Salem Jazz & Soul Festival Takes Place on August 18-19

Joel Larue Smith

The 6th annual Salem Jazz & Soul Festival is taking place on Saturday, August 18 and Sunday, August 19, 2012 from 11:15 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in downtown Salem.

The live, outdoor event, located at Salem Willows, 167 Fort Avenue, is free and open to the public.  For a printable schedule, click here.

Among the performers: Joel Larue Smith, Silvina Moreno,  the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Salem High School Jazz Band, and North Shore Jazz Project All Stars. 

Here is a full schedule of jazz festivals in Massachusetts this summer and fall.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

Jazz Drummer Roy Haynes Performs at Rockport Jazz Festival on August 17

Legendary jazz drummer and Boston native Roy Haynes is performing with his group, the Fountain of Youth Band, at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport on Friday, August 17, 2012 at 8:00 p.m..  The concert is the final event of the first annual Rockport Jazz Festival, which debuted this week.

Haynes, who grew up in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood, is considered one of the world's best jazz drummers.  In February 2011 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 51st annual Grammy Awards.

Boston Herald jazz writer Bob Young noted, "Roxbury-born Roy Haynes has kept some pretty good company in his nearly seven decades in the music business. Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Pat Metheny have all shared the stage with the man known as the father of modern jazz drumming."

Here is a schedule of upcoming jazz events presented by Rockport Music this fall.

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

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

Waterfront Performing Arts Series - Free Dancing and Music at Boston's Christopher Columbus Park on August 14

The City of Boston's Waterfront Performing Arts Series is presenting free dance lessons plus a night of swing at Christopher Columbus Park in Boston's North End on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, starting at 6:00 p.m. and ending at 8:00 p.m.

Boston Swing Central, based in Charlestown, is providing free dance lessons for the first hour, then Phil McGowan and the Easy Winners Band brings everything to full swing with an hour of dancing.

The event is free and open to the pubic, and is part of the City of Boston's summer music series taking place all around the city.  For more information, visit the Mayor's Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events.

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

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

Jazz Vocalist Tierney Sutton Performs in Rockport on August 15

The Tierney Sutton Band  is performing at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $31-$52 and can be purchased online or at the venue.

The band features acclaimed jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton,  pianist Christian Jacob, bassist Trey Henry, and drummer Ray Brinke. 

The concert is the kick-off to the 1st annual Rockport Jazz Festival, which debuts this week with a great line-up of jazz performances from August 15-19.  

Rockport Music has an exciting schedule of jazz and other music this summer and fall.

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

For tourist information, go to MassVacation.com.

Provincetown Jazz Festival Runs August 11, 13 on Cape Cod

Sharon Clark 

The 8th annual Provincetown Jazz Festival on Cape Cod is taking place on Saturday, August 11 in Provincetown and Monday, August 13, 2012  in Cotuit this year.

Tickets to the event are $25 and can purchased online or at the door. Here is the full schedule.

Among the performers on Saturday, August 11, at Provincetown Town Hall, are jazz vocalist Sharon Clark, saxophonist Paul Carr, pianists Chris Grasso and Alex Brown, drummer Joe McCarthy and bassist Will Slater.

Performers on Monday, August 13, at the Cotuit Center for the Arts,  include Steve Ahearn on trumpet and flute, Bruce Abbott on sax and flute, Fred Boyle on piano, Ron Ormsby on bass, and Bart Weisman on drums.  Mr. Weisman is also the founder and producer of the Provincetown Jazz Festival.

You can find more details on jazz festivals in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com/festivals.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

Merrimack Jazz Fest: Saturday, August 11 Performers Playing Indoors at Tsongas Arena

News from Merrimack Valley Jazz Festival.

The main event on Saturday August 11th will still take place INSIDE the beautiful Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell.    DOORS open at 2 PM….. MUSIC STARTS at 4PM.   GREAT FOOD, GREAT BANDS, GREAT FUN and all that JAZZ.

Tonight’s weather forecast for the Kick-off event on Friday, August 10 is calling for heavy rain and thunder storms.    Keeping public safety at the forefront we have cancelled tonight’s event only.      There will be no performance at the Sampas Pavilion at the Vandenberg Esplanade.

We hope to see you tomorrow for  the 2^nd annual Merrimack Valley Jazz Festival Musical Event!.  Come cheer, chow, sip and swing inside the beautiful Tsongas Center!

For more details MerrimackValleyJazzFestival.

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