Jazz on New Year's Eve: The Beehive in Boston Celebrates in Style

Celebrate 2011 in style at The Beehive's 4th Annual New Year's Eve Extravaganza,  featuring live entertainment and dancing to Akashic Record starring vocalists Marsha Lubin and Nephtaliem aka Nephrok.

Executive Chef Rebecca Newell's delectable buffet of eclectic hors d'oeuvres and desserts, with influences from Europe, the Mediterranean and good ol' Americana, all served in a cocktail setting. 

The Beehive has one of the most extensive champagne lists in New England.  For a full schedule of music at the Beehive, click here.

 

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

WGBH and Berklee Kick off national broadcast of Toast of the Nation with Lionel Loueke Trio

For the seventh consecutive year,  WGBH Radio - 89.7  kicks off the Toast of the Nation show hosted by National Public Radio on New Year's Eve, starting at 8:00 p.m. with the Lionel Loueke Trio at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston.

"This is a multi-venue, across time zones, celebration with jazz the featured music of the event," says Stephen Charbonneau, Assistant Program Director at WGBH.  The program features jazz bands coast to coast, and is broadcast around the world.

Loueke's performance is part of Boston's First Night Celebrations welcoming the New Year.  Kicking off the celebration at the Berklee Performance Center is virtuoso jazz pianist Takeshi Ohbayashi, who kicks off the festivities at 6:30 p.m.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

New Year's Eve Jazz: Sculler's in Boston featuring Pieces of a Dream

Sculler's Jazz Club at the Doubletree Guest Suites-Boston is hosting a New Year's Eve celebration featuring Pieces of a Dream on Friday, December 31, 2010 at 8:00 p.m..

Formed in Philadelphia in 1976, Pieces of a Dream is a storied jazz ensemble known for its innovation and authentic jazz roots.  It takes its name from a Stanley Turrentine tune.

The Early Party Package to the show includes a four-course gourmet dinner in the Green Room (dinner reservations from 5:30-6:30 p.m.) followed by the performance by Pieces of a Dream.  Cost per couple is $309.00, and can be purchased online.

Tickets to the show, without the dinner package, are available to the 8:00 p.m. and the 11:00 p.m. shows. (The late night package is sold out.)

In addition, the Doubletree is offering a premium two-room suite and a New Year's Day breakfast buffet and overnight parking, for only $99.00.  For reservations and more information, call 617 562-4111.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourism information, visit MassVacation.com.

Celtic's Shaq O'Neill Conducts Boston Holiday Pops

http://www.bso.org/bso/mediaPlayer_new/mediaPlayer.jsp?featureID=shaq2010&category=all&brand=all&keyword=none

Fulani Haynes Performs Jazz Holiday Show at Cafe Tatant in Boston on December 23

Boston Jazz vocalist Fulani Haynes is performing a special holiday show with the Jazz Collaborative at Cafe Tatant at the Roxbury Center for the Arts in Boston on Thursday, December 23, 2010. 

The newly-opened jazz dinner club is located in Dudley Square in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., dinner is served at 7:00 p.m. and the music begins at 7:30 p.m. 

Tickets to the show are $19. The price for the show and the dinner is $39 per person, or $69 for a couple, and reservations can be made online.

A jazz singer for over thirty years, Fulani Haynes has performed with numerous jazz bands and theatre troupes throughout New England, and is praised for her musical portraits of Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.

For more details on Cafe Tetant and upcoming shows in 2011, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Aardvark Jazz Orchestra's 38th annual Christmas Concert at Boston's Emmanuel Church on December 18

The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra, directed by trumpeter Mark Harvey, performs its 38th annual Christmas Concert this Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. at the Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street in Boston's Back Bay.  Admission is $15 at the door.

The band's first concert  took place in 1973, and since then the orchestra has raised funds for various local charities and educational groups.  This year's recipient is the Boston Public Quartet music education program at the James A. Chittick Elementary School in Mattapan.

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

Either/Orchestra Celebrates 25th Anniversary with Concert at the Regent Theatre on December 16

The Either/Orchestra is celebrating 25 years of incredible jazz with a concert at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Massachusetts on Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25 general admission and $15 for students and can be ordered online.

The 25-member orchestra, founded by Russ Gershon in 1985, features an all-star line-up of musicians who have played with the orchestra over the past quarter century.

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

Two Jazz Shows at Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge on Friday, December 17

Jazz pianist and composer Kevin Harris and his trio - known as the Kevin Harris Project - perform at the Jazz Club of the Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Friday, December 17, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.   Harris is a gifted composer whose influences range from Thelonius Monk and Keith Jarrett to Daniel Perez and Frederic Chopin.

Then  jazz vocalist Valerie Stephen takes the stage at 9:00 p.m. for a Tribute to Nina Simone.  Stephens captures the finesse and the fury of Simone, whose iconic music captured a tumultuous time in American life.

 Tickets to each show are $15, or $25 for both shows, and can be ordered online.  Also, discounts apply for seniors, students and members of the Center.

For more details on the Jazz Club, located at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center on 41 Second Street in East Cambridge, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Rockport Music Presents Jazz Pianist David Benoit Performing A Charlie Brown Christmas on December 14

Innovative jazz pianist David Benoit and his trio are performing the music to A Charlie Brown Christmas at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, Massachusetts on Tuesday, December 14, 2010, at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $25.00 to $46.00 and can be purchased online or by calling 978 546-7391.

A pioneer of the smooth jazz genre, Benoit has long been passionate about the music of Peanuts composer Vince Guaraldi and has made numerous recordings related to Peanuts.

For a complete schedule of concerts at the Shalin Liu Performance center, visit Rockport Music.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Jazz Vocalist Rajdulari Barnes Performing in Boston on December 9

Jazz singer Rajdulari Barnes is performing at the new Cafe Tatant jazz dinner club at the Roxbury Center for the Arts on Thursday, December 9, 2010.  She'll be performing with her group, the Rajdulari Jazz Project.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m., dinner is served at 7:00 p.m., and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $39 for meal and music per person, or $69 per couple.  Tickets for the show only, without dinner, are $19.

For more information, please call 617 849-6322.

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

Jazz singer Diane Richardson Kicks off new jazz supper club in Roxbury on December 2

Jazz Vocalist Diane Richardson

Roxbury Center for Arts at Hibernian Hall in Boston's Dudley Square is launching a new supper club - called Cafe Tatant - offering fine dining with jazz, rhythm-and-blues and soul music and dancing on Thursday evenings.

Cafe Tatant premiers on December 2, 2010 with Diane Richardson, a well-known jazz singer who is performing with trombonist Bill Lowe, keyboardist John Kordalewski, bassist Ron Mahdi and drummer Ralph Peterson.

George Huggins of Ethnica Gourmet Catering will provide the food as the grand ballroom is transformed into a relaxed listening lounge and supper club.

The nightclub opens its doors at 6:00 p.m.. Dinner is served at 7:00 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. The meal and music package is $39 for one and $69 for a couple.  Tickets for just the show are $19 and can be purchased online.

Upcoming shows at Cafe Tatant in December include:

Rajdulari Barnes and the Rajdulari Jazz Project on December 9

Cornell Coley and his Afro-Latin Ensemble Sugarfoot on December 16

Fulani Haynes and the Jazz Collaborative Holiday Show on December 23.

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

WGBH Hosts Tribute to Ray Smith on November 19

(Boston) - WGBH 89.7 FM is presenting a musical tribute to legendary radio host Ray Smith on Friday, November 19, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. at the station's studios in Brighton.

Radio host Ron Della Chiesa will serve as master of ceremonies, with music by the Paramount Jazz Band.

Admission to the tribute is $120 and includes a pair of tickets and membership in WGBH's Jazz Club. For more details, click here.

Smith, who died in February, 2010 at age 87, worked at WGBH for 38 years, producing over 1,900 programs. His show, Jazz Decades, started in 1958 at another station, is the longest running program in Boston radio history.

For more information on WGBH, visit WGBH.org.

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

Jazz Guitarist John McLaughlin & Fourth Dimension at Boston's House of Blues on November 16

Legendary jazz guitarist John McLaughlin is performing with the 4th Dimension at the House of Blues in Boston on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. (doors open at 7:00 p.m.). Tickets to the show are $29.50 to $39.50 and can be ordered online.

Opening the show for McLaughin is the Jimmy Herring Band.

Founder of the Mahavishnu Orchestra in the 1960s, McLaughlin's lifelong musical and spiritual journey was influenced by John Coltrane. His famous version of Good-bye Port Pie Hat, by jazz bassist Charlie Mingus, remains part of McLaughlin's repertoire today.

For more jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourism information on Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.

Las Vegas Rat Pack Show comes to Hanover Theatre in Worcester on November 6

What happened in Vegas comes to Worcester, Massachusetts this weekend when The Rat Pack is Back opens at the historic Hanover Theater on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $35, $45, and $55 and can be ordered online or by calling 877 571-7469.

The show recreates the nightclub scene of Las Vegas of the 1950s, when Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Joey Bishop starred at the Sands Hotel, performing a free-wheeling cabaret of songs, jokes, stories, dance routines and quips that captured America's imagination.

The Rat Pack is Back features a big-band 12-piece orchestra and top notch vocalists who recreate the mood and sound of the 1950s.

For a full list of upcoming shows at the Hanover Theatre, click here.

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

Grace Kelly Quintet Performing at Shalin Liu Concert Hall in Rockport on November 5

Rockport Music is presenting alto saxophonist Grace Kelly and the Grace Kelly Quintet at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport on Friday, November 5, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $25, $37, and $46 and can be ordered online or by calling the box office at 978 546-7391.

The 18 year old saxophonist, singer, composer and arranger performed throughout North America and Europe this past summer with her talented quintet. She has released five albums, including her most recent, Mood Changes.

Kelly was the youngest ever "Alto Saxophonist Rising Star" in the 57th annual Downbeat Critics Poll in 2009, an award she won again in 2010. The Massachusetts native is currently enrolled at the Berklee College of Music.

For a full list of upcoming concerts presented by Rockport Music, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Jazz Pianist Aaron Goldberg playing at Berklee and Milton Academy in November

World renowned jazz pianist Aaron Goldberg is performing with his trio at the Cafe 939 at the Berklee College of Music at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 3 and Thursday, November 4, 2010. He'll be joined by his trio, bassist Rueben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland, and will also jam with students from Berklee. Tickets are $10.

Then on Sunday, November 7, at 1:00 p.m., Goldberg performs at Milton Academy, Strauss Library, for a fundraiser in support of the academy's 2011 South Africa Tour. There Goldberg will be joined by bassist Bob Sinicrope and drummer Jon Hazilla. The concert is free but donations are requested.

A graduate of both Milton Academy and Berklee College of Music, Goldberg has spent the past 12 years touring the world and performing with Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Redmond, Michael Brecker and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

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

Colombian Singer Maria Mulata and Latin Jazz Big Band Perform at Berklee in Boston on November 2

Singer and composer Maria Mulata opens the evening with a set of Colombian music that embodies the traditions and multi-layered musicial influences of her homeland.

Then Bernardo Hernandez takes the stage with a Latin big band that includes Berklee students and special guests Victor Mendoza and Cuban percussionist Jorge Najarro.

The concert takes place at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston. General admission is $10 and tickets can be ordered online.

For a complete list of upcoming concerts at Berklee College of Music, click here.

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

Celebrity Series of Boston Presents Chucho Valdes and Afro-Cuban Messengers on October 28 at Berklee Performance Center

Cuban pianist, bandleader and composer Chucho Valdes is performing with the Afro-Cuban Messengers at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Thursday, October 28, 210 at 8:00 p.m.

The performance is part of the Celebrity Series of Boston, which for over 70 years has brought the world's best artists to Boston for performance and arts-based education.

Tickets to the show are $39, $43 and $49 and can be ordered online or by calling 617 482-6661.

Valdes is a multi-Grammy Award winner and is considered "one of the world's great virtuosic pianists," according to the New York Times. He has recorded over 80 CDS and performed with other jazz masters like Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea.

For a full schedule of performances through May 2011 sponsored by Celebrity Series of Boston, click here.

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

For tourism information, visit MassVacation.com.

New World Jazz Composers Octet Perform at Arsenal Arts Center on October 25

The New World Jazz Composers Octet, led by Daniel Ian Smith, is performing at the Arsenal Arts Center in Watertown on Monday, October 25, 2010, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and members of the center. For more details on purchasing tickets click here.

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

Guitarist Kevin Eubanks Performing at Berklee on October 21 in Boston

Master jazz guitarist Kevin Eubanks is performing a special concert at the Berklee Performance Center on Thursday, October 21, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets to the concert are $10 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Eubanks is a Berklee alumnus and well-respected musician, composer and recording artist with over 100 recordings to his credit. He is best known as the band leader over the past 18 years on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

His concert at Berklee includes ballet and hip-hop dancers, English, Swahili and Portguese spoken word artists, and an MC.

Eubanks' new CD, Zen Food, is being released in November on Mack Avenue Records.

For a full schedule of concerts at Berklee, click here.

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

For tourism information on visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

Leslie Uggams Performing at Reagle Music Theatre on October 16-17 in Boston Area

Reagle Music Theatre is presenting Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Leslie Uggams in a special performance of Uptown, Downtown at 2:00 p.m. on October 16-17, 2010. The performance takes place at the Robinson Theatre, 817 Lexington Street in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Tickets to the show are $35-$57 for adults, and $25 for children ages 5-18 and are available online.

Uggams is accompanied by a pop/jazz quintet for the cabaret show and will perform songs like Stormy Weather, New York, New York and The Sunny Side of the Street.

For a list of upcoming shows presented by Reagle Music Theatre, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourism information, visit MassVacation.com.

Milton Academy Jazz Band Pays Tribute to Cannonball Adderley on October 15

The award-winning Milton Academy Jazz Band, led by jazz musician and educator Bob Sinicrope, is performing a special tribute to jazz saxophone legend Cannonball Adderley this Friday evening, October 15, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

The concert is free and open to the public and takes place at King Theater in the Kellner Performing Arts Center on campus. For directions, click here.

Julius "Cannonball" Adderley was an important jazz figure starting in the 1950s. Influenced by Benny Carter and Charlie Parker, he played with the Miles Davis Quintet and later became a band leader and composer in his own right. He worked closely with his younger brother, cornetist Nat Adderley, throughout his career.

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

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

Ron Carter & Berklee World Strings Orchestra Perform in Boston on October 14

Legendary bassist Ron Carter and the Berklee World String Orchestra are joining forces to perform the music of Oscar Pettiford on Thursday, October 14, 2010, at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston.

The concert starts at 8:15 p.m. Tickets are $20 and $15 and can be ordered online.

Carter is one of the most widely recorded bassists in jazz history, playing on more than 2,000 albums. As a band leader he released over a dozen albums.

For a full schedule of concerts at Berklee, click here.

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

For tourism information on visiting Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com

Aaron Goldberg Trio Performing at the Regattabar in Cambridge on Friday, October 8

Jazz pianist and composer Aaron Goldberg and his Trio are performing two shows at the Regattabar on Friday, October 8, 2010, at 7:30 and 10:00 p.m. Tickets are $22 and can be ordered online or at the club.

The Trio, which includes Goldberg, bass player Omer Avital and drummer Eric Harland, is celebrating the release of its new recording, Home, available on Sunnyside Records.

Goldberg is a Boston native who credits his love of jazz from two influential educators: Bob Sinicrope of Milton Academy and saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi. Goldberg graduated from Harvard College and was a regular musician at Wallys Jazz Cafe in Boston's South End. For the past twelve years he has toured with Joshua Redman, Wynton Marsalis, Betty Carter and others.

For a complete schedule of concerts at the Regattabar, click here.

To find year-round jazz throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourism information, visit MassVacation.

Hayes and Cahill Performing at Berklee in Boston on Saturday, October 9

County Clare fiddler Martin Hayes and Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill are performing two concerts at the Berklee College of Music in Boston on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.

The concerts take place at the David Friend Recital Hall, 921 Boylston Street in Boston's Back Bay. Tickets are $30 and can be ordered online via Ticketmaster or by calling 1-800-745-3000

Well-regarded in music circles for their inventive interpretation of traditional Irish dance music, the duo has forged one of the most remarkable partnerships in acoustic music today. Their performances distill the essence of Irish music while exploring and expanding the tradition in both intimate and electrifying ways.

They have collaborated with filmmakers, modern dance choreographers, theater directors, and classical and jazz musicians, yet their identity remains uniquely their own, rooted solidly in the tradition of East County Clare where Martin was raised.

For year round Irish musical performances in Massachusetts and New England, visit IrishBoston.org.

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

You can find tourism information on visiting Massachusetts at MassVacation.com.

Pittsfield CityJazz Festival Runs October 8-21 in Western Massachusetts

The 6th annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival takes place from October 8-21, 2010 in restaurants, clubs, and concert venues around the city of Pittsfield in western Massachusetts.

This year's featured performers include baritone saxophone virtuoso Claire Daly; up-and-coming vibraphone player Joe Baione; a return of the American Jazz Repertory Orchestra and the Berkshires Youth Jazz Ensemble.

For a full schedule of activities, click here.

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

For information on visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

African Jazz Guitarist Lionel Loueke Performs at UMass/Amherst on October 7

Lionel Loueke, one of the most innovative new guitarists on the jazz scene today, is performing with his Trio at Bower Auditorium at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst on Thursday, October 7, at 7:30 p.m.

Born in Benin, West Africa, Loueke was named Up and Coming Jazz Musician of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association and Downbeat Magazine, and has performed with jazz legends Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Terence Blanchard.

The concert at UMass is part of a year round series of events hosted by the Fine Arts Center and the university's Music Department. For a complete schedule of jazz concerts and other musical events, click here.

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

For information on visiting Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com

Esperanza Spalding Performs at Sanders Theater in Harvard Square on October 2, 2010

Jazz bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding is performing at Sanders Theater in Harvard Square, Cambridge, on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.

A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Spalding is an inventive composer and performer whose latest recording, Chamber Music Society, is influenced by classical, jazz, folk and world music.

The concert is presented by World Music/CRASHarts, the region's premier presenter of quality music from around the world. For a full schedule of upcoming events from World Music, click here.

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

Vocalists Donna McElroy and Amanda Carr headline Melrose JazzFest this Sunday, October 3

The annual Melrose Jazzfest takes place this Sunday, October 3, 2010 at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall in Melrose, Massachusetts.

Tickets to the festival are $15 for adults and $7 for children and seniors, and are available online or by calling 617 957-1697.

The all-day event kicks off at 2:00 p.m. with Jazz4Kids, featuring percussionist Ricardo Monzon and sax player Stan Strickland.

The Melrose JazzCollective with vocalist Donna McElroy performs at 3:30 p.m., followed by the Kenny Hadley Big Band with vocalist Amanda Carr at 5:30 p.m.

Other musicians performing include bassist Bruce Gertz, pianist Joe Mullholland, trumpet player Ken Cervenka, guitarist Tim Miller, and drummer Bill Reynolds.

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

Wally's Stepchildren and Boston Horns Perform in Salem on Saturday, October 2

The 4th annual fundraiser to benefit the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival takes place this Saturday, October 2, 2010 from 7:00 p.m. to Midnight at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Washington Square, Salem.

Headlining this year's event are two great bands: Wally's Stepchildren, the legendary house band from Wally's Jazz Cafe in Boston's South End, playing a mix of jazz, funk and fusion.

They're followed by Boston Horns, a seven piece funk/jazz/soul band that's been together for over 20 years, touring with Tower of Power, Susan Tedschi and others. Joining the Horns at the event is Nephtaliem McCrary on vocals.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, and are available online.

In addition to the music, a number of valuable prizes are being auctioned, including a Fender Stratocaster guitar, a Dahon Curve 3 bicycle and a dining package.

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

Tiger Okoshi leads benefit concert for Boston Higashi jazz band on October 3 at Thayer Academy

Japanese trumpet player Tiger Okoshi is conducting a benefit concert for the Boston Higashi School jazz band on Sunday, October 3, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Center for the Arts, Thayer Academy in Braintree.

Okoshi is being joined by Ryu Goto, Soichi Muraji, Pei-Shan Lee and Joinatsuru Yanai. For more details on these accomplished musicians, click here.

Based in Randolph, Massachusetts, the Boston Higashi School is an international program for children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The educational goal of the school is for children to achieve society independence and dignity.

The jazz band has been one of the school's most public and popular programs. It performs regularly at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge, and last spring the band traveled to Japan to perform. The band was featured in the summer issue of MassJazz Travel Guide.

The performance also benefits the Japan Society of Boston, which promotes cultural exchange between the United States and Japan.

Tickets to the concert range from $15 to $100 - click here to order tickets online; call the school at 781 961-0800; or contact Bhaird Campbell at campbell@japansocietyboston.org.

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

Jazz Pianist and Composer Jason Moran Winner of 2010 MacArthur Fellowship

(Boston) - Jazz pianist and composer Jason Moran has been named a 2010 MacArthur Fellow, it was announced today.

The unrestricted fellowship encourages "people of outstanding talent to pursue their own creative, intellectual and professional inclinations," according to the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Moran is one of 23 recipients of this year's so-called genius award, and recieves a stipend of $500,000.

Born and raised in Texas, Moran is a newly appointed member of the faculty at the New England Conservatory in Boston, where he does studio teaching, ensemble coaching and master classes. He has hailed NEC's "distinctiveness" for welcoming the many forms and styles of jazz.

This past summer in Boston, the Roxbury International Film Festival featured Moran's film documentary, In My Mind, which pays tribute to legendary pianist and composer Thelonius Monk and his historic concert at New York City's Town Hall in 1959.

Patrick Jarenwattananon of NPR Jazz/ A Blog Supreme reports that the MacArthur Foundation "has a history of granting awards to innovative improvising musicians," citing Regina Carter, Ornette Coleman, George Russell, Ran Blake and others.

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

Jon Batiste Quintet Headlines JazzFest in Falmouth on Cape Cod, October 1-3

Jonathan Batiste

Legendary jazz pianist Jonathan Batiste is headlining a great weekend of jazz at the annual JazzFest in Falmouth, a beautiful seaside resort on Cape Cod.

Batiste and his quintet perform on Saturday, October 2, at the Cape Cod Conservatory, 60 Highfield Drive, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the event.

The Festival kicks off on Friday, October 1 with a Jazz Stroll along Main Street, with performances at Museums on the Green, Peg Noonan Park, the Black Dog Restaurant, the Nimrod Restaurant and various other retail shops and restaurants. Some of the featured artists include Russ Wilcox, Gene Bourque, and Two Cool.

On Sunday, October 3, the festivities run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Nimrod, Phusion Grille, Coffee Obsession, Sea Crest Beach Hotel and the Beach House. Some of the featured artists include Zac Zinger, Quasimodal, John Harrison & Joe Sutton, and the Charlie Jameson Jazz Trio.

For more information on the JazzFest in Falmouth, visit ArtsFalmouth.

For tourist information on visiting Cape Cod, visit MassVacation or Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.

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

Check out JazzBoston at the Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 25

JazzBoston, the city's grass roots support organization for jazz musicians, promoters, educators and jazz lovers, has a booth at this year's Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 25, 2010 in Boston's South End.

Check out these two special programs at the JazzBoston booth:

- Meet Boston's Musicians informal meet-and-greets with three or four different hometown artists every hour on the half hour, including Grace Kelly, Rebecca Cline, Jason Palmer, Leonard Brown, Amanda Carr, Kelly Roberge and more.

- What's YOUR Jazz? video interviews with a camera crew video-recording fans who step up to answer the question and "What's YOUR Jazz?" bumper stickers (hot off the press) for all participants.

You'll find more details here.

The all-day outdoor BeanTown Jazz Festival is free to the public. It's located at Columbus Avenue between Massachusetts Avenue and Burke Street in Boston's South End. For directions, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Chris Botti, Paula Cole, Danilo Perez Headline Busy Friday Night of Jazz in Boston, September 24

Boston is brimming with jazz tonight with artists Chris Botti, Paula Cole, Danilo Perez and others in the middle of the city's 10th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival now underway.

Trumpeter Chris Botti is performing at the Citi Performing Arts Center, Wang Theatre tonight at 8:00 p.m. Since 2004 he has been the largest selling American jazz instrumentalist in the world. He has performed and recorded with many great artists, including Frank Sinatra, Sting, Michael Buble and Joni Mitchell. Tickets are $43 to $78 and can be ordered online.

Vocalist Paula Cole is performing at the Berklee Performance Center tonight at 8:00 p.m. The Grammy Award winner for best new artist grew up in Massachusetts and went to Berklee College of Music, and had numerous hit songs, including Where Have All the Cowboys Gone and I Don't Want to Wait. Tickets are $26 and $36 reserved seating and can be purchased online.

At Sculler's Jazz Club at the Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel, Panamanian jazz pianist and composer Danilo Perez performs with his trio and special guests. There are two shows, at 8:00 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be ordered online.

At the Beehive Jazz Club in Boston's South End, check out mighty blues singer Michelle Willson, who performs from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Wally's Jazz Club in Boston's South End has a great Friday night jazz session featuring great local players and guests from out-of-town.

The Billy Novick Trio is performing lounge jazz at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Across the Charles River in the City of Cambridge, check out sax player Daniel Bennett and his group at Ryles Jazz Club in Inman Square, starting at 9:00 p.m.. Tickets are $10 and can be ordered online.

And at the Outpost 186, also in Inman Square, Cambridge, check out three acts tonight, starting at 8:00 p.m.: David Gross on solo sax, the Grizzler Noise Orchestra, and Montreal clarinetist Krista Martynes. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.

With hundreds of night clubs, concert venues, hotel restaurants and colleges, you can find great jazz every night of the year in the greater Boston area and throughout Massachusetts. For more information, visit MassJazz.com.

For tourism information, visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Friendly Hotels in Boston for this weekend's Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival, September 25

If you're coming to Boston this weekend to attend the 10th annual outdoor Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 25, there are plenty of jazz-friendly hotels in the area that offer high quality live jazz throughout the year.

Leading the pack are the Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel in Boston, home of the famous Sculler's Jazz Club, and the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge, home of the famous Regattabar Jazz Club.

Plus, there are over a dozen hotels in the area that offer live jazz in restaurants or lounges during the week, or weekend jazz brunches!

For a full list of jazz-friendly hotels, click here.

For jazz brunches in the Boston area this weekend, click here.

You can find year round jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For additional tourist information on Boston, Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.

Barbados Sax Player Elan Trotman at Sculller's Jazz Club for Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival, September 22

Jazz saxophonist Elan Trotman is performing at Sculler's Jazz Club in Boston on Wednesday, September 22, 2010, as part of the 10th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival.

A native of Barbados now living in the Boston area, Trotman attended Berklee College of Music and is one of the region's up-and-coming artists.

Tickets to the show are $20 and can be ordered online or at the door.

The Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival runs from September 15-25 in venues throughout Boston, culminating in an all-day, free outdoor festival on Saturday, September 25 in Boston's South End.

For a full schedule of Festival events, click here.

For upcoming acts at Sculler's Jazz Club, click here.

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

For tourist information on Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.

Catch Italian Electric Jazz at Berklee BeanTown Festival in Boston Tonight - Tuesday, September 21

Check out Spajazzy, a cool blend of Italian melodic jazz from Sergio Bellotti and Tino D'Agostino combined with the energy of electric jazz. They're at the Berklee Performance Center, 136 Mass Avenue in Boston tonight at 8:15 p.m., along with Berklee faculty members Bertram Lehmann and Hunt.

Tickets are $10 general admission and can be ordered through Ticketmaster.

For a complete musical schedule for the 10th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival, click here.

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

Kurt Rosenwinkel Kicks off Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival in Boston on Wednesday, September 15

Jazz guitarist and composer Kurt Rosenwinkel along with his 18 piece big band Orchestra de Jazz de Matosinhos (OJM) opens this year's Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival on Wednesday, September 15, 2010.

The concert takes place at the Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, and starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and $25 and can be reserved online.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the BeanTown Jazz Festival, Berklee College of Music has scheduled over 30 performances to take place at the college and in jazz venues in Boston and Cambridge from September 15-25. For a full schedule of activities, click here.

The celebration culminates in an all-day, free jazz festival outdoors in Boston's South End, along Columbus Ave, on Saturday, September 25, 2010. For directions, click here.

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

For tourist information on Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.

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.