Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Goupo Fantasma and Debo Band Playing at Brighton Music Hall on Wednesday, July 11


Grammy Award winning Latin band Grupo Fantasma is performing live at the Brighton Music Hall in Boston on Wednesday, July 11, 2012.  They're joined by the Debo Band, an Ethopian pop band.

General admission is $15.00 and can be purchased online, or $18 the day of the show.

See a schedule of upcoming events at Brighton Hall.

For details on jazz festivals, concerts, campus events and other music activities in Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information to to MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Jazz Guitarist John Pizzarelli Performs at Rockport Music Series on Sunday, July 8


Rockport Music is presenting world-renowned jazz guitarist, singer, composer and bandleader John Pizzarelli in concert at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport on Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.

Tickets are $41, $51 and $61 and can be purchased online or at the Center on concert day.

The son of another legendary guitarist, Bucky Pizzarelli, John was hailed by The Boston Globe for "reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.”

Since 1981, Rockport Music has been committed to one enduring purpose: enriching lives through great music. To see a full schedule of concerts presented by Rockport Music this summer, click here.

For details on round jazz activities in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and NorthofBoston.org.

Jeremy Pelt Quintet Featured at Marblehead Summer Jazz Series on Saturday, July 7

Jazz trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and his quintet perform at the 28th annual Marblehead Summer Jazz season on Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $26 to $35 and can be purchased online or at the door.

The concert takes place in the Unitarian-Universalist Church on 28 Mugford Street in Marblehead. Directions here.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and NorthofBoston.org.



Monday, July 2, 2012

Yoko Miwa Performing at Post Office Square Concert Series in Boston on Monday, July 2


Jazz pianist Yoko Miwa performing at Post Office Square Park in Downtown Boston at noon on Monday, July 2, 2012.

The free, outdoor concert is part of the Live Concert Series hosted by the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District.  To see a full schedule of events click here.

For a full schedule of jazz concerts, jazz clubs, campus events and jazz brunches, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Fred Boyle Trio at Harvard Gallery Wine Bar on Cape Cod, Monday, July 2


The Fred Boyle Trio is performing at the Harvard Gallery Wine Bar in Dennis, Cape Cod, on Monday, August 22, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. There is no cover charge.

The trio includes Boyle on piano, Bart Weisman on drums and Rich Hill on bass.

For a full schedule of entertainment at Harvard Gallery Wine Bar through July, click here.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or CapeCodChamber.org.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Nora Jones Performs at Bank of America Pavilion in Boston on Sunday, July 1


Grammy Award winner Norah Jones is performing at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston's Seaport District on Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $57 - $79 and can be ordered online.

For a full schedule of concerts at Bank of America Pavilion this summer click here.

Find year round details on jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com

Diana Krall Performing at South Shore Melody Tent


Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall is performing in concert at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset on Saturday, June 30, 2012.  For ticket information click here.

Denzal Sinclaire, one of Canada's most popular jazz vocalists and pianists, is opening the show.

To get a full schedule of events at the South Shore Music Circus this summer, click here.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com

Live Jazz Tonight Overlooking Boston at the Top of the Hub Restaurant & Lounge


Want to catch some great live jazz while enjoying an amazing, panoramic view of Boston at night on Saturday, June 30, 2012?

Check out the Marty Ballou Trio performing at the Top of the Hub Restaurant & Lounge, on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston Street,  in Boston's Back Bay.  The trio performs live from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Ballou is a seasoned bassist and sought-after studio musician who has performed with Jay McShann, Jimmy Witherspoon, Herb Ellis and others.  He is a regular performer at Top of the Hub.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.





Friday, June 29, 2012

Jazz Singer Diana Krall Performs at Cape Cod Melody Tent on Friday, June 29


Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall is performing in concert at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis on Friday, June 29, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $68.25 to $87.25 and can be purchased online or at the gate.

Opening the show for Ms. Krall is jazz performer Denzal Sinclaire, one of Canada's most popular jazz vocalists and pianists.

Krall and Sinclaire perform in the area on Saturday, June 30, 2012 at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset.  For ticket information click here

Find year round details on jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and CapeCodChamber.org.







Thursday, June 28, 2012

Lance Houston Quartet at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Boston on June 28


The Lance Houston Jazz Quartet is performing on Thursday, June 28, 2012 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Avenue One Lounge at Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Boston.

The lounge, located at One Avenue de Layfayette off of Washington Street, has live jazz every Thursday and Friday nights this summer.  For directions click here.

This summer you can find indoor and outdoor concerts in the Downtown Boston district.  For details visit Bostonbid.org

Find year round live jazz in Massachusetts, including festivals, campus events, night clubs, hotels and restaurants by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Berklee at the Regattabar Summer Courtyard Series Kicks off on Monday, July 9


The annual Berklee Courtyard Series at the Regattabar, featuring Berklee musicians performing Monday nights from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. this summer, is kicking off on Monday, July 9 with Ariadna Rivas, a gifted pianist and composer from Spain.

The free concert series, which runs through August 27, 2012,  takes place in the upper courtyard of the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, where is the home of the famous Regattabar Jazz Club.  It is free and open to the public.

View details on Berklee's Summer in the City concerts.

See schedule of upcoming jazz performances at the Regattabar this summer.

To find year round details on jazz and live performances in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.








Manhattan Transfer Performs at Scullers Jazz Club on June 27


Manhattan Transfer, the Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist group, is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 10:00 p.m.

Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online. (The 8:00 p.m. show is sold out.)

Find a full schedule of performances at Scullers Jazz Club this summer.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Jazz Pianist Yoko Miwa Performs at Les Zygomates in Boston on June 26


Yoko Miwa, jazz pianist, is performing at Les Zygomates Wine Bar at 129 South Street in Boston on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m..

Click here for a schedule of Ms. Miwa's summer performance schedule.

For details on jazz in Massachusetts throughout the year, including night clubs, concerts, campus events and more, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Monday, June 25, 2012

Flamenco Soul Project at Arsenal Center for the Arts on June 25


Berklee Mediterranean Music Institute, Spain Arts & Culture, and ArsenalArts present the Flamenco Soul Project at at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown on Monday, June 25, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $25 and can be purchased online or by calling 617 923-8487.

Under the artistic direction of Javier LimĂłn (Seven-Time Latin Grammy Award Winner), Flamenco Soul presents a sample of the best flamenco in the world, risky but pure at the same time, by the hands, feet and soul of a group of young talents that set the tempo of the sound of today.

Find year round details on live jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.




Cirque du Soleil Totem, Live in Boston Through July


Published on MassVacation Blog, June 25, 2012.

People gasped, wholly astonished. They laughed, shook their heads in disbelief, watched in nervous silence, and applauded wildly throughout the evening.

That’s what Cirque du Soleil Totem does to its audience, as we discovered firsthand after recently attending the opening show. Cirque is in Boston through July, over at the spacious Marine Industrial Park, right along the city’s stunning waterfront in South Boston.

Held under a giant, state-of-the-art Circus Tent and pavilion, Cirque features some of the world’s greatest acrobats, stuntmen, magicians, actors, comedians, mimes and athletes. The troupe is like a United Nations, with artists from Canada and the United States (including Native American Indians), as well as China, Russia, New Zealand, France and other corners of the world.

And so was the audience – diverse in every way, with kids, parents and grandparents, students, tourists, and locals all mingling together. Indeed, one of the great qualities of the show is its universal appeal.

Just to brief you – Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun) was formed in Quebec City in 1984 by a group of artists and dreamers devoted to live theatre and street performance. Since then it has become one of the truly great entertainment and cultural spectacles of our time.

This Cirque show on tour in Boston is called Totem – whose theme traces the journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly.

The opening stage set was of a gigantic turtle, from which all sorts of visual and acrobatic activity emerged. The feats of daring were breathtaking, much of them done without nets. What we loved, too, was the French-inspired whimsy and impishness that brought the audience right into the show before the curtain even went up.

The eight-piece live band was terrific, blending together indigenous melody with a driving polyrhythm that lent to the drama and flair of the performers.

A true highlight of the show had to be the state-of-the-art technology used to create shifting landscapes and seascapes throughout the show. The set designs, lighting, sound, and staging were remarkable in creating just the right ambiance and mood throughout the performance.

Even more good news – getting into Marine Industrial Park was easy; it is right off Northern Avenue, close to the Boston Convention Center and the World Trade Center.  It overlooks Boston Harbor, and is where cruise ships dock in the summer. A public parking garage is two-minutes from the tent, with local police directing traffic. The Cirque staff is efficient and friendly, from the ticket counter to the merchandise shops, food counter, and wine and beer stations. Even the restrooms were clean, well stocked, and efficiently placed around the facility to avoid long lines.

Would we go back again? Definitely! Cirque du Soleil is one of the most amazing, entertaining, and inspiring shows we’ve seen in a long time. The fact that it’s right in Boston gives visitors all sorts of options for dining, sightseeing or staying overnight in one of the hotels within walking distance.

Vive Le Cirque!

For show times, and ticket information, click here.

- Review by Michael Quinlin of MassJazz

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...