Northeastern University Celebrates Saxophone Legend John Coltrane in Boston, September 16-18

Boston is celebrating John Coltrane - one of America's most influential musicians - the week of September 16-18, 2010 at Northeastern University with a series of lectures, audio visual exhibits and a concert.

The idea for an annual John Coltrane Memorial Concert was initiated in 1977 by a group of Black American musicians to honor Coltrane's musican and spiritual legacy. The concert has been held continuously since then, with Northeastern University hosting it for the past 25 years.

The following events are open to the public:

Thursday, September 16

A symposium with Coltrane experts Leonard Brown and Emmett G. Price III of Northeastern University; WGBH jazz radio host Eric Jackson; composer Anthony Brown; and Tommy Lee Lott, a scholar on avant-garde jazz in the 1960s. Plus, a new book edited by Dr. Brown, is being released by Oxford University Press. The book is entitled John Coltrane and Black America's Quest for Freedom - The event takes place at the John D. O'Bryant African-American Institute.

Friday, September 17

A 25 year retrospective on the John Coltrane Memorial Concerts, featuring vintage audio and video plus commentary by past performers. The event takes place at the Raytheon Room, Egan Research Center.

Saturday, September 18

The John Coltrane Memorial Concert features Anthony Brown's Asian American Orchestra performing "India and Africa: A Tribute to John Coltrane." Eric Jackson of WGBH is the host. Syd Smart, one of the founders of the JCMC, is being honored with a Lifetime Musical Recognition Award. The concert takes place at Blackman Theatre.

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

For tourist information on visting Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.

Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival Celebrates 10th anniversary, September 15-25, 2010

Terence Blanchard

The 10th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival kicks off this Wednesday, September 15 and runs to Saturday, September 25, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts. The annual festival is hosted by the Berklee College of Music, the world's foremost jazz university.

This year's festival pays tribute to the music and culture of New Orleans, and features artists from the Crescent City like Terence Blanchard, Jon Baptiste and the Wild Magnolias.

For a full schedule of activities, click here.

Over 30 performances are spread out at some of the area's finest concert venues and jazz clubs, including the Berklee Performance Center, Scullers Jazz Club, Regattabar, Wally's Cafe, Berklee's Cafe 939 and David Friend Recital Hall.

The festival culminates on Saturday, September 25 with an all-day, free outdoor stages along Columbus Avenue in Boston's South End. For directions, click here.

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

Tribute to George Gershwin at ArsenalArts on September 11

A new musical series called The American Songbook: The Jazz View, kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 11 at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown Massachusetts. Songwriter George Gershwin is the featured artist.

Musicians include Saxophonist Larry Monroe, vocalist Donna McElroy, pianist Russell Hoffmann, trumpet player Jeff Stout, bassist John Repucci and drummer John Ramsey.

Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 for Arsenal members, and $15 for students and seniors and can be purchased online.

Other songwriters in the series include Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. For more details on The American Songbook, click here.

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

John Pizzarelli Celebrates Duke Ellington at Scullers on September 10-11

Singer/guitarist John Pizzarelli is performing a special show honoring one of the great masters of jazz this weekend, September 10 and 11, at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston.

Rockin' In Rythm: A Tribute to Duke Ellington is the name of the show, and also the new CD that Pizzarelli has just released. The concert will feature Pizzarelli's unique interpretations of such classic songs as Satin Doll, East St. Louis Toodle-oo, Perdido and other songs from the Ellington songbook.

Tickets are $35 and can be ordered online. Showtime is 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. each night.

For a full schedule of jazz at Scullers, click here.

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

Tanglewood Jazz Festival: Pod Casts of Performing Artists

Enjoy podcasts of this weekend's performers at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival, including Laurence Hobgood, Donal Fox and Maya Beiser, by clicking here.

For a full schedule of performances of this year's Tanglewood Jazz Festival, click here.

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

For tourism information, visit MassVacation.com.

Tanglewood Jazz Festival Features Kurt Elling, John Pizzarelli, Bob James on September 4-5

This year's Tanglewood Jazz Festival in Lenox Massachusetts features jazz vocalist of the year Kurt Elling, guitar master John Pizzarelli, pianist Bob James and many more great jazz artists.

The concerts take place on September 4-5 over Labor Day Weekend at Seiji Ozawa Hall on the hallowed grounds of Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a popular venue for a wide variety internationally renowned classical, jazz and popular music.

Tickets range from $18 to $77 and can be ordered online.

For a full schedule of the Tanglewood Jazz Festival, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Blues Legend John Lee Hooker Jr. Plays at the Iron Horse in Northampton on August 24

John Lee Hooker Jr, Detroit's legendary bluesman, is performing at the Iron Horse in Northampton on Tuesday, August 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $12.50 in advance and can be purchased online, or $15 at the door.

As a child in the 1970s, Hooker learned the blues from Delta blues masters, including his father John Lee Hooker and blues harp legend Jimmy Reed.

His 2004 album, Blues with A Vengence received a Grammy nominiation and marked his transition as a formidable bluesman with his own unique voice and experience to sing the blues.

For a complete line-up of shows at the Iron Horse, click here.

For year round jazz and blues in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.