Friday, March 4, 2011

Jazz Vocalist Charmaine Clamor Performing at Regattabar Jazz Club in Harvard Square on Saturday, March 5



Filipino jazz star Charmaine Clamor is performing two shows at the famous Regattabar jazz club in Cambridge Massachusetts on Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Tickets to the concert are $22 and can be ordered online.

Hailed as "one of the important and original singers of the decade" by music critic Don Heckman of the Los Angeles Times, Clamor has just released her fourth US album, Something Good, with songs in English, Tagalog and Taglish.

For a complete schedule of upcoming concerts at Regattabar, located at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge, click here.

For year round details on jazz clubs, campus events, concerts and festivals throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Sonny Rollins and Quincy Jones Receive National Medal of Arts from President Obama at White House


Sonny Rollins

President Barack Obama presented the National Medal of Arts to two jazz giants - saxophonist Sonny Rollins, and musician and composer Quincy Jones - at a White House ceremony on Wednesday, March 3, 2011.  

See story by Patrick Jarenwattananon of A Blog Supreme on NPR, and a video of the awards ceremony below:


Other winners from Massachusetts included James Taylor, the singer/songwriter from the Berkshires, Jacob's Pillow Dance, for their outstanding contributions to American culture and the arts and Robert Brustein, founder of the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge.

For a complete transcript of the ceremony, click here.

For details on jazz concerts, clubs, campus events, and festivals, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com

Berklee's High School Jazz Festival Kicks off in Boston on March 5



The 43rd High School Jazz Festival hosted by Berklee College of Music is taking place on March 5, 2011 in Boston.

The event showcases over 3,000 students and 200 big bands, combos, and vocal ensembles from California to New England competing for $175,000 in scholarships to Berklee's summer programs.

The festival includes clinics and concerts by the acclaimed a cappella group Pitch Slapped; faculty drummer Kenwood Dennard; Berklee's Concert Jazz Orchestra; the Global Jazz Institute, City Music, Salsa, and P-Funk ensembles, and more.

For more information, click here.

For year round details on jazz clubs, concerts, campus events and festivals, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information visit MassVacation.com.

Jazz at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center this Friday, March 4



A great night of jazz is on tap at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center on Friday, March 4, 2011.

The Ben Schwendener Group takes the stage at 7:30 p.m., celebrating the release of its new CD Apfelschaun: New Episode.  The group includes pianist composer Ben Schwendener, saxophinist Uew Steinmetz, bassist Bridget Kearney and drummer Michael Calabrese. 

Then at 9:00 p.m. the  Judi Silvano Group performs, bringing a rich selection of jazz classics and some original compositions as well. Vocalist Silvano is joined by reedman Marco Pignataro, basist Bruce Gertz, pianist John Funkhauser and drummer Yoran Israel.

Tickets to each performance are $15 general admission, or $25 for both shows.  Discounts also apply to members of the Multicultural Arts Center and JazzBoston.  You can order tickets to each or both shows online.

For a schedule of upcoming concerts at the Multicultural Arts Center, located at 41 Second Street, click here.

For year round details on jazz clubs, concerts, campus events and festivals throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.


Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Berklee's Women Musicians Network Features 50 Women Musicians at Berklee Performance Center on Thursday, March 3


 Sarah Eide

More than 50 women will grace the stage at the Berklee Performance Center when Berklee’s Women Musicians Network (WMN) presents its 14th annual concert on Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 8:15 p.m. Tickets to the show are $10 and can be ordered online

Female students from countries around the world – including Argentina, Japan, Italy, South Korea, Spain, and the U.S. – will showcase their songwriting, arranging, performing, producing, and engineering talents in this popular concert.

Among the performers: Katie Marshall, Kozue Kuriyama, Sissy Castrogiovanni, Se-eun Kim, Elisa Lomazzo, Sarah Eide, Liz Lohnes, Silvina Moreno, Ariadna Castellanos, and Candy Mabra (China Fox).

For a schedule of upcoming events at Berklee Performance Center, located at 136 Massachusetts in Boston's Back Bay, click here

For year round jazz concerts, campus events, jazz clubs and festivals throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.
For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Sax Player Jesse Scheinin Performing at BOND Restaurant in Boston on Wednesday, March 2


Standout saxophonist Jesse Scheinin is performing at  BOND Restaurant & Lounge in downtown Boston on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00  p.m.

A native of Santa Cruz, California, Scheinin is at the Berklee College of Music and a regular perform on the Boston jazz scene.

BOND Jazz Experiment, which runs from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. each Wednesday, highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and funk.  For reservations call 617 956-8765.

Located at the Langham Boston Hotel,  BOND Restaurant & Lounge is open seven days a week, offering gourmet sandwiches for lunch, afternoon tea, and global cuisine for dinner, plus an extensive wine list and distinctive cocktails. A special jazz menu is available on Wednesdays.

For a full schedule of artists through April visit BONDBoston.com and click on events.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Elan Trotman Playing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on March 1




Boston-based jazz saxophonist Elan Trotman is performing at Sculler's Jazz Club in Boston on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to the show are $20 and can be ordered online.

Trotman, a native of Barbados, is releasing his new album, Love and Sax, a collection of soul-jazz ballads described as expressive and passionate.  It's the second album for Trotman, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and an up-and-coming star in smooth jazz.

 Scullers Jazz club is located at the Doubletree Suites/ Hilton Hotel at 400 Soldiers Field Road in Boston. For a full schedule of upcoming concerts click here.

For year round details on jazz clubs, campus events, concerts, jazz brunches and festivals throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information on Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

New England Winter Blues Festival at the Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury on Saturday, February 26



The second annual New England Blues Festival gets underway on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at the Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salsibury, Massachusetts, starting at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $22-26 and can be purchased at the door or ordered online.

Featured blues bands include Mr. Nick and the Dirty Tricks, the Chris Fritz Band, the Matthew Stubbs Band, and Nick Moss and the Flip Tops.

For a full schedule of upcoming concerts at the Blue Ocean, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, visit MassVacation.com
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Friday, February 25, 2011

Berklee Jazz Students React to Esperanza Spalding's Grammy Award

New England Cable News did a great local story on students at the Berklee College of Music reacting to the news that Berklee alumni Esperanza Spalding had won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist of the Year.



For year round information on jazz clubs, campus events, concerts and festivals, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com

Cyrus Chestnut Trio Performing at Regattabar in Cambridge on Friday, February 25



Jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut and his Trio are performing at the Regattabar Jazz Club at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square on Friday, February 25, 2011, at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $25 and can be ordered online.

Cyrus is joined by Dezron Douglas on bass and Neal Smith on drums.

For a full schedule of jazz at the Regattabar, click here.

For year round information on jazz clubs, campus events, concerts and festivals, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Jazz Singer Kurt Elling Performing at Scullers in Boston on February 25-26



Legendary jazz vocalist Kurt Elling is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Friday, February 25, and Saturday, February 26, 2011.  Tickets to the show are $30 and can be ordered online.

For a list of upcoming concerts at Scullers, click here

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

US Census Bureau Pays Tribute to Jazz as Part of Black History Month



John Coltrane

Profile America for the 23rd day of Black History Month, 2011.

It has been called "the only true American art form." Over a century old, it's appreciated around the world -- what else but the music called jazz? A blend of religious and work songs, Spanish and French influences, ragtime and marching bands, all laid over African rhythms, the history of jazz is uniquely tied to the African-American experience. From Jelly Roll Morton to Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis on to Wynton Marsalis, African-Americans have kept jazz evolving through the decades. Nearly 8 percent of adults in the U.S. attend a live jazz performance at least once a year.

You may Listen or download this story in .mp3 format or as a .wav file.

This special edition of Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Stan Strickland and Dancers Perform at Boston Center for the Arts on February 24



Jazz saxophone and flute player Stan Strickland is performing with dancers Callie Chapman and Sara June at the Cyclorama at Boston Center for the Arts on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $20 and can be ordered online

A veteran jazz player has performed all over the world, opening for Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, Strickland  is featured in a film documentary entitled Black Man Up, with Blair Underwood and Lamar Burton.  He has worked with dozens of choreographers, including Alvin Ailey, Jose Limon and Bill T. Jones.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.




Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Congratulations to Jazz Drummer Roy Haynes on Winning Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award


Congratulations to Roy Haynes, who grew up in Roxbury and learned his music there, for receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

Boston Herald jazz writer Bob Young noted, "Roxbury-born Roy Haynes has kept some pretty good company in his nearly seven decades in the music business. Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Pat Metheny have all shared the stage with the man known as the father of modern jazz drumming."

With this award, Young writes,  Haynes joins "Dolly Parton, the Ramones, Julie Andrews and the Kingston Trio as a Grammy award Lifetime Achievement honoree."




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

Don't Worry, Be Happy: Bobby McFerrin is Performing at Berklee in Boston on February 24



Ten-time Grammy Award winnder Bobby McFerrin, considered one of the most gifted improvisational jazz vocalists of all time, is presenting Sing Song at the Berklee Performance Center on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 8:15 p.m.

For this concert, McFerrin performs an improvisational program with Berklee student vocalists in the 24-member Singing Tribe Ensemble, conducted by associate voice professor Joey Blake.

Tickets to the concert are $10 and can be ordered online.

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

For year round information on jazz clubs, concerts, campus activities, and jazz festivals throughout Massachusetts any time of year, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information about Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.


Celestial Septet Performing at UMass Amherst on Thursday, February 24


Avant-garde jazz ensemble Celestial Septet: Rova Sax Quartet + Nels Cline Singers, perform at the Bowker Auditorium at University of Massachusetts in Amherst on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $12 general admission and $7 for students, and can be purchased online.

The concert is part of the Magic Triangle Jazz Series presented in conjunction with WMUA radio.  For a list of other concerts coming up in this series, click here.

For year round information on jazz clubs, concerts, campus activities, and jazz festivals throughout Massachusetts any time of year, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information about Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com.



Monday, February 21, 2011

Samantha Farrell Performing at BOND Restaurant & Lounge on Wednesday, February 23 in Boston


Samantha Farrell is performing at the new jazz series at BOND Restaurant and Lounge at the Boston Langham  Hotel on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

"She possesses a liquor-honey voice, deft guitar work and slightly melancholic tones that meld to form an aching and elegant aural tapestry," wrote Ben Evans about Farrell in the Huffington Post.  Originally from Boston, the singer-song writer got her start in Los Angeles and has been touring the country for the past few years, playing at concert venues and festivals.

Samantha's show is part of the new BOND Jazz Experiment that features upcoming and established jazz artists on Wednesday nights.  A special menu is available.  For reservations, call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists coming to the BOND Restaurant and Lounge, click here.

For year round details on jazz clubs, hotel brunches, campus activities, jazz festivals and concerts throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

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

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Jazz Bassist Buster Williams Performing at Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on Tuesday, February 22


Legendary jazz bassist Buster Williams performs with his quartet at Irish Horse Music Hall in Northampton, Massachusetts at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22, 2011.  Tickets are $17.50 in advance and $20.00 at the door, and can be ordered online.

A veteran of jazz for his whole life, Williams has played with McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Nancy Wilson and many others.  On Tuesday he'll be playing with his talented quartet, featuring Cindy Blackman-Santana on drums, Patrice Rushen on piano, and Steve Wilson on alto soprano sax.

For a full schedule of shows at the Iron Horse in the coming months, click here.   Click directions to get to the club.

For year round jazz concerts, night clubs, campus activities and jazz festivals year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information to Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.


Saturday, February 19, 2011

Black History Month: Tribute to Lena Horne at Berklee Performance Center in Boston on February 22, featuring Jo Thompson


Jazz musicians, dancers and professors  - led by vocalist Jo Thompson - are gathering in Boston for a tribute to Lena Horne - a trailblazer in music,dance, film, human and civil rights.  The event takes place on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at the Berklee Performing Center, located at 136 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston's Back Bay.  For directions click here.

General admission is $10 and tickets can be ordered online.  The show begins at 8:15 p.m.

Along with this all-star big band concert, the tribute includes a clinic with Thompson and a panel discussion featuring Berklee faculty members who recount their stories of working as musicians during this turbulent period in American history.

The event is part of Black History Month celebrations in Boston. For a list of resources, click here.

For a schedule of upcoming events at Berklee Performance Center, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Reagle Music Theatre presents The Mills Brothers and Gina Eckstine in Waltham on February 20



The Famous Mills Brothers, who made an indelible contribution to the American Songbook with hits like Paper Doll and Lazy River, are performing at the Robinson Theatre in Waltham on Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.  They'll be joined by rising star Gina Eckstine, daughter of famed jazz vocalist and bandleader Billy Eckstine.

The show is presented by the Reagle Music Theatre, one of the leading community theater organizations in New England.  Tickets to the show are $35-$50 and can be ordered online or by calling 781 891-2330 or 781 901-5600.  For directions to Robinson Theatre at 617 Lexington Street, click here

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

Thursday, February 17, 2011

James Montgomery performing at Back Page, a new jazz club in Lowell, on February 18


Blues legend James Montgomery and his band officially open the new Back Page Jazz & Comedy Club in Lowell, Massachusetts on Friday, February 18, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. Admission is $15 at the door, first come, first served.

Considered one of the most dynamic blues performers today, Montgomery learned from the masters in his native Detroit - James Cotton, John Lee Hooker and Junior Wells.  He's toured with every major blues artist on the scene -- the Allman Brothers, B.B. King, Bruce Springstein, Bonnie Rait -- the list goes on.

Located at 15 Kearney Square in Lowell, the Back Page Jazz & Comedy Club is on the ground floor of the old Lowell Sun Newspaper building.  For a list of upcoming music and comedy performances, click here.

For year round jazz clubs, hotel brunches, concerts, campus events and jazz festivals, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information to Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com


Tuesday, February 15, 2011

BOND Restaurant at Boston's Langham Hotel Launches a Wednesday Night Jazz Series Starting February 16

Silvina Moreno

A cool new place to hear live jazz in Boston is starting up on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 when BOND Restaurant & Lounge kicks off  The BOND Jazz Experiment with Argentinean Silvina Moreno, a singer and songwriter specializing in Tango. 

BOND Jazz Experiment, which runs from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. each Wednesday, highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, R&B and funk.  For reservations call 617 956-8765.

Located at the Langham Boston Hotel,  the BOND Restaurant & Lounge is open seven days a week, offering gourmet sandwiches for lunch, afternoon tea, and global cuisine for dinner, plus an extensive wine list and distinctive cocktails. A special jazz menu is available on Wednesdays.

For a full schedule of artists through April visit BONDBoston.com and click on events.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Jazz Jam at the Island Merchant in Hyannis with Bart Weisman on February 20


A live jazz jam hosted by drummer Bart Weisman takes place on Sunday, February 20, 2011, at The Island Merchant at 302 Main Street in Hyannis, Cape Cod.  The music goes from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and there is no cover charge.

Weisman, a well known jazz musician on Cape Cod, started the annual Provincetown Jazz Festival, which takes place this year on August  12, 13 & 15, 2011. 

For a full schedule of upcoming jazz sessions, concerts and gigs by the Bart Weisman Trio, click here.

For year round jazz throughout Massachusetts, including concerts, festivals, night clubs and jazz brunches, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information on Cape Cod, visit CapeCodChamber.com and MassVacation.com.


Berklee's Esperanza Spalding Wins Grammy Award for Best New Artist



Jazz singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding won the Best New Artist of the Year award at this year's 53rd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California. 

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 Portland, Oregon native has been touring the world over the past two years.  She last performed locally at Sanders Theatre in Cambridge in October.

Spalding is one of thirty-three Berklee alumni or faculty  nominated for a Grammy Award this year, along with John Mayer, Makeba Riddick, Danielo Perez and others.  For a complete list, click here.  

For a full schedule of upcoming jazz concerts, night clubs, campus events and jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com
 
For visitor information, visit MassVacation.com

Saturday, February 12, 2011

David Garrett Performing at Boston Symphony Hall on February 15


Virtuoso violinist David Garrett is performing at Boston Symphony Hall on Tuesday, February 14, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets are $32.50 - $42.50 and can be ordered online.


For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com

Friday, February 11, 2011

Bill Charlap Trio Performing at Regattabar in Cambridge on February 11-12


Pianist Bill Charlap performs with his trio this weekend at the Regattabar at the Charles River Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge, on Friday and Saturday, February 11-12, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Considered one of the world's premier jazz pianists, Charlap is joined by Peter Bernstein on guitar and Sean Smith on bass.  Tickets to the show are $25 and can be ordered online

For a full schedule of jazz at the Regattabar this winter, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, visit MassVacation.com



Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Tierney Sutton Band Performing at Harvard on Thursday, February 10

Acclaimed jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton and her band are giving a master class at the New College Theatre, 10-12 Holyoke Street in Cambridge on Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

The band is celebrating its third consecutive Grammy Nomination for "Best Vocal Jazz Album." 
Members of the band are Christian Jacob, Trey Henry, Kevin Axt and Ray Brinker. 

The event is presented by Learning From Performers at the Office for the Arts at Harvard, a visiting artist program that allows students to interact with professionals in all disciplines. 

On Friday, February 11, the Tierney Sutton Band is performing at Sanders Theatre in Harvard Square, as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston season.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Jazz Singer Amanda Carr Appearing at Chianti Jazz Lounge in Beverly on Sunday, February 13


Jazz vocalist Amanda Carr is performing two special shows at the Chianti Tuscan Restaurant & Jazz Lounge, 265 Cabot Street in Beverly Massachusetts on Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are available online for $18, or at the door the day of the concert for $20. The concert is sponsored by North Shore Jazz Project, which promotes jazz year round north of Boston.

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

For tourist information on Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.




National Public Radio Reveals 100 Quintessential Jazz Songs


(February 7, 2011) National Public Radio released its list of "100 Quintessential Jazz Songs" based on feedback from listeners of Jazz24.org and NPR Music.

Here are the top ten:

  1. Dave Brubeck, "Take Five"
  2. Miles Davis, "So What"
  3. Duke Ellington, "Take The A Train"
  4. Thelonious Monk, "Round Midnight"
  5. John Coltrane, "My Favorite Things"
  6. John Coltrane, "A Love Supreme (Acknowledgment)"
  7. Miles Davis, "All Blues"
  8. Weather Report, "Birdland"
  9. Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto, "The Girl From Ipanema"
  10. Benny Goodman, "Sing, Sing, Sing"
For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

Monday, February 7, 2011

Boston's Beehive Jazz Club - Four Days of Luv'n to Celebrate Valentine's Day


The Beehive Jazz Club in Boston's South End is celebrating Valentine's Day from Friday, February 11 through Monday, February 14 -- four days of great food, cocktails and live performances. 

The Beehive is located at 541 Tremont Street in Boston's South End.  To get full details of the Valentine Day extravaganza, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com

Saxophonist Wayne Shorter at Berklee Performance Center on February 8


Six-time Grammy Award winner Wayne Shorter brings his quartet to Boston for a concert at the Berklee Performance Center on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $46-$66 and can be ordered online

Considered one of the most inventive and daring musicians and composers of his generation, Shorter began his career playing with John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Miles Davis.  In 1970 he formed Weather Report with keyboardist Joe Zawinal, creating a new style of jazz fusion.  In recent year's he's worked with smaller ensembles, and in 2007 he partnered with some of the world's leading orchestras to to unveil his symphonic repertoire.

For a full schedule of events at Berklee Performance Center, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Boston's Cafe Tatant pays tribute to jazz legend Abbey Lincoln on February 3



Jazz vocalist Diane Richardson pays tribute to the late, great Abbey Lincoln on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at Cafe Tatant at the Roxbury Center for the Arts in Boston.  She'll be joined by percussionist Yoron Israel, trombonist Bill Lowe, bass player John Lockwood and keyboard player John Kordalewski.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for cocktails; dinner is served at 7:00 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $12 for the show, or $28 for meal and show.  For advance reservations, contact Dillon Bustin at 617 849-6322 or dbustin@madison-park.org, or, you can order tickets online.

For more information on the show, including the menu, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Black History Month: Ayana McDonald Performing at Boston's Villa Victoria on February 5


Gospel and R&B singer Ayana McDonald is performing at the Villa Victoria Center for the Arts in Boston's South End on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 11:30 a.m.  She'll be joined by various performances by local youth and community groups. 

The free event - featuring, music, dancing and soul food - is one of many Black History Month celebrations taking place across Boston.  For more information call 617 927-1707 or RSVP to the event on Facebook.

The center is located at 85 W. Newton Street.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Tony Bennett Performing in Boston on Saturday, February 5



Tony Bennett, one of America's most revered and iconic singers, is performing at the Citi Performing Arts Center in Boston at 8:00 p.m. this Saturday, February 5, 2011.

Tickets to the concert are  $50-$125 and can be ordered online.

Bennett has perfected the great American Song Book over the past fifty years, starting his career alongside Frank Sinatra and in recent years performing with a host of great musicians, from Stevie Wonder to K.D. Lang.  He has won 15 Grammy awards, and dozens of other prizes throughout his career.  In 2006 he was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

For year round information on jazz, visit MasssJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.



Monday, January 31, 2011

Musical on Gospel Star Mahalia Jackson at Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, February 4-20


An inspiring musical play on the life of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson opens at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center on Friday, February 4 and runs through Sunday, February 20, 2011.

The performances, presented by Mixed Magic Theatre, take place Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 4:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $15-25 and can be ordered online. Group discounts for 15 or more are also available by contacting the Box Office.

Described by Little Richard as "the true queen of spiritual songs," Jackson's musical journey from New Orleans to Chicago, and her friendship with Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement, are lovingly depicted by writer and director Jonathan Pitts-Wiley

For a list of upcoming performances at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, located at 41 Second Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts click here

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Mr. Ho's Orchestrotical! performs at Club Passim in Cambridge on Sunday, January 30


Mr. Ho's Orchestrotical! led by Boston percussionist Brian O'Neill, is performing at Club Passim in Harvard Square, Cambridge, on Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are $12 and can be ordered online.

The 21-piece big band, created by Mr. O'Neill, is devoted to the "space age bachelor pad" sounds of Juan Garcia Esquivel, often referred to as Mexico's version of Duke Ellington.

For an upcoming schedule of events at Passim's, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Marcus Monteiro Organ Trio Performing at New Bedford's Whaling Museum on January 28


The Marcus Monteiro Organ Trio performs this Friday evening at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Admission is $5 for museum members and $10 for non-members.  Must be 21 years old.  For more information contact 508 997-0046.

Montiero is a saxophonist who plays throughout the New England area and up through Quebec City.  The band combines jazz, funk, rock, fusion, blues, and dance.

The Whaling Museum is a world-renowned museum that depicts the important history of the whaling industry and New Bedford's role as a premier port.  It located at  18 Johnny Cake Hill in New Bedford.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com




Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Michelle Cruz Show at Cafe Tatant in Boston Postponed Due to Weather


Concert Postponed until April 21, 2011



The Michelle Cruz concert taking place at Cafe Tatant in Roxbury on Thursday, January 27, 2011, has been postponed due to the winter storm coming to Massachusetts.

The concert is being rescheduled for Thursday, April 21, 2011.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com



Cryogenic Renaissance Orchestra Performing Jazz at Shalin Liu Hall in Rockport


Rockport Music is presenting trumpeter Greg Hopkins and his nine-member Cryogenic Renaissance Orchestra in a special concert at the new Shalin Liu Performing Arts Center in Rockport, Massachusetts on Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to the concert are $18, $24 and $32, and can be ordered online.

The Orchestra is performing standards and original compositions influenced by jazz greats like Miles Davis, Gil Evans and Herbie Hancock.

Hopkins is a professor of jazz composition at Berklee College of Music, and has performed with Frank Sinatra, Joe Williams, Lena Horne and Dizzy Gillespie.  

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Singer Michelle Cruz Performing at Cafe Tatant in Roxbury on Thursday, January 27



Singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist Michelle Cruz is appearing at the new Cafe Tatant supper club at the Roxbury Center for the Arts on Thursday, January 27, 2011.  The Providence-based singer, nominated for a New England Music Award, blends jazz, rock, folk and blues.  Her debut album, The Recovery, is available on Nevaeh Recordings.

The doors at Cafe Tetant open at 6:00 p.m for cocktails, dinner is served at 7:00 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $12 for the show, $28 for the meal and show, and $54 per couple for meal and show combo.  Tickets are available online.   Food is provided by Ethnica Gourmet Catering.

In addition to her promising career as a singer/songwriter, Cruz received a fellowship from the Rhode Island Fellowship to explore the music of her ancestral roots in Cape Verde, where she collected songs from different islands and met with musicians there.  And she is founder of a non-profit group, The Lost Chord, that provides free music lessons and instruments to children in Rhode Island.

Located at 184 Dudley Street at the newly refurbished Hibernian Hall in Dudley Square, Cafe Tatant launched its new supper club in November, offering local residents and visitors a chance to enjoy great music in an intimate, relaxed listening lounge in the heart of Roxbury, one of Boston's most historic neighborhoods.

For a schedule of upcoming events at Roxbury Center for the Arts, click here.

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

For tourism information, visit MassVacation.com.




Irish musicians and poets performing at Berklee College in Boston on January 27


A line-up of great Irish traditional musicians are performing at the David Friend Recital Hall at Berklee College of Music in Boston on Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.  Admission is free.

Berklee instructor and champion mandolin player John McGann leads an all star line-up that includes Sean Gannon, All-Ireland champion on the button accordion.  Born and raised in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, Sean learned his music from his father John, who comes from Connemara, Galway.

Joining McGann and Gannon are George Keith and Oisin McAuley on fiddles, Matt Heaton on guitar, Shannon Heaton on flute and Maeve Gilchrist on harp.

Joe Nugent, professor of Irish at Boston College, will read Irish poetry and selections from Finnegan's Wake by novelist James Joyce.

The evening is presented by FUSION: A Magazine of Literature, Music, Art and Ideas.  For more information contact Joseph Coroniti, editor-in-chief, at ljcoroniti@berklee.edu.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For year round Irish music in Massachusetts, visit IrishMassachusetts.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.


Monday, January 24, 2011

Charles Lloyd Quartet Performs at UMASS/ Amherst on Tuesday, January 25


Legendary jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd is appearing with his dynamic new quartet at Bowker Auditorium at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets to the concert are $25 and $15 general admission, and $10 for college students and youths under seventeen, and tickets can be purchased online.

The band consists of Lloyd along with pianist Jason Moran, bassist Rueben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland.  The band played over the weekend to enthusiastic audiences at Regattabar in Cambridge, and was reviewd by the Boston Globe's jazz critic, Steve Greenlee.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.


Thursday, January 20, 2011

"Gary Burton's Arrival: Celebrating 50 Years" is being broadcast across the nation starting January 21


A live concert celebrating the 50 year career of jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton at Berklee College of Music, is airing this month on NPR's Jazz Set with Dee Dee Bridgewater.  The concert airs on 140 NPR affiliate stations nationwide, and on demand at NPRmusic.org and Real Jazz  at SiriusXM Radion.   In Boston, the concert airs on Saturday, January 22 at 10:00 p.m. on 89.7 WGBH radio.

The concert -- recorded in April 2010 at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston -- features musicians from Burton's seminal groups, including Chick Corea, John Scofield, Joe Lovano, Steve Swallow and many more great players.

Burton arrived as a student at Berklee in 1960, and since then has helped define jazz's state-of-the-art for the past five decades.  He won six Grammy Awards and influenced thousands of musicians, students and music lovers during his illustrious career.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com



Fred Woodard Trio Performing at Cafe Tatant in Boston on January 20


Innovative guitarist Fred Woodard and his trio are performing at the new Cafe Tatant dinner show in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood on Thursday, January 20, 2011.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for cocktails; dinner is served at 7:00 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Born in Kansas City, Woodard attended Berklee College of Music, receiving his degree in jazz composition and arrangement.  He has performed extensively in Boston and on the international circuit, playing with R&B stars like Sam & Dave, William Bell, the Drifters and the Marvelettes.

Located at the Roxbury Center for Arts at 184 Dudley Street, Cafe Tatant opened last November as an upscale venue for listening and dancing to jazz, rhythm and blues and soul music every Thursday night.  The menu  is created by George Huggins of Ethnica Gourmet Catering. 

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.






Wednesday, January 19, 2011

BeeHive Jazz Club in Boston Presents Singer Spotlight Series on Monday Nights


The Beehive Jazz Club in Boston's South End is introducing a Singer Spotlight Series every Monday at 8:00 p.m. 

This Monday, January 24, 2011 features singer Sarah Brindell, who teaches composition at the Berklee College of Music, and whose latest album is Dreaming Shoes.

For a full schedule of events at the Beehive, click here.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Shelley Neill kicks of 2011 Jazz Series at Cambridge's Multicultural Arts Center on January 21


Acclaimed vocalist Shelley Neill performs this Friday, January 21, at the Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge Massachusetts at 8:00 p.m. (doors open at 7:00 p.m.).

Neill is being joined by ace Berklee musicians Laszlo Gardony on piano, Ron Mahdi on bass and Yoron Israel on drums. 

Tickets to the show are $20 and $15 and are available online or at the box office window, which is open 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 Monday through Friday.

Neill's performance will include songs from her recent album, Irish Eyes Gypsy Soul, which was released a year ago on her birthday.

The concert is part of the Center's Jazz Club series, which has offered jazz fans a chance to hear great music in an intimate setting since 2004.  The Center is located at 41 Second Street in East Cambridge.

For upcoming concerts at the Center, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Eric Jackson's Jazz Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. on WGBH on January 17


Eric Jackson, host of one of the region's most popular jazz radio shows,  is paying his annual tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 17, 2011, starting at 8:00 p.m..

The tribute - which combines a variety of King's speeches and interviews alongside jazz from that era, can be heard on his nightly show, Eric in the Evening, which airs on 89.7 WGBH radio from 8:00 p.m.through midnight.

Reporter Lane Lambert did an excellent story on Eric in the Quincy Patriot Ledger which talks about Jackson's annual tribute to King.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Jazz Pianist Billy Taylor, Rest in Peace


Legendary jazz pianist, composer and educator Dr. Billy Taylor died on December 28, 2010 at age 89.  He was long admired throughout his career as an innovative musician who composed over 300 tunes.

Taylor had an illustrious career as a jazz pianist, getting his start with the Ben Webster Quartet in New York City, and was later the house pianist for the famous Birdland Jazz Club, sitting in Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and others.

Dr. Taylor has long been associated with the Music Department at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he got his masters and Ph.D in education.  In 1982, Billy helped found the Jazz in July program at UMass/Amherst, combining master classes, mentorship and live performances by esteemed faculty members and invited guests.

National Public Radio has a thorough tribute to Taylor, who was a longtime host of Jazz Alive on NPR stations.  The New York Times also wrote a feature story on Taylor's life.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.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...