer 2011 issue.

Live Jazz and Blues in Massachusetts: Saturday, September 10, 2011


Mr. Nick and the Dirty Tricks at the Beehive

Looking for live jazz in Massachusetts on September 10, 2011?  There are hundreds of jazz clubs, concert halls and college campuses in Massachusetts with great live jazz and blues this weekend.  Here is just a sampling:

Boston  
Marcio Philomena Group
Felix Peikli Quartet
Boston Ahts Festival
Christopher Columbus Park
North End, Boston

Maggie Galloway and the Bob Nieske Group
Top of the Hub
Prudential Center, 52nd floor
Back Bay, Boston

Elevation Theory
604 Columbus Ave
South End, Boston

Mr. Nick and the Dirty Tricks
541 Tremont Street
South End, Boston

Boston Suburbs
An Evening with Ronnie Earl
Regent Theatre
7 Medford Street
Arlington
 
Matt Savage
National Heritage Museum
33 Marrett Road
Lexington

The American Songbook - The Jazz View
Music of Jimmy McHugh
Arsenal Center for the Arts
321 Arsenal Street
Watertown

North of Boston
September 10
North Shore Jazz Project Presents
J. Geils Quintet
Barn at Castle Hill
290 Argilla Road
Ipswich

 South of Boston
Rock the Bells Festival
Featuring Erykah Badu
Comcast Center
Marshfield

 Cape Cod
Bart Weisman Group
Featuring Marcelle Gauvin
Grand Cru @ the Cape Codder Resort & Spa
1225 Iyannough Road
Route 132 & Bearse's Way
Hyannis, Cape Cod

Central Mass
Nick Goumas Quintet
160 Hollis Street
Framingham

Western Mass
Roy Gerson, jazz pianist
10 Castle Street
Great Barrington


For tourist information year round in Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

BOND Jazz Experiment at Langham Hotel Boston Announces Fall Lineup of Live Jazz

Felix Peikli 

BOND restaurant | lounge has released an exciting line-up of live music in its Jazz Experiment series for fall, 2001, featuring emerging artists from greater Boston's vibrant jazz community.  The music takes place Wednesday evenings, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., and there is no cover charge.

BOND restaurant | lounge is located at The Langham Hotel, 250 Franklin Street in Boston.  For more information call 617 956-8765, or view performance schedule here:


September 7 ~ Tamara Usatova
Vocalist Tamara Usatova combines her love for soul, jazz and R&B singers in her music with influences from Etta James, Aretha Franklin and Billie Holiday to Anita Baker, Whitney Houston and Chaka Khan to name a few.

September 14 ~ Andrew Halchak
A 2010 graduate of Berklee College of Music, saxophonist Andrew Halchak has played stages throughout the U.S. and Europe. Currently, he’s pursuing his Master of Music degree at The New England Conservatory.

September 21 ~ Felix Peikli
Born in Norway, clarinetist Felix Peikli found his way into music through the local Marching Band at the age of 8. Currently a Berklee College of Music student, Felix is a part of the newly founded honors-program Berklee Global Jazz Institute.

September 28, 2011 ~ Ten Tumbao
A funky and soulful Afro-Latin-Caribbean band that mixes spicy rhythms with vocal harmonies, captivating melodies, and a touch of jazz!

October 5 ~ Sharik Hasan
Originally from Bangalore, India, pianist and composer Sharik has studied at prestigious music schools across the globe, including London’s Royal School of Music in London, Paris’ Bill Evans Piano School, and in Boston, the Longy School of Music and Berklee College. 

October 12 ~ Lance Houston
Trumpeter Lance Houston and his talented jazz quartet produce magical and imaginative interpretations of jazz standards. His influences include Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Wynton Marsalis and Terence Blanchard.

 October 19, 2011 ~ Ameranouche
Ameranouche (pronounced uh-MARE-uh-noosh) features two French acoustic Gypsy jazz guitars and an upright bass. The group tours nationally and has released two albums, largely of original music inspired by legendary Gypsy guitarist, Django Reinhardt.

October 26, 2011 ~ Samantha Farrell
Born and raised in Massachusetts, this singer and song-writer, guitarist translates her soul and jazz/R&B influences into a unique style all her own.  

November 2 ~ Tom Wandell
Jazz drummer Tom Wandel is currently studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Under the tutelage of such jazz legends as John Ramsay and Hall Crook, he has received many accolades and scholarships.

November 9 ~ Violette
Violette’s style has been described as “French tradition, American jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and blue and bluesy.” A Berklee College of Music graduate, Violette has played venues in Paris, Senegal, Boston, New York, St. Martin, Prague and Dubaï.

November 16, 2011 ~ Yuhan Su
Vibraphonist and composer Yuhan Su is firmly rooted in jazz tradition, her music is innovative, emotional, cerebral, and lyrical. Yuhan graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2011, and is currently working on original compositions.

November 23 ~ To be announced

November 30 ~ Alexander Baboian
Best known as a jazz guitarist, playing everything from Bebop to avant-garde modern styles, Baboian also performsin a wide variety of other genres such as Funk, R&B, Pop, Rock, Big Band, and World Music.

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 or BostonUSA.com.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Massachusetts Welcomes Tourists This Labor Day Weekend


Tanglewood Jazz Festival in Lenox 
 
Officials at the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism are putting out the welcome mat for visitors to enjoy Labor Day weekend in Massachusetts, with a full schedule of fun and inexpensive travel ideas.

Executive Director Betsy Wall told The Boston Globe,  “The storm has come and gone, but summer is not over.  There are still a lot of things to do in Massachusetts."

For a complete schedule of Labor Day activities in Massachusetts, click here.

Plus, over 50 museums in Massachusetts are offering free admission to military families this weekend, Wall told New England Cable News.  It is part of a national program called Blue Star Museums organized by the National Endowment for the Arts which includes over 1,500 museums around the United States.

One of the big activities taking place this weekend is the Tanglewood Jazz Festival in Lenox, which features some of the world's best jazz artists.  And there are jazz performances all across the state in nightclubs, hotels, and town centers; for more information visit MassJazz.com.

For more details on what Massachusetts has to offer this Labor Day weekend and throughout the year, visit MassVacation.com.




Friday, September 2, 2011

Jazz Artists Robin McKelle and Michael Kaeshammer Performing Tonight at Tanglewood Jazz Festival


Jazz singer Robin McKelle and pianist Michael Kaeshammer are kicking off this year's Tanglewood Jazz Festival on Friday, September 2, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

You can see the entire line-up of performances throughout the weekend by visiting Tanglewood Jazz Festival.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Madeleine Peyroux performing at Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Friday, October 7


Jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux  is performing at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Friday, October 7, 2011.   You can order tickets online through Ticketmaster.

Peyroux is a noted interpreter of American jazz and blues, greatly influenced by Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith as well as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

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

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

Live Jazz in Boston/ Cambridge on Wednesday, August 31


Mario Cerra

Looking for great live jazz in the Boston/Cambridge area tonight?  Check out any of these performances taking place on Wednesday, August 31, 2011.  You can find times and admission costs by clicking on to each of the venues.

April Hall Group
Prudential Center, 52nd Floor
Back Bay, Boston
Nadia Washington
230 Franklin Street
Downtown Boston
Bobby Keyes, Jazz Guitar
541 Tremont Street
South End, Boston

Ellen O’Brien Jam Session
Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen
604 Columbus Ave
South End, Boston
Wally’s Stepchildren
427 Massachusetts Avenue
South End, Boston

Mario Cerra
1353 Cambridge Street
Cambridge

Ricardo Grilli Quintet
212 Hampshire Street
Cambridge

For year round details on jazz clubs, concerts, festivals, campus events and other jazz-related activities in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

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




Sun Broadcasting Corp Launches Sun Music Live Shows at Wally's Cafe Jazz Club this Fall

Sun Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) has begun production of Sun Music Live. The inaugural shows set at  Wally’s Café  in Boston will f...