First Annual Northampton Jazz Festival Takes Place on Saturday, October 1

The newly-launched Northampton Jazz Festival is taking place on Saturday, October 1, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Thornes Marketplace on Main Street in downtown Northampton.  The event is free and open to the public.

The all day festival has over a dozen performances, featuring jazz guitarist Freddie Bryant, Charles Neville from the famous Neville Brothers of New Orleans, the Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet, Gene Bertoncini,and more.   See bios of musicians, and the schedule of performances.

The festival is being organized by  LoudJazz, a non-profit group that seeks to develop performance opportunities for jazz musicians and to cultivate a youth audience.  To read more about the festival organizers, read this Daily Hampshire Gazette story.

In addition to the music, the festival is also presenting the "12 Mile Meal Celebrity Chef Throw Down" from 11:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m.  It features three two-person chef teams competing for top prize. 

Directions to the Torne Marketplace.

For year round details about jazz concerts, festivals, campus events and related activities across Massachusetts throughout the year, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com, or find details at Northampton Visitor Center.

Jazz Guitarist James Blood Ulmer Performs at UMASS/Amherst on Thurday, September 29

Free-form jazz guitarist James Blood Ulmer is performing in concert at the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to the concert are $10 general admission and $5 students and can be purchased online.

Described as the missing link between Jimi Hendrix and Wes Montgomery, Ulmer was born in South Carolina and moved to Pittsburgh as a teenager, where he played with a variety of gospel, blues and do-wop groups before picking up with jazz greats like Jimmy Smith and others. Ultimately he got into the avant garde jazz scene and played with Ornette Coleman and developed his own distinct brand of music.

UMASS/Amherst is celebrating its 30th year in 2011 of Jazz in July, a premier jazz educational program taking place each summer. For a full schedule of jazz events taking place this fall and winter click here. 

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com, or find details on Western Massachusets.

6th annual Honk Festival Taking Place in Somerville this Weekend

The 6th annual Honk Festival, a gathering of  twenty-eight street bands from around the world, is taking place Friday, September 30 through Monday, October 3, 2011 in Davis Square, Somerville.

The action kicks off on Friday, September 30, at Johnny D's Uptown Club, with performances by Revolutionary Snake Ensemble. 

Saturday, October 1 is the big day, with performances running from noon to 8:00 p.m. in venues around the city.  For a complete schedule click here.

To see a video called, Honk: No Noise is Illegal, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

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

Afro-Latin Caribbean Jazz at BOND Lounge in Boston on Wednesday, September 28

Ten Tumbao, a funky, soulful Afro-Latin-Caribbean band, performs at the BOND Restaurant | Lounge at the Langham Hotel in Boston on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Tumbao is a Cuban word signifying rhythm, flavor, style and flair and the band lives up to those descriptions.

BOND Jazz Experiment, which runs from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. each Wednesday, highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and funk.  For reservations call 617 956-8765.

Located at the Langham Boston Hotel,  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 a full schedule of artists through the fall, click here.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

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

Jazz pianist Laszlo Gardony in concert at Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Tuesday, September 27

Pianist and composer Laszlo Gardony is playing a concert at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston's Back Bay on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 8:15 p.m.   Tickets to the show are $12 and can be purchased at the door.

Gardony  who teaches at Berklee College of Music, has just released his ninth album, Signature Time, and it features a number of original compositions and as well as reworked Beatles tunes and classic jazz numbers, with a nod to the influence of African music on his music.

Joining Gardony in the quartet are Stan Strickland (sax, flute, vocals, kalimba), Yoron Israel (drums), and John Lockwood (bass).

In the second half of the show, faculty jazz pianist and composer Vadim Neselovskyi, called "the most promising of the young improvisers" by the Guardian, presents his new compositions with an exciting new band.

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

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

Gary Burton Quartet in concert at Berklee Performance Center on Sunday, September 25

Grammy Award winning jazz star Gary Burton and his new quartet are playing in concert at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets to the concert are $25 and $35 and can be purchased at the door.

Burton's new quartet features guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Antonio Sanchez.

The concert is also the closing event of the 11th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival that took place over the weekend. 

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival is Saturday, September 24

The 11th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival is taking place on Saturday, September 24, 2011, from noon to 6:00 p.m. on Columbus Avenue in Boston's South End.  The festival is free and open to the public.

There's a rich assortment of live music the entire day, featuring artists like Oleta Adams, Grace Kelly, Marcus Santos and Bloco AfroBrazil, Rafael Zaldivar and many others.  Click for a full schedule of performances. 

In addition to live performances, you can also enjoy dozens of food vendors, jazz and cultural organizations, workshops and demonstrations and merchandise from the festival.  Among the local organizations planning to attend are Roxbury International Film Festival, JazzBoston and WICN 90.5 FM.

For more information, visit Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival.

For year round details on jazz festivals, concerts, campus events, brunches, radio stations and cultural groups in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com