Jazz Christmas Concert at Scullers in Boston on December 6 & 7

A Peter White Christmas, starring smooth jazz guitarist Peter White and saxophonists Mindi Abair and Kirk Whalum takes place at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Tuesday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 10:00 p.m.

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online.

For upcoming concerts at Scullers Jazz Club, click here.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

US Air Force Jazz Ensemble Performing Free Concert at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Wednesday, December 7

The US Air Force jazz ensemble, Band of Liberty, is performing a free lunchtime concert at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at noon.

It's part of the Brown Bag lunch series sponsored by Mechanics Hall, along with WICN 90.5 FM and Bank of America.

Made up of 13 outstanding musicians from around the country, the Band of Liberty jazz ensemble takes pride in preserving the heritage of America's true art form - jazz.  The band is based at Hanscom Air Force base in Massachusetts.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com. 

Tenor Sax Standout Seamus Blake Performs at Berklee's 939 Cafe on Wednesday, December 7

Jazz saxophonist Seamus Blake is performing at the Red Room at Cafe 939 in Boston on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the performance are $10 general admission and can be purchased online.

The concert is part of a new NPR/ WBGO Jazz 88 FM concert series called The Check Out - Live at Berklee, which features New York-based critically acclaimed alumni from Berklee College of Music.  The performances is broadcast live in New York to WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM's 350,000 listeners and streamed worldwide on NPRmusic.org. The shows will also be audio podcast from Checkoutjazz.org and from NPRmusic.org.

Born in England and raised in Canada, Blake is recognized as one of the finest exponents of contemporary jazz performance and composition.

For a schedule of upcoming performances at Cafe 939, click here.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Berklee College of Music Breaks Ground for 16 Story Tower in Boston

On Thursday, November 30, 2011, the Berklee College of Music broke ground  for a 16-story, $100 million new dormitory and music center for the school's student population, located at 160 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston.

Attending the groundbreaking were Roger Brown, president of Berklee, Tom Menino, mayor of Boston, and a number of local public official, school officials and neighborhood leaders.

Completion is expected in fall 2013, and will include 770 beds, a two-story dining hall, a 400-seat performance center for students, plus practice rooms, student lounges, and on-street retail shops.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

New Music Festival at Boston Conservatory Features German Saxophonist Phillipp Staudlin on Friday, December 2

Phillipp Staudlin

 

Day two of The Boston Conservatory's  New Music Festival features currents in contemporary composition overseas.

Entitled Jumpin into the Future: new Music Evolved From Jazz, the event takes place Friday, December 2, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.at the Boston Conservatory Theatre, located at 31 Hemenway Street.  The event is free to the public.

Guest Artists include the I/O Ensemble featuring saxophonist Philipp Stäudlin. Works include DW:16–Songbook 1 by Bernhard Lang, as well as works by Edison Denisov and others.

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

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

Grammy Awards 2012 Jazz and Latin Nominees

Jazz and Latin nominations for the 54th annual Grammy Awards were announced last night by The Recording Academy.  Among the jazz artists nominated are Chick Corea, Terri Lyne Carrington, Kurt Elling, Tierney Sutton, Arturo O'Farrill and Christian McBride.  

For a full list of jazz nominations, click here.

For a full list of Latin nominations, click here.

The Grammy Awards take place on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, and are televised live.  You can follow updates on the Grammys Facebook or Grammy Twitter.

To follow live jazz in Massachusetts throughout the year, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Music of Charles Mingus featured at Brandeis University Jazz Ensemble Concert in Waltham on December 3

Director Bob Nieske 

The Jazz Ensemble at Brandeis University is performing the music of Charles Mingus at Slosberg Recital Hall, 415 South Street in Waltham, on Saturday, December 3, 2011, starting at 8:00 p.m.  The concert is free and open to the public.

The 20-person student ensemble is led by jazz bassist and professor Bob Nieske. 

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

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