Wednesday, July 30, 2014

2014 MassJazz Guide Celebrates Live Jazz in Massachusetts


The newly released 2014 MassJazz Guide showcases the vibrant jazz scene across Massachusetts.  The 44 page magazine lists jazz festivals, concerts, educational courses, and other activities taking place in the Bay State through April 2015.

Published by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, MassJazz is available for free at visitor centers, jazz venues and college campuses. 

You can also read the 2014 MassJazz Guide online.

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

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

Friday, July 25, 2014

Boston Summer Arts Weekend Features Jazz Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, Soul Rebels and More, July 26-27


Latin jazz legend Arturo Sandoval is performing at this year's Boston Summer Arts Weekend, taking place in Boston's Copley Square on July 26-27, 2014.

The free festival, courtesy of WGBH 89.7 FM and The Boston Globe, offers a dynamic line-up of music and dance, ranging from jazz and classical to Irish, bluegrass and rock.  Here is a schedule of performers.

A native of Cuba, Sandoval was a protegee of American jazz trumpter Dizzy Gillespie and a pioneer in the development of Latin jazz. He has received ten Grammy Awards and has been nominated 19 times.

Among the other performers with a jazz, R&B and blues sound are Jesse Cook, Los Lobos and Soul Rebels.

Located in Boston's Back Bay, Copley Square Park is one of the city's most beautiful settings, encircled by Trinity Church, the Old South Church, the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel,  and the Boston Public Library.

Find year round jazz at MassJazz.com.

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

Thursday, July 24, 2014

New Cambridge Jazz Festival Launches in Massachusetts on July 27


Grammy winners, local artists and jazz legends are all slated to perform at the first annual Cambridge Jazz Festival, taking place on Sunday, July 27 at the University Park Commons on Sydney Street outside of Harvard Square.

Jazz drummer and Grammy Award winner Terri Lyne Carrington and Motown legend Valerie Simpson are headlining the stage, along with jazz pianist George W. Russell Jr. and his trio, vocalist Dominique Eade, jazz drummer Ron Savage and his trio and Fernando Brandao and  the Berklee Brazilian All Stars.  Here is the complete schedule, and bios of the artists.  

The festival, which is free and open to the public, is being organized by Larry Ward, a former Cambridge City Councilor, and jazz musician Ron Savage, with help from numerous supporters, including City Manager Rich Rossi and Deena Anderson of Harvard’s Arts First program.
Ward, who describes himself as “a jazz lover for years and years,” came up with the idea after running a club and bringing in jazz acts near Central Square.  He met up with jazz drummer Ron Savage to discuss the idea, and “he and I had the same vision – it was uncanny – of what could possibly be.
 
An important perspective of the festival organizers, Ward says, is “the constant need to bridge younger musicians with some of the more established musicians. “ 

In addition to the music, the festival also has also organized a Taste of Cambridge selection of food trucks and local vendors supplying a diverse selection of foods.  

The Cambridge Jazz Festival also marks the launch of the Johnny Hodges Fund, a new initiative to support college scholarships and music education for Cambridge students, while celebrating the late Hodges (1906-1970), a Cambridge native who is considered one of the great saxophonists in jazz.

Here is a schedule of jazz festivals inMassachusetts this year.

 

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Roxbury Rocks Music Festival features jazz on Saturday, July 19


The 1st annual Roxbury Rocks Music Festival is taking place at Roxbury Community College in Boston on Saturday, July 19, 2014 from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Among the featured jazz performers: the John Kordalewski Trio and Ron Murphy Group.

Here is a full schedule of jazz festivals in Massachusetts this summer and fall.

You can find year-round details on live jazz in Massachusetts at massjazz.com.

For visitor information, go to massvacation.com.

 

Monday, July 14, 2014

Elle Varner Headlines the 3rd annual Onset Beach Jazz Festival on Saturday, July 19

 
Elle Varner 
 
The 3rd annual Onset Beach Jazz Festival is taking place on Saturday, July 19, 2014 from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online.
This year's line-up includes singer, songwriter and multiinstrumentalist Elle Varner, trumpeter Tom Browne, pianist Andy McWain, Positivity and Voices of the Future.
 
Tom Browne
 
The festival takes place at the Lillian Gregerman Band Shell. Here are directions.
 
The Onset Beach Jazz Festival supports the Music Instruments for Middle School Students (MIMSS), which keeps music alive in middle schools by helping students secure instruments.
 
Find year round details on jazz in Massachusetts at MassJazz.com.
 
For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, June 13, 2014

Django in June taking place in Northampton on June 17-22, featuring the music of Django Reinhardt


The annual Django in June celebration of the music of gypsy jazz artist Django Reinhardt is taking place in Northampton from June 17-22, 2014.

The celebration kicks off on June 17 with the Django camp, which gives musicians the opportunity to immerse themselves in the repertoire of the great Belguin musician.  Some of the world's best Django musicians are on hand to teach the unique guitar style that made Reinhardt a legendary artist.

There are also two great concerts are taking place at the Academy of Music in downtown Northampton: on June 20, featuring premier gypsy jazz band Latcho Drom, and Samson Schmitt; on June 21, Les Doigts De L'Homme.

For a full schedule of jazz festivals and concerts taking place in Massachusetts this summer, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

 

Thursday, June 12, 2014

3rd annual New Bedford JazzFest Taking Place on Saturday, June 14


The third annual New Bedford JazzFest is taking place from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2014 on Pier 3 along the city's waterfront.  

The event features great local and regional jazz performers and showcases local artists and food.  Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the festival, and can be purchased online or at the venue.

This year's line-up includes Ethmology, Southcoast Jazz Orchestra, jazz singer Shawnn Monterio and the John Harrison Trio, and the MonterioBots, led by Marcus Monterio.

An historic port city rich in heritage and culture, New Bedford was the world's most famous whaling port in the 19th century, captured by the literature by Herman Melville and others.  Today, New Bedford is the nation's number one commercial fishing port.

New Bedford is also rich in cultural attractions, including music and ethnic festivals, culinary events, literary activities and historical tourism.  And nearby UMass/Darmouth has an excellent music department, specializing in jazz, world music, classical and gospel.

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

For visitor information go to New Bedford Department of Tourism or MassVacation.com.





Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Berkshires Gateway Jazz Weekend Taking Place June 5-8 in Lee



 
New Black Eagle Jazz Band

The annual Berkshires Gateway Jazz Weekend is taking place in Lee, Massachusetts from June 5 through June 8, 2014.  Tickets are available online.
 
Among the headliners this year: Sonny & Perley, the Sounds of Shearing and the New Black Eagle Jazz Band. 
 
These events, plus other events, take place at venues in and around Lee, including the Spectrum Theater and First Congregational Church.  Here is a schedule of events.
 
Massachusetts has numerous jazz festivals taking place throughout the Commonwealth through October.  Here is a schedule of 2014 jazz festivals in Massachusetts.
 
For year round information on live jazz, college courses, jazz clubs, radio programs and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.
 
 
 

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Boston Pops Presents Gatsby Night at Symphony Hall, May 28-30


The Boston Pops, led by maestro Keith Lockhart, is presenting a jazz-filled Gatsby Night at Boston Symphony Hall from May 28-30, 2014. 

The show features the Hot Sardines from New York City, making its Boston Pops debut.  Tickets to the show are $24-94 and can be purchased online or by calling888 266-1200.

Here is the remaining schedule of Boston Pops concerts this season through June 14, 2014.
 
Find year round details on cultural activities in Massachusetts by visiting massjazz.com.

For visitor information go to massvacation.com.





Monday, May 19, 2014

MassJazz Issues 2014 Schedule of Jazz Festivals in Massachusetts

Elle Varner Performs at Onset Beach Jazz Festival
 

MassJazz has issued its 2014 schedule of jazz festivals taking place across Massachusetts this spring, summer and fall.

The season kicks off on Memorial Day weekend with the Plymouth Rock Assurance Jazz Festival and ends with the Holyoke Latin Jazz Festival in October.  

Find more details on each festival at MassJazz.com/festivals.  The schedule also includes selections of blues and world-music festivals too.


May 24-26/ Plymouth Rock Assurance Jazz Festival

June 5-8/ Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend

June 14/ New Bedford Jazz Fest

June 20-22/ Paulie’s NOLA Jazz &amp Blues Festival

July 12-13/ Green River Festival

July 19-21/ Festival Betances 2014

July 19/ Onset Beach Jazz Festival

July 25-27/ Boston Globe / WGBH Summer Arts Weekend

August 1-3/ Newport Jazz Festival

August 13-17/ 3rd Annual Rockport Jazz Festival

August 16-17/ Salem Jazz and Soul Festival

August 16 & 18/ 10th Annual Provincetown Jazz Festival

August 17, 24-25/ North River Blues Festival

September 6/ Northampton Jazz Festival

September 27/ Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival

September 26 - October 5/ JazzFest Falmouth ‘14

October 12/ Holyoke Latin Jazz Festival

MassJazz was created in 2009 to celebrate the vibrant, year round jazz scene across the Commonwealth. 

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

Friday, May 16, 2014

Christian McBride Trio Performs at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Friday, May 16



Christian McBride Trio(Chi Modu)
 
The Christian McBride Trio is performing two shows at Scullers on Friday, May 16, 2014, at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. The 8:00 p.m. show is sold out, but tickets to the 10:00 show are $35-$75 and can be purchased online or at the venue.

The group, which includes McBride on bass, Christian Sands on piano and Ulysses Owens, Jr. on drums, has just released a new CD, Out Here.

Here is a schedule of upcoming jazz concerts at Scullers, located at the Doubtree Suites by Hilton Boston-Cambridge Hotel, located at 400 Soldiers Field Road.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

 

Friday, April 25, 2014

Governor Patrick Proclaims Jazz Month in Massachusetts






Governor Deval Patrick declared April 2014 as Jazz Month in Massachusetts.

Celebrate Jazz Week April 25th - May 4th, sponsored by Jazz Boston.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts visit MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit massvacation.com.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Congratulations to jazz impresario Fred Taylor!


Fred Taylor, who has been working in the Boston jazz scene for over 50 years, is receiving JazzBoston's Roy Haynes Award on Sunday, May 4, as Jon Garelick writes in his Boston Globe article.


Taylor ran legendary music clubs Paul's Mall and the Boston Jazz Workshop for 15 years, and is currently the Entertainment Director for Scullers Jazz Club, at the Double Tree hotel in Allston.

As a part of Jazz Week '14, Scullers will have a tribute show at 8:00 p.m., May 4. (Click here for tickets)

For other events at Scullers Jazz Club, go to www.scullersjazz.com.

For more Jazz events in Boston and in Massachusetts, visit www.massjazz.com

For tourist information, visit www.massvacation.com.


 

Friday, April 18, 2014

Easter Jazz Brunch at Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen in Boston's South End, April 20


Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen is hosting a jazz brunch on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

Reservations are recommended: please call 617 536-1100.  Find directions.

You can read a profile of Darryl Settles, owner of the venue.

Here is a list of other jazz brunches throughout Massachusetts.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.




 

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Berklee Students Write a Boston Marathon Tribute, "I Don't Have a Song for That"

 
 

Berklee College of Music students Ben Johnston and  Jordan Lucero took one of their compositions in a Song Writing class and turned it into a tribute to the Boston Marathon bombing victims, heroes and survivors.  Read the story of how the song came about.

The song was arranged by Berklee alumnus Evan Chapman and accompanied by a choral group of 28 singers, a string quartet, and a rhytham section of guitar, bass and drum.  Mark Joseph is the lead singer on the tribute.



 

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...