Salem Jazz & Soul Festival's Spring Gala on Sunday, April 26 Features Cape Ann Big Band and North Shore Jazz Project All Stars

The annual Spring Gala fundraiser for the Salem Jazz & Soul Festival is taking place on Sunday, April 27, 2015 at the Larcom Theater in Beverly.  Tickets are available online.  

This year's event features the Cape Ann Big Band, a 17-piece swing band based in Gloucester and the North Shore Jazz Project All Stars, an elite youth jazz ensemble comprised of local high school students. 

Now entering its 9th season, the Salem Jazz & Soul Festival is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization that produces free concerts and raises money to support music-education programs on Massachusetts’ North Shore.

The SJSF Berklee Summer Series takes place on May 9, June 13, July 11 and August 8 in Derby Square.  The Salem Jazz & Soul Festival takes place on August 15-16, 2015. 

For information about year-round jazz in Massachusetts visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

NEC Guitarist Xiongguan Zhang Gives Master of Music Recital on Monday, April 6

New England Conservatory guitarist Xiongguan Zhang gives a Master of Music Recital at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 2015, at the Keller Room at 290 Huntington Avenue on NEC campus.  The event is free and open to the public.

A native of Nanjing, China, Mr. Zhang was profiled in the 2014 issue of MassJazz Guide.  He is a student of NEC faculty Fred Hersch and Joe Morris.

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

NEC Concert Features Alfaia Quartet & Beau D’Ver at Jordan Hall, March 31

Henrique Eisenmann

New England Conservatory of Music is presenting two student jazz ensembles in concert - Alfaia Quartet & Beau D’Ver - at Boston's famous Jordan Hall on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, beginning at 8:00 p.m.

The concert is free and open to the public. 

The two groups were selected by professional musicians to participate in NEC's Honors Ensemble course.  

Alfaia Quartet, NEC's 2014-2015 Wild Card Honors Ensemble, is composed of pianist Henrique Eisenmann, oud player Kenan Adnawi, saxophonist Gustavo D'Amico, and bassist Kirsten Lamb. Their faculty coach is Ted Reichman.

Beau D'Ver, NEC's 2014-2015 Jazz Honors Ensemble, is composed of saxophonist Travis Bliss, pianist Chris McCarthy, guitarist Max Light, bassist Isaac Levien, and drummer Russell Holzman. Their faculty coach is Ralph Alessi.
Here are directions to Jordan Hall. 

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

Jazz Pianist Laszlo Gardony & Quartet Perform at Regattabar in Harvard Square on January 22

The Laszlo Gardony Quartet performs at the Regattabar Jazz Club at Charles Hotel on Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to the show are and can be purchased online or at the venue.

A native of Hungary and currently professor of piano at Berklee College of Music, Gardony has released ten albums and is widely praised as an exceptional improviser and composer.   His quartet consists of Stan Strickland on saxophones, John Lockwood on bass and Yoron Israel on drums. 

Located at One Bennett Street in Harvard Square, Cambridge, the Regattabar is one of greater Boston's best jazz clubs.  Here is a schedule of upcoming concerts. 

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

To visit Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

Cape Conservatory Jazz Student Ensemble Performs at Inauguration of Governor Charlie Baker on Thursday, January 8

Congratulations to the CJazz student jazz ensemble from the Cape Conservatory of Cape Cod.  The group is performing tonight at the inauguration celebration of Governor Charlie Baker, who begins his tenure today as the Governor of Massachusetts.

The event takes place at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in the Boston Seaport District.

The ensemble is directed by Bart Weisman, well-known jazz drummer on Cape Cod and founder of the popular Provincetown Jazz Festival that takes place each August on Cape Cod.

The band includes Alex Lanoue on drums from Falmouth High School; Kenny Linnell on bass from Dennis-Yarmouth High School;  Maurice Soque on sax from Falmouth High School; Bryden Williams on sax from Dennis-Yarmouth High School; and 12 year old Keb Hutchings-McMahon on guitar from the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School.

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

To visit Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com. 

Berklee President Roger H. Brown Among Local Advocates for the Olympics 2024 Bid

Roger H. Brown, president of the Berklee College of Music, is one of the city's leaders supporting Boston 2024 Olympic bid.

A new video released this week includes Brown, along with leaders from Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women's Hospital taking about all that greater Boston has to offer the Olympic community.

Here is the video:



For more about visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

Matisse, Jazz and an Evening of Culinary Improvisation at Menton Restaurant in Boston

A New Year's Eve celebration, inspired by the art and color of French painter Henry Matisse, with music from Brazilian guitarist Doug Siqueira and his jazz trio is being offered at Menton in Boston on Wednesday, December 31, 2014, with two seatings from 5-7:00 p.m. and from 8:00 - 9:45 p.m.

Across Chef Scott Jones’ tasting menu, guests will indulge in a colorful sequence of flavors that pay tribute to classic New Year’s Eve traditions, such as champagne, lobster and foie gras; each course masterfully paired by James Beard Award-Winning Wine Director, Cat Silirie. 

Opened in 2010 by Chef Barbara Lynch, Menton has gained praise as one of the top 100 restaurants America, and is Boston's only Relais & Chateaux, AAA Five-Diamond, and Forbest Travel Guide Five-Star property.  It is located at 354 Congress Street in Boston.  

Find live jazz year round in Massachusetts at MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.