Merrimack Valley Jazz Festival in Lowell Slated for August 10-11

The 2nd annual Merrimack Valley Jazz Festival is taking place on Friday, August 10 and Saturday, August 11 in Lowell, Massachusetts.

The opening night festivities on Friday take place starting at 5:00 p.m. at the Sampas Pavilion on the Vanderberg Esplanade, and feature six jazz performances ranging from contemporary and classic jazz to Latin and funk.  This night is free and open to the public. 

On Saturday, August 11, the festival moves to the Riverwalk Park behind the Tsongas Center Arena in Lowell, from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m., with doors opening at 2:00 p.m.  In the event of rain the event moves inside the Tsongas.

Tickets to the Saturday festival are $17 if you order tickets online, or $20 the day of the festival at the gate. 

Among the performing artists at this year's Festival: Amanda Carr and the Le Creme de Les Femme, Gregg Hopkins Berklee All-Star Faculty Big Band, UMass/Lowell Faculty Jazz Ensemble, Henri Smith's Friends and Flavours New Orleans Band, Compaq Big Band and Adagio Big Band.

Special guests this year are the Adagio Dancers, a professional dance troupe from Mill City Dance in Lowell.

The festival is sponsored by the Greater Merrimack Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, the Lowell Sun, MassJazz and others.  Here is a full sponsorship list.

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

For year round tourist information go to MassVacation.com 

Three Outdoor Jazz Festivals in Massachusetts This Week: Martha's Vineyard, Provincetown and Lowell

Christian Sands, Performing at Martha's Vineyard 

Massachusetts is earning its reputation as the State of Jazz this week, with three jazz festivals taking place, according to MassJazz, which promotes live jazz in the Bay State year round.

August 4-12

2nd annual
Martha’s Vineyard Jazz Festival

Oaks Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard
Performers for the week include Jason Moran, Terri Lyne Carrington and Nasheet Waits, Drew Davidsen, Elan Trotman, Gerald Veasley, Edmar Colon and Frederick Yonnet and Urban Harmonica.  Also: book readings and signings, film presentations and an art exhibit. 

 

August 10-11

2nd annual
Merrimack Valley Jazz Festival

Tsongas Center & River Walk
Lowell Heritage State Park
Lowell
Performers include Amanda Carr and the Le Creme de Les Femme, Gregg Hopkins All-Star Faculty Big Band, Berklee College, Henri Smith's Friends and Flavours New Orleans Band, Compaq Big Band and Adagio Big Band.

 

August 11 & 13

ProvincetownJazz Festival

Provincetown & Cotuit, Cape Cod
Performers include Sharon Clark, Paul Carr, Chris Grasso, Alex Brown, Joe McCarthy and Zach Brown in concert at Provincetown Town Hall on August 11.  Then on August 13, Bruce Abbott, Steve Ahern, Fred Boyle, Ron Ormsby, Tedi March, Debra Mann, Alan Clinger and Bart Weisman perform at the Cotuit Center for the Arts.

You can find a full schedule of jazz festivals from now through October in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com/festivals.

You can pick up a free copy of MassJazz Travel Guide at these locations.

Here is tourist information about visiting MassVacation.com.

Bob Nieske Jazz Group at Top of the Hub Restaurant in Boston on August 4

The Bob Nieske Group, featuring jazz singer Maggie Galloway, is performing at the Top of the Hub Restaurant in Boston's Back Bay on Saturday, August 4, 2012, from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Located on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower in Boston's Back Bay, Top of the Hub is one of the great Boston nightspots to enjoy great jazz nightly, plus terrific food and an amazing view of greater Boston. 

For a schedule of nighty jazz at Top of the Hub, click here.

Read a story about Top of the Hub in the current issue of MassJazz Travel Guide.

Find year round details on live jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

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

Combo Sabroso Performs at Tito Puente Series in Boston on August 2

Latin dance band Combo Sabroso is performing at Sheehy Park in Boston's Mission Hill on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

The concert, located at 1545 Tremont Street, is free and open to the public.  It  is part of  Tito Puente Latin Music Series organized  by Berklee College of Music in partnership with Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion and Socidead Latina.

MassJazz has compiled a schedule of free outdoor jazz concert series as well outdoor jazz festivals taking place throughout Massachusetts this summer and fall.

For details on visiting Massachusetts any time of year, go to MassVacation.com. 

Laurence Hobgood Quartet Performs at Regattabar in Harvard Square on August 2

The Laurence Hobgood Quartet is performing two shows at the Regattabar Jazz Club in Harvard Square, Cambridge, on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at  7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Both shows are hosted by jazz radio host Eric Jackson of WGBH.  The award-winning quartet includes Laurence Hobgood on piano, Matt Rybicki on bass, Jaret Schonig on drums, and Jimmy Greene on sax.

Here's a full schedule of upcoming performances at Regattabar, located at the Charles Hotel.

For year round details on jazz throughout Massachusetts, check out MassJazz.com

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

Jazz Trumpeter Chris Botti Performs at South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset on August 2

Grammy Award winning jazz trumpet start Chris Botti is performing at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, Massachusetts on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $43 to $62 and can be purchased online or at the gate. 

Botti has sold over one million albums and has performed internationally with musicians like Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Herbie Hancock and others.

Botti is also performing in the area on August 10 at the Cape Cod Melody Tent.

For a complete schedule of concerts at the South Shore Music Circus, click here.

Find year round details on live jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

Jazz Pianist Jonathan Batiste Performs at Scullers Jazz Club on August 1

Jonathan Batiste, one of the most exciting innovators in jazz, is performing with his group, the Stay Human Band, at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Born in New Orleans, Batiste is co-director and musical curator of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and has performed in over 40 countries, collaborating with Wynton Marsalis, Prince, Jimmy Buffett and others. .

Here's a schedule of upcoming jazz performances at Scullers this summer.

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

Find visitor information on Massachusetts at MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.