34th John Coltrane Memorial Concert is on Saturday, October 22 at Northeastern University in Boston

The 34th John Coltrane Memorial Concert presents saxophonist John Coltrane's music in contemporary interpretations, illustrating influences  from Afro-Caribbean music cultures.

This year's concert honors Jose Masso, host of "Con Salsa" on WBUR, who is celebrating his 36th year of of presenting the best of Afro-Latin music.

The concert features the John Coltrane Memorial Ensemble, an outstanding lineup of 14 prominent Boston-based musicians, many of whom have been the core of the John Coltrane Memorial Concert over its 34 year legacy:  Carl Atkins, Leonard Brown, Jeff Galindo, Tim Ingles, John Lockwood, Ricardo Monzon, David Neves, Jason Palmer, Bill Pierce, Ron Savage, Syd Smart, Joel Larue Smith, Stan Strickland, and Gary Valente.

Tickets are $25 general admission; discounts available to groups, NU faculty & staff, WGBH Members, NU & non-NU students, and seniors. Tickets are on sale now online,  or call 617-373-4700 (TTY 617-373-2184).

For a history of the John Coltrane Memorial Concert in Boston, click here.

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

Live Jazz Everywhere in Massachusetts This Fall

Kurt Elling

(Boston) -  Massachusetts is boasting a great line-up of jazz this fall in hundreds of concert halls, night clubs, college campuses, and hotels and restaurants, fortifying the state’s growing reputation as a tourist destination for live jazz in the United States.

According to MassJazz, a sampling of jazz artists performing in the Bay State from October through December 2011 includes Grammy award winners like bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding, vocalist Kurt Elling, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, bassist Christian McBride, pianist/composer Gunther Schuller and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra.

Plus, local jazz musicians perform nightly in jazz clubs in greater Boston and throughout Massachusetts and at jazz brunches at hotels and restaurants each weekend.  

”Massachusetts is a magnet for the world’s best jazz performers,” says Michael Quinlin, founder of MassJazz, which promotes jazz to the tourist industry year round.  “Plus, our vibrant jazz scene is fueled by dozens of college jazz studies programs and jazz students from over forty countries who represent an appreciative and knowledgeable jazz audience.”

The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism is a partner in the MassJazz initiative.  

Visitors can pick up a free copy of the 40-page MassJazz Travel Guide detailing jazz connections for out-of-town visitors and local residents.  The Guide is available at local visitor kiosks, jazz clubs, hotels and colleges.

The web site, MassJazz.com has up-to-date listings of jazz concerts, nightclub and hotels, jazz brunches, campus events and festivals. 

Both the web site and Guide also provide resources like jazz radio programs, educational courses, jazz organizations and tourism outlets for visitors.   

And daily updates on are available on Tweeter:  @massjazz and at MassJazz.blogspot.com.

A SAMPLING OF LIVE JAZZ IN MASSACHUSETTS

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

COMPILED BY MASSJAZZ

October

October 27-28

The Bad Plus

Regattabar Jazz Club @ Charles Hotel

Harvard Square, Cambridge  

October 28

Jay Geils – Jazz and Blues Review

Shalin Liu Performance Center
Rockport

October 29
Steppin Out for Dimock Gala
Featuring Spanish Harlem Orchestra and Oleta Adams

Copley Westin Hotel
Back Bay, Boston

October 31

Office for the Arts at Harvard Presents

Trombonist Curtis Fuller

New College Theatre Studio

Cambridge

November

November 2

Kurt Elling and the Kluvers Big Band

Wilbur Theatre, Boston

November 5-6

Mickey Davidson and Makanda Project

Roxbury Center for the Arts at Hibernian Hall

Roxbury, Boston

November 6
Terence Blanchard & Poncho Sanchez
Berklee Performance Center
Boston

November 11
The Three Cohens
Shalin Liu Performance Center
Rockport

November 11
Buddy Guy
Wilbur Theatre, Boston

November 12-13

Arturo Sandoval

Scullers Jazz Club @ Doubletree Suites Hotel

Boston

November 16
Tia Fuller Quartet
Bowker Auditorium
University of Massachusetts, Amherst

November 18

Brian Evans

Shalin Liu Performance Center

Rockport

November 18-19

Spyro Gyra

Scullers Jazz Club @ Doubletree Suites Hotel

Boston

November 19

Klezmer Swing

Cape Cod Cultural Center

Yarmouth, Cape Cod

November 25-26

Regina Carter

Regattabar Jazz Club @ Charles Hotel

Harvard Square, Cambridge

November 30

Alexander Baboian

BOND Lounge @ Langham Hotel

Boston

December

December 2

Gunter ‘Baby’ Sommer and Wadada Leo Smith Duo
Bezanson Recital Hall
University of Massachusetts, Amherst

December 3

Grace Kelly

The Center for Arts

Natick

December 4
Boston Conservatory

New Music Festival
Progressive Jazz Orchestra with Gunther Schuller
Boston

December 7
USAF Band of Liberty Jazz Band

Mechanics Hall
Worcester

December 9-10-11

Esperanza Spalding

Scullers Jazz Club @ Doubletree Suites Hilton

Boston

December 16

Sergio Mendes Project: Brazilian Jazz

Amazing Things Arts Center

Framingham

December 18

Steve March Torme

Amazing Things Arts Center

Framingham

December 19

Sisters of Swing Holiday Concert

Arsenal Center for the Arts

Watertown

December 30-31

Christian McBride & Inside Straight

Scullers Jazz Club @ Doubletree Suites Hilton

Boston

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Live Jazz and Blues in Massachusetts on Saturday, October 15

Japanese Jazz Pianist Hiromi at Sculllers 

 

There's great live jazz and blues taking place all across Massachusetts on Saturday, October 15, 2011.  Here is just a sampling from MassJazz

Western Mass

Grace Kelly and Phil Woods
Part of the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival
Colonial Theatre

111 South Street
Pittsfield

North Shore 

Shaboo Allstars with Matt Guitar Murphy
Blue Ocean Music Hall

4 Ocean Front North
Salisbury

Laszlo Gardony Quartet
Marblehead Jazz Series

Unitarian Universalist Church
28 Mugford Street
Marblehead

Boston/Cambridge 

Johnny A
Regattabar Jazz Club at Charles Hotel
One Bennett Street, Harvard Square

Cambridge

Hiromi Uehara Trio

Scullers Jazz Club @Doubletree Suites Hotel

400 Soldiers Field Road

Allston, Boston

Cape Cod

Bart Weisman Jazz Group

Grand Cru at Cape Codder Resort & Spa

1225 Iyannough Road (Route 132)

Hyannis, Cape Cod

Central Mass

Hannah Rose and Harvey Diamond

Concord Colonial Inn

48 Monument Square

Concord

You can find a full list of jazz clubs, concert venues, festival information, campus events and other jazz related activities throughout Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Florencia Gonzalez Performs at Lily Pad Club in Cambridge on Thursday, October 13

Jazz saxophonist Florencia Gonzalez is performing with her big band at the Lily Pad jazz club in Inman Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts on Thursday, October 13, 2011 from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Born and raised in Montevideo, Uruguay,  Gonzalez is an accomplished jazz and classical saxophonist, composer and arranger. She came to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music on a scholarship and graduated with honors in 2007.

Following Gonzalez on stage at the Lily Pad, guitarist-composer Joel Harrison is performing with Stan Strickland, Bruce Gertz and Steve Langone starting at 9:00 p.m.

Then at 10:30 p.m, the Jorge Perez-Albela Quartet finishes out the evening.

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

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

Armen Donelian Trio Appearing at Pittsfield Jazz Festival on Friday, October 14

The Armen Donelian Trio is appearing at Baba Louie's Music Hall in Pittsfield on Friday, October 14, 2011 at 7:30 p.m., as part of the annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival taking place through October 20 at venues around the city.

Click for a full schedule of performances. You can also follow the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival Facebook page.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation or BerkshiresTourism

Lance Houston Performs at Boston's Langham Hotel on Wednesday, October 12

Jazz flugelhorn player Lance Houston and his quartet perform at the BOND Lounge | Restaurant at the Boston Langham Hotel on Wednesday, October 12, 2011, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

The gig is part of the BOND Jazz Experiment, which runs from  each Wednesday evening and 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.

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. 

Pablo Ablanedo Octet Performs at Regattabar on Tuesday, October 11

Argentinean composer and pianist Pablo Ablanedo and his octet perform at the Regattabar Jazz Club at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge, on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $15 and can be purchased online.

Ablanedo has a distinctive sound that is influenced by his Argentinian roots and by American jazz artists Bill Evans and Gil Evans, Astor Piazzola of Argentina and Egbuto Gismaonta of Brazil.  His unique use of various instruments in his compositions - violin, trumpet, two reeds, guitar, piano, bass and drums - gives him the freedom to explore South America rhythms through jazz and classical forms.

For a schedule of upcoming performances at Regattabar, click here.

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

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