Kickin' the Blues, Featuring David Sanborn, Kevin Mahogany, and Amina Claudine Myers

On Friday, September 25, the 9th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival presents an all star line-up of jazz greats in a concert entitled Kickin' the Blues.

The line-up includes six-time Grammy winner David Sanborn, considered one of the greatest saxophone players; Amina Claudine Myers, keyboard player, composer, actress and educator; and Kevin Mahogany, one of the great jazz vocalists of our time (see photo).

The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, in Boston's Back Bay. [Map]

Tickets: $45, $35, $25, reserved seating. Purchase tickets through Ticketmaster.

For more information about jazz throughout Massachusetts, visit http://www.massjazz.com/.

Branford Marsalis Performs at the Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival, September 23

The 9th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival continues all week, with saxophonist Branford Marsalis and his Quartet playing at the Berklee Performance Center on Wednesday, September 23, at 8:00 p.m.

The Quartet features Branford Marsalis on saxophone, Eric Revis on bass, Joey Calderazzo on piano, and, a new addition to the band, 18 year old drummer Justin Faulkner, who replaces the protean drummer, Jeff "Tain" Watts.

World-renowned saxophonist Branford Marsalis, born in 1960, has always been a man of numerous musical interests, from jazz, blues and funk to such classical music projects as his Fall 2008 tour with Marsalis Brasilianos. The three-time Grammy winner has continued to exercise and expand his skills as an instrumentalist, a composer, and the head of Marsalis Music, the label he founded in 2002 that has allowed him to produce both his own projects and those of the jazz world’s most promising new and established artists.

For the full schedule of the Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival, click here.


Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival
The Branford Marsalis Quartet
Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 8:00 p.m.
Berklee Performance Center
136 Massachusetts AvenueBoston MA 02115 [Map]
Tickets are $41 and $35.

Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival, September 18-26, 2009

The 9th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival is underway this week, with dozens of great jazz performances on tap throughout Boston and Cambridge from September 18-26, 2009.

Twenty bands and over 130 musicians are slated to perform at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC), Scullers Jazz Club, Regattabar, Wally’s Café, Berklee’s Café 939, and David Friend Recital Hall through the week.

See complete schedule here.

This year’s artistic director is Terri Lyne Carrington, a world-renowned jazz drummer, Berklee faculty member and past performer at the Festival. She has toured extensively with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Al Jarreau, and was nominated for a Grammy for her album, Real Life Story, and as producer for the Dianne Reeves album, That Day.

Highlights of this year's BeanTown Festival include three-time Grammy-winning saxophonist and Berklee alumnus Branford Marsalis (September 23, BPC); Kickin' the Blues, a concert featuring six-time Grammy-winning saxophonist David Sanborn and vocalists Amina Claudine Myers and Kevin Mahogany (September 25, BPC); multi-Grammy-nominated vocalist Kurt Elling (September 25-26, Scullers); influential pianist/composer Ahmad Jamal (Sept. 18-19, Regattabar); and Love and Hunger, an original play about the life and work of Billie Holiday, written and performed by Berklee students (September 24, David Friend Recital Hall).

The BeanTown Festival culminates on Saturday, September 26 with a free, outdoor festival from noon to 6:00 p.m., on three stages, in Boston’s South End neighborhood, at the corner of Mass Ave and Columbus Ave. In addition to continuous live performances, the six-block festival features more than 80 vendor booths with arts, crafts, accessories and food, as well as family events, including inflatable attractions, photos, face painting, temporary tattoos, coloring and crafts, free food and beverage snacks and a musical instrument petting zoo.

For more information, please contact 617 747-2261 or visit beantownjazz.org.

About the Festival:

Nine years ago, Darryl Settles (partner of the Beehive Jazz Club in Boston's South End and several other venues) produced the South End's first jazz festival and had a surprise turnout of nearly 10,000 people. From this beginning, The BeanTown Jazz Festival has grown to become Boston's most popular outdoor festival, attracting large crowds to the festival grounds on Columbus Avenue each year.

Italian Guitarist Massimo Sammi Debuts new CD at Regattabar, October 6

Join guitarist Massimo Sammi as he celebrates the release of his debut CD First Day in concert at the Regattabar, Charles Hotel, One Bennett Street, Cambridge.

First Day is a musically and conceptually daring recording debut of immense depth and beauty inspired by the film A Beautiful Mind. Sammi combines both a musical storyboarding of the film with a musical application of mathematician John Nash's theories to free jazz improvisations.

Sammi, a native of Genoa, Italy, came to the U.S. in 2006 to study Jazz Composition with Ken Schaphorst and Michael Gandolfi at New England Conservatory.

Joining Sammi is the all-star group featured on the CD: saxophonist George Garzone, bassist John Lockwood, drummer Yoron Israel, and special guest vocalist Dominique Eade.

Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show are $16. Call 617-661-5000 or log on to regattabarjazz.com/.

A streaming video documentary about the making of First Day is available here.

CHARLIE KOHLHASE & EXPLORER'S CLUB AT JOHNNY D'S, SEPTEMBER 9

Charlie Kohlhase and his Explorer's Club band - Kohlhase on alto, tenor & baritone saxophones; Matt Langley on tenor & soprano saxophones; Jeff Galindo on trombone; Eric Hofbauer on guitar; Jef Charland on bass and the tandem drumming of Miki Matsuki and Chris Punis - celebrate the release of their debut CD "Adventures" (Boxholder Records) in concert at 8:30 and 10 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9 at Johnny D's 17 Holland Street, Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Admission is $10.

Call 617-776-2004 or log on to www.johnnyds.com.

BARRENCE WHITFIELD AND THE SAVAGES PERFORM IN SALEM, SEPTEMBER 19

The Salem Jazz and Blues Festival holds a major fundraiser on Saturday, September 19, starting Barrence Whitfield and the Savages.

The special concert features Whitfield – one of New England’s legendary R&B Singers – reunited with his original soul band, the Savages, in a special concert entitled “Soul Lotta Love.” It takes place at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 94 Washington Street, in Salem.

Tickets are $15.00 and are available online at the Festival’s web site: Salemjazzsoul.org/music_soullottalove2009.html

The fundraiser also features an auction where more than a dozen exciting prize packages, from nights out on the town to spa treatments and more are being offered.

The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that produces free concerts for the public and raises money to support music education programs.

For more information, contact info@salemjazzsoul.com or visit SalemJazzSoul.org

32nd ANNUAL JOHN COLTRANE MEMORIAL CONCERT IN BOSTON, SEPTEMBER 26-27

The music and life of legendary jazz saxophonist John Coltrane is being celebrated in Boston next month at the 32nd annual John Coltrane Memorial Concert. This annual gathering of Boston’s jazz musicians, artists, African-American leaders and music lovers showcases Coltrane’s musical genius as well as his spiritual wisdom and optimism about transforming society through music and culture.

This year's John Coltrane Memorial Concert includes two concerts taking place on September 26 and 27 (see details below), featuring a host of world-class musicians who will reflect upon the rich musical and spiritual legacy of 'Trane through contemporary interpretations of his works.

The inspiration for this year’s weekend of events is drawn from John Coltrane’s early solo album entitled “The Believer” which was recorded in the late 1950’s while he was still a member of the Miles Davis sextet.

The John Coltrane Memorial Concert was started in 1977 in Boston and since 1986 has been run by the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, thanks to the efforts of saxophonist Leonard Brown, co-founder of the JCMC and a faculty member in the department.

The master of ceremonies at both concerts is Eric Jackson, host of one of the nation's premier jazz radio programs, "Eric in the Evening" on WGBH-FM radio in Boston.

At the opening concert on Saturday at Blackman Theater, organizers are using the occasion to honor Edmund Barry Gaiter, Executive Director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists and Museum for his 40 years of leadership, advocacy and vision.

Also affiliated with this year’s activities is the Ascension art installation created by artists of the African American Master Artists in Residence Program (AAMARP) at Northeastern’s Ryder Hall at 11 Leon Street. The exhibit runs from September 1-28 and is open from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

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September 26/ Saturday
John Coltrane Memorial Concert:

The Believer, Concert 1
Blackman Theater @ Northeastern University
360 Huntington Avenue, Boston

Starring the 14 piece all-start John Coltrane Memorial Ensemble, featuring Carl Atkins (sax), Leonard Brown (sax), Sa Davis (percussion), Mark Harvey (trumpet), Tim Ingles (bass), John Lockwood (bass), Bill Lowe (tuba), Jason Palmer (trumpet), Bill Pierce (sax), George W. Russell Jr. (keys), Syd Smart (percussion), Stan Strickland (sax/flute), Alvin Terry (percussion) & Gary Valente (trombone). Click here for samples of the Ensemble’s previous work.

September 27/ Sunday
John Coltrane Memorial Concert:

The Believer, Concert 2ACT/Roxbury Hibernian Hall
184 Dudley Street, Roxbury

Starring master instrumentalist and vocalist Stan Strickland (sax/flute), who will perform a unique tribute to ‘Trane’s legacy with his ensemble including John Lockwood (bass), Laslzo Gardony (keys), & Yoron Israel (drums), along with appearances by members of The John Coltrane Memorial Ensemble (Bill Lowe on tuba, Syd Smart on percussion, Jason Palmer on trumpet & Leonard Brown on sax).

Ticket: $20 general admission; $17 NU faculty & staff, WGBH Members, non-NU students, seniors; $15 NU students.For advance tickets and information: 617-373-4700 (TTY 617-373-2184), www.gonu.com/tickets; for tickets day of show, cash only at the door.

The sponsors of this year’s John Coltrane Memorial Concert include Northeastern University WGBH, ACT Roxbury and the National Center of Afro-American Artists.

For updates on sponsors and other pertinent information, log onto www.jcmc.neu.edu or call 617-373-8700.

For press information, please contact Mary Curtin at 617-241-9664, 617-470-5867 (cell), marycurtin@comcast.net