Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Favorite (Jazz) Spot in Massachusetts? Nominate Your Choice

Wally's Cafe Jazz Club in Boston's South End

From Boston to the Berkshires, Cape Cod to the North Shore and everywhere in between, Massachusetts is filled with thousands of great places, and the state’s tourism office -Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism - is narrowing them down to the Top 1,000.

MOTT is seeking nominations for the 1,000 best places in the Commonwealth, drawing upon the abundance of exceptional historical sites, cultural venues and natural landscapes all over Massachusetts. According to the guidelines, all of the sites selected must be open and available to the public.

The nomination period closes this Thursday, April 1, 2010 and the winners will be announced in May.

MOTT has set up a website to accept nominations from the public: www.massvacation.com/1000/index.php.

MassJazz
is urging jazz lovers from across Massachusetts to submit their favorite jazz club or historical landmark to this project!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Jazz on North Shore Today!


The North Shore Jazz Project is presenting an afternoon of Latin Music: Jazz & Gypsy Flamenco, at the Chianti Tuscan Restaurant in Beverly, MA.

The event features Maxim Lubarsky Quintet (pictured above), Alexei Tsiganov Quintet and Peruvian master guitarist D Rafael.

Show times are 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.. Tickets are available at the door for $20 ($15 for students with ID).

Chianti Tuscan Restaurant is located at 285 Cabot Street in Beverly.

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

Friday, March 26, 2010

Irish Film Festival features The Bass Player: A Song for Dad, on March 27


The 11th annual Irish Film Festival Boston is presenting The Bass Player: A Song For Dad by Irish filmmaker Niall McKay, at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, Somerville, MA. on Saturday, March 27, at 2:30 p.m.

In this eloquent, witty homage to his father, McKay wrestles with his family's unsettling past to overcome his fear of commitment. As he helps his elderly father Jim, a jazz bass player, return home to Ireland, a parallel journey unfolds into an admiration for his dad and his innermost thoughts about love.

Tickets to the screening are $9 per person and can be ordered online here.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Governor Deval Patrick Donates His Father's Jazz Archives to Boston's Berklee College of Music


Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is honoring his late father's musical and cultural legacy by donating the vast collection of jazz musician, composer, and arranger Laurdine Kenneth "Pat" Patrick to Berklee College of Music's Africana Studies archive. The historical Pat Patrick Collection comprises hundreds of scores, photographs, personal materials, and recordings.

Best known for his 40-year association with the avant-garde artist Sun Ra, Patrick also played with jazz greats John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington and many others, according to The Boston Globe.

The materials represent a treasure trove for musicians, educators and cultural historians, says Bill Banfield, director of Africana Studies at Berklee.

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

Monday, March 15, 2010

Boston Jazz Club Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with Celtic Band


To celebrate St. Patrick's Day in America's most Irish city, the Beehive Jazz Club in Boston is hosting its third annual Irish celebration on Wednesday, March 17, from 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m, featuring Celtic band Tri.


Tri consists of award-winning bagpiper Matthew Phelps, fiddler Doug Lamey and guitarist Cliff McCann. They’ll be joined by step dancers Pamela Campbell and Christine Morrison.

Beehive Chef Rebecca Newell has created several Irish-inspired specials including corned beef and cabbage flatbread with sauerkraut and cheese, Finann Haddie Smoked fish & chips, and Grilled Lamb Chops with colcannon mashed potatoes.

There is no cover charge and dinner reservations are recommended.

The Beehive
541 Tremont Street
Boston MA 02116

beehiveboston

For more details on Irish music in greater Boston year round, visit
IrishBoston.

For more details on jazz in Massachusetts year round, visit
MassJazz

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Toots Thielmans Playing at Sculler's Jazz Club in Boston, March 12-13, 2010

Toots Thielmans - regarded as the world's greatest jazz harmonica player - plays at Sculler's Jazz Club in Boston on Friday and Saturday, March 12-13, 2010.

He is performing with Kenny Werner and Oscar Castro-Neves.

In 2009, Mr. Thielmans was named an American Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more details, visit Sculler's Jazz Club.

For a complete list of jazz in Boston and throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Cape Cod Honors Singer Patti Page with Her Own Street


Jazz and popular singer Patti Page, whose rendition of the song, Old Cape Cod, was a hit in 1957, now has a street officially named after her on Cape Cod.

The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Barnstable unveiled the Patti Page Way sign at Shoot Flying Hill in Centerville, Cape Cod on February 26, which was also officially declared Patti Page Day on the Cape.

Ms. Page attended the ceremony and was there to greet fans and admirers of the song.

Tourism officials say the song Old Cape Cod accentuated the many charms of the Cape and helped make it a tourism destination over the last 50 years.

Cape Cod has long been a jazz haven, with summer festivals in Provincetown, Chatham and Falmouth, and year round jazz clubs and concerts throughout the Cape.

For more information on jazz on the Cape, visit MassJazz.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Berklee Teaching Jazz in Dublin, Ireland in April 2010


Boston's Berklee College of Music is returning to Dublin, Ireland, April 5-11, to conduct improvisation workshops and to hold auditions for aspiring student musicians seeking scholarships to the prestigious university.

The program, now in its second year, is taking place at the Newpark Music Centre in Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Students must apply online for the workshop by March 19.

Participating Berklee faculty members include Greg Badolato, Jim Kelly, John McGann, and Ken Zambello, along with Ronan Guilfoyle, artistic director of the Newpark Music Centre.

For more details, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.

Monday, February 22, 2010

New Jazz Series at Boston's Historic Wilbur Theatre


Boston’s historic Wilbur Theatre, renovated and revitalized by Bill Blumenreich Presents, has initiated a new series of jazz, world music, Latin, blues and other related music.

The series is being produced and developed by Boston jazz entrepreneur Fred Taylor.

Upcoming concerts include

Sunday, February 28 at 4:00 p.m.
John Pizzarelli (image above) and The Swing Seven

Wednesday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Tower of Power

Thursday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Lizz Wright
Opening Act: Yoko Miwa Trio

For more information visit thewilburtheatre.com/.

For information on year round jazz throughout Massachusetts visit massjazz.com/

Friday, February 12, 2010

Elan Trotman is the main course at Valentine's Day Jazz Dinner at Café Fleuri in Boston

Café Fleuri at the Langham Hotel in Boston is offering a special dinner on Sunday, February 14, Valentine's evening, featuring contemporary jazz saxophonist Elan Trotman with special guest Myanna.

The three-course Valentine’s Day dinner menu, available from 6:00 p.m., includes a glass of sparkling wine and dessert buffet at the CafĂ©’s famous Chocolate Bar.

Originally from Barbados, Trotman graduated from the Berklee College of Music and is one of Boston’s most popular jazz performers.


6:00 p.m. - Three-course Dinner, Chocolate Bar, and Glass of sparkling wine. Price: $75.00 per person

7:00 p.m. - Chocolate Bar and Glass of sparkling wine. Price: $50.00 per person

8:00 p.m. - Entertainment and Glass of sparkling wine. Price: $35.00 per person

Reservations are recommended, please call (617) 451-1900, ext. 7125.

The Langham Hotel is located at 250 Franklin Street in Downtown Boston.

For more information on jazz events during Valentine’s Day weekend and throughout the month, visit massjazz.com

Friday, January 22, 2010

SALEM JAZZ & SOUL FESTIVAL MAKES DONATION TO LOCAL MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS


The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival recently donated $6,000 to music education programs throughout the city of Salem. This is the third straight year the Festival has donated funds to support music education in the community.


Recipients include The Salem High Music Program, $3,000; the Salem Academy, $1,000; the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem, $1,000, and the Starr Access Program, $1,000.


Additionally, the festival set aside $1,000 to bring musicians into Salem schools in 2010.


Plans are already underway for another special Spring Gala at the Peabody Essex Museum on April 17, 2010, and for the summer festival that once again will be held at the Salem Willows and in other venues across the city.


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


For jazz events in Massachusetts, visit massjazz.com.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Boston Globe story on Jazz in Massachusetts


Travel writer Chris Klein explores the vibrant jazz scene in Massachusetts in the January 10, 2010 issue of The Boston Globe's Travel Section.

There's also a sidebar entitled Get a Grove on Here All Year with a sampling of the state's jazz clubs and festivals in Massachusetts in 2010.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Anat Cohen Rings in the New Year in Boston at Berklee Performance Center


Jazz musician Anat Cohen is performing as part of Boston's First Night activities at the Berklee Performance Center.

The concert is being broadcast by WGBH 89.7 FM and kicks off NPR's annual worldwide broadcast, Toast of the Nation. She performs two sets, at 8:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m..

A native of Tel Aviv, Israel, Cohen is one of jazz's brightest young stars. The saxophonist and clarinetist was recently named Clarinetist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association. Her quartet features Jason Linder on Piano, Joe Martin on bass, and Daniel Freema on drums.

For more information on Anet Cohen's concert in Boston, visit berklee.edu/.


Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Vocalist Linda Eder at Berklee Performance Center, November 28

Linda Eder, who possesses one of the great contemporary voices of our time, celebrates the release of her new album, Sound Track.

Tickets include a special meet-and-greet with the artist after the show.

Tickets: $75 Golden Circle, $50, $40, $30, reserved seating

136 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston MA 02115


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

Monday, November 9, 2009

Amanda Carr & Kenny Hadley Big Band Jazz Brunch

The New England Center for the Performing Arts is presenting Amanda Carr and the Kenny Hadley Big Band jazz brunch at Mechanics Hall in Worchester on Sunday, November 15 at noon.

The event is being hosted by WBZ radio personality Jordan Rich.

The event includes a culinary feast promptly at noon followed by a big ban program. Joining Ms. Carr and the band is a chorus of singers from the Franklin Performing Arts Company.

Tickets to the brunch/concert are available by contacting Mechanics Hall at 508 752-0888 or visiting mechanicshall.org.

Reserved premium seating is $55 and general seating is $45.

The concert is supported by WICN, 90.5 FM, Worchester's Jazz and Folk Station.

For more details on jazz in Massachusetts, visit massjazz.com/.


Sun Broadcasting Corp Launches Sun Music Live Shows at Wally's Cafe Jazz Club this Fall

Sun Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) has begun production of Sun Music Live. The inaugural shows set at  Wally’s CafĂ©  in Boston will f...