Stanley Swann Trio Performs at 50 Warren Street Restaurant in Lowell on May 25

Jazz drummer Stanley Swann and his trio perform at 50 Warren Street Restaurant & Lounge at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center on Friday, May 25, 2012, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.   The event is free and open to the public.

A popular drummer throughout New England, Swann is creator of the Lowell Jazz Day Camp at The Space in Lowell, and he is co-producer of the Merrimack Valley Jazz Festival taking place in Lowell this August.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and MerrimackValley.org

Jazz Worship at the Old South Church in Boston on Thursday, May 24

The historic Old South Church in Boston's Back Bay is holding a jazz worship service on Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.

The service takes place every Thursday evening and is free and open to the public.  The weekly service features the Willie Sordillo Trio, featuring Sodrillo on alto saxophone, Linda Brown-San Martin on piano and voice; and Doug Rich on bass.

The music is a combination of jazzed-up church music and straight jazz reinterpreted to fit the context of the church service.

The Old South Church, created in 1669, is one of the nation's most oldest congregations.  The current church, built in 1875, is a National Historic Landmark building.

Find year round jazz details about Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Shepley Metcalf Sings Tribute to Laura Nyro at Scullers Jazz Club on May 22

Boston jazz singer Shepley Metcalf is performing the songs of Laura Nyro at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $20 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Metcalf is joined by music director Tom LaMark on piano, Chris Rathbun on bass, and Yoron Israel on drums, with special guests Maury Martin on clarinet and sax, and Elaine DeLorenzo and Liz Costa on vocals.

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

Find year round jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Maggie Scott and Be-Bop Guitars Perform at Arsenal Center for the Arts on May 21

Jazz vocalist Maggie Scott is performing with five be-bop guitar players from the Berklee College of Music in a concert at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown on Monday, May 21, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $18 general admission and can be purchased online or by calling 617 923-8487.

Scott is considered a trailblazer for female musicians, being one of the first women instructors at Berklee, and the first woman named president of the Boston Musicians Association, Local 9-535.

The guitar ensemble is led by John Boboian, professor of guitar at Berklee College of Music. Other instruments in the band include vibes, bass, trumpet and drums.

For a schedule of upcoming concerts at the Arsenal, click here.

Find year round details on jazz concerts, festivals, night clubs, campus events, radio programs and more by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Live Jazz Session at Chianti Jazz Lounge in Beverly on Sunday, May 20

A live jazz session with Barbara Alex is taking place at Chianti Jazz Lounge in Beverly on Sunday, May 20, 2012, from6:30 to 9:30 p.m.  Cover charge is $5 for listeners and performers are admitted for free.

Chianti Tuscon Restaurant and Jazz Lounge is located at 285 Cabot Street, and is one of the premier jazz venues north of Boston.

Find out more about live jazz in Massachusetts throughout the year, including concerts, night clubs, campus events, and outdoor festivals, by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Ladies Sing the Blues at Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley on Saturday, May 19

Lydia Warren

 

The Boston Blues Society is presenting Ladies of the Blues, a traveling show of great female blues performers, at the Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley on Saturday, May 19, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online or at the door.

The show features some of the best blues performers on the touring circuit, including Diane Blue, Gracie Curran, Cindy Daley, Kit Holiday, Shirley Lewis, Lisa Marie, Carolyn Waters and Lydia Warren.

For a schedule of upcoming events at Bull Run Restaurant, click here.

You can find year round details on live jazz and blues in Massachusetts, including festivals, concerts, night clubs, radio programs and campus events, by visiting MassJazz.com.

Find visitor information at MassVacation.com.

1st annual New Bedford JazzFest Taking Place in Historic District on Friday, May 18

The first annual New Bedford JazzFest is taking place on Friday, May 18, 2012 from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Customs House Square in New Bedford's historic district. Tickets range from $20-$30 and can be ordered online or by calling 508 993-0772. 

Among the headliners are Gerry Gibbs and the Electric Thrasher Orchestra, playing the music of Miles Davis.   The group features Grammy Award winning trumpet player  Nicholas Payton and saxophonist Dave Liebman, winner of the prestigious 2011 Jazz Masters Award from the NEA.  

Other top performers include the popular SouthCoast Jazz Orchestra, a 17 piece big band orchestra specializing in 1930s music, and the Jim Robitaille Trio, led by jazz guitarist and composer Robitaille.  A number of local venues also have jazz bands booked so the music will continue well into the evening.

The festival is being produced by Your Theatre, Inc, a non-profit community theater group formed in 1946.  Also at the Festival are food and beverage vendors, and exhibits of local artists from Southeastern Massachusetts.

You can find a schedule of jazz festivals taking place in Massachusetts in 2012 by visiting MassJazz.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com or Southeastern Massachusetts.