Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Boston Jazz Fest Taks Place in Seaport District on Saturday, August 27

Jazz vocalist Pat Braxton

The annual Boston Jazz Fest is taking place from noon to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at Boston Maritime Park in the city's Seaport District. The event is free and open to the public.

Among the performers are jazz vocalist Pat Braxton, Japanese saxophonist Erena Terakubo, jazz vocalist Emy Tseng and more. See the full schedule here.

Here is a map of Boston Maritime Park.

To learn more about live jazz in Massachusetts, read the MassJazz Guide or visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.


Thursday, August 18, 2016

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival Celebrates Ten Years on August 20-21

(Photo courtesy of Salem Creative) 

Where to begin when describing Salem –a city rich in history, infamous for its 17th century witch trials and regaled for its 19th century maritime history. A city of charming beauty, with an historic waterfront and world-renowned museums and cultural institutions.

Today, as the annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary as one of the region’s most popular outdoor jazz festivals, we can confidently add jazz as another reason to visit Salem.  Here is the full performance schedule

Co-founders Larry Claflin, Jr. and Henley Douglas, Jr. launched the festival in 2006 after the idea had been kicking around town for several years. They created a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization with a straightforward mission: to produce free concerts while supporting music education on the North Shore.

A decade later, the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival is thriving, and so are ancillary programs that grew out of the festival, including a series of jazz concerts at Derby Square on the second Saturday of each month, in partnership with the Berklee College of Music.

Thaddeus Hogarth, Associate Professor of Guitar at Berklee, enlists the musicians who perform. The two-hour concerts include on-stage interviews with the musicians, who talk freely about their experience at Berklee and their love of music. Many of them are international students.

The festival is run by a dedicated, volunteer-based Board of Directors, and one of the projects they are particularly proud of is the SJSF music education programs that benefit the North Shore area.

“We support school music programs, group homes and after-school music programs,” Claflin says. “We also cover tuition for some teens to attend a local jazz and recording camp. And we run a monthly workshop called MusicKidz at 135 Lafayette Street Apartments.”

SJSF also works in conjunction with Northeast Arc, which provides lifelong support for people with disabilities.

“Through a grant, we work with Northeast Arc to produce a workshop for kids on the autism spectrum. Music therapists are hired to teach the children about music and help them each to produce and record a song.”

This year’s Salem Jazz and Soul Festival takes place on August 20- 21 along the sandy shores of the Salem Willows, a park where jazz giants like Duke Ellington and other big bands performed in the 1920s.

“Since our concerts are free it’s difficult to track audiences, but we know — anecdotally — that people travel from around New England to attend our festival, some coming from as far as New
York and Pennsylvania.”

With a decade of hard work, great music and community service, what is next for the festival organizers?

“We want to perfect what we have done so far,” Claflin says, “to add more educational components, and raise more money to further music education on the North Shore.”

To find about more about live jazz in Massachusetts, read the MassJazz Guide or visit MassJazz.com

For more information about visiting Salem, go to Salem.org.

To find out more about Massachusetts, visit MassVacation.com

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

12th annual Provincetown Jazz Festival Taking Place on Cape Cod, August 11 & 15

Nicki Parrott

The 12th annual Provincetown Jazz Festival is taking place on Thursday, August 11 and Monday, August 15, 2016 on Cape Cod.

Here is the full schedule of events.

The August 11 concert features jazz vocalist Billy Stritch, singing from the Mel Torme songbook, and jazz saxophonist Scott Avidon, who performs with Fabiano de Castro, Ron Ormbsy and Bart Weisman.  The concert takes place at the Crown & Anchor in Provincetown.

The August 15 concert features jazz vocalist and double bassist Nicki Parrott, who played with legendary guitarist Les Paul.  Also on the bill is jazz clarinetist Evan Christopher, who will perform with Nicki Parrott, Fred Boyle and Bart Weisman. The concert takes place at the Cotuit Center for the Arts.

Find out about ticket information here.

Check out more jazz on Cape Cod.

For more about live jazz and blues in Massachusetts, read the 2016 MassJazz Guide.

To visit Massachusetts, check out MassVacation.com

Monday, August 8, 2016

Rockport Jazz Festival, August 11-14, Features Top Jazz Artists

Terence Blanchard

Rockport Music presents the 5th annual Rockport Jazz Festival taking place on August 11-14, 2016 at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport.

This year's festival includes top jazz performers such as Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Harold Lopez-Nussa, Thinkin' Big Jazz Rising Stars and Ravi Coltrane.

Here is a schedule of other Rockport Music performances through the fall.

For more details on live jazz and blues in Massachusetts, check out the MassJazz Guide.

To make plans for visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Jazz & Blues Festivals in Massachusetts, August 2016


Ravi Coltrane at Rockport Jazz Festival 

There are some amazing jazz and blues festivals coming up in Massachusetts in August, according to MassJazz.com.

You can find more details by visiting the respective festival links or by reading the digital version of the 2016 MassJazz Guide, a free, 40 page magazine with details on the state's vibrant jazz scene.

August 6
Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival 
Court Square 
Springfield
springfieldjazzfest.com

August 6
24th annual Onset Blues Festival
Onset Beach

August 11-14
5th Annual Rockport Jazz Festival
Shalin Liu Performance Center 
Rockport
rockportmusic.org

August 11 & 15
12th Annual Provincetown Jazz Festival
Provincetown& Cotuit 
provincetownjazzfestival.org

August 14
9th annual Jazz on the Vineyard
Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard
jazzonthevineyard.org

August 20-21
Salem Jazz and Soul Festival
Salem Willows
Salem
salemjazzsoul.org

August 21
Green Harbor Roots Festival
Marshfield Fair 
Marshfield
marshfieldfair.org

August 26-27
Springfield Indie Soul Festival
Springfield
springfieldindysoul.com

August 27-28
North River Blues Festival
Marshfield Fair 
Marshfield 
marshfieldfair.org


For information about visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com



Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Jazz Singer Lizz Wright Performs at Shalin Liu Center in Rockport on July 29


Celebrated vocalist Lizz Wright is in concert at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, July 29, 2016.  Tickets to the concert  range from $45 - $59 and can purchased online or at the venue. 

Presented by Rockport Music, Ms. Wright is a vocalist of uncommon talent and spirit who slides effortlessly between jazz, R&B, gospel, blues and folk, Lizz Wright has built a career centered on her smoky, supple voice and an earthy/ethereal style. 

Here is a schedule of other concerts taking place this season.

Find year round jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

7th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival takes place on Saturday, July 23 at DCR Martini Shell in Boston


The 7th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival takes place on Saturday, July 23, 2016 from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the DCR Martini Shell along Truman Parkway in Hyde Park, a neighborhood of Boston.

Among the performers at the festival are the Jason Palmer Quintet, MIXCLA+1 featuring Zahili Gonzalez Zamora, Alonso Blanco/ Daniel Ian Smith Group and Ron Reid's Precious Metals Project. Here is information on the musicians.

Admission is free.

The Hyde Park Jazz Festival is sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (MDCR), Hyde Park Main Streets, Tutto Italiano and Northwinds Jazz Productions.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Festival Betance in Boston's South End Celebrates Latino Culture and Music, July 15-17


  
Festival Betances 2016 - the longest running Latino festival in New England - takes place in Boston's South End the weekend of July 15-17, 2016. 

The Festival is named after RamĂłn Emeterio Betances, a Puerto Rican patriot whose medical contributions benefited Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States.


 Here is a schedule of performances and activities taking place. 

Find year round details on jazz, blues and world music by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com

Friday, July 15, 2016

2016 MassJazz Guide Highlights Vibrant Jazz Scene in Massachusetts


The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) has released its 8th annual MassJazz Guide, a compendium of jazz festivals, concerts, night clubs, brunches, college courses and radio shows in Massachusetts.

Read the digital 2016 MassJazz Guide online

The free, 40-page MassJazz Guide highlights hundreds of jazz festivals - from Rockport to Provincetown -  and concerts across the Bay State from July through December, 2016.  Among the headliners are pianist Chick Corea, trumpeters Chris Botti and Arturo Sandoval and vocalists Lizz Wright and Dianne Reeves.

The 2016 issue profiles jazz pianist Vijay Iyer and saxophonist Grace Kelly, and two international musicians studying in Boston.  It includes stories on WGBH’s new “Jazz 24/7 online streaming service, the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival and the new renovations at Scullers Jazz Club.  The magazine lists the best jazz brunches in Massachusetts, including hotels and restaurants featuring jazz during “Dine OutBoston” in August.


The free MassJazz Guide is available at visitor kiosks, college campuses, and venues where live jazz is heard year-round. 

Find ongoing information on live jazz in Massachusetts at MassJazz.com

For information on visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Django in June Jazz Workshops in Northampton, June 14-19


Django in June - an immersion camp to on the music of legendary French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt  - is returning to Smith College in Northampton the week of June 14-19, 2016.

The five day educational program includes workshops, concerts and jazz sessions with some of the top 'gypsy jazz' players in the world.  Here is a schedule of classes and activities.

Register for Django in June here.  Read more about Django in June here.

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

To learn more about accommodations, sightseeing, restaurants and cultural activities in the area, to to VisitHampshireCounty.com.  For details on visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

5th annual New Bedford JazzFest on Saturday, June 11 Features Top Jazz Bands and Orchestras


The 5th annual New Bedford JazzFest is taking place at Pier 3 in downtown New Bedford on Saturday, June 11, 2016 from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m.

This year's lineup includes the Greg Abate Quartet, the Southcoast Jazz Orchestra, Monteirobots, Global Learning Charter Jazz Combo and the UMass/Dartmouth Jazz Band.

Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 at the gate the day of the festival.

Proceeds from the festival benefit Your Theatre, Inc. a 69 year old local theater group that produces several dramatic productions each year while exposing the community to the riches of theater.

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

Find out more about visiting New Bedford at DestinationNewBedford.

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

Monday, June 6, 2016

Harvard Medical School's Improvised Music & Medicine Series presents Jazz Concert on Friday, June 10



The Harvard Medical School's (HMS) Improvised Music and Medical Series kicks of with a concert by the Breakaway Quartet starting at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 10, at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, located at 677 Huntington Avenue in Boston.

The series is part of the Harvard Medical School Arts & Humanities Initiative, a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional effort to utilize arts and humanities in medical education.

After the concert, Dr. Lisa Wong of the HMS Arts Initiative will lead a question and answer session with the audience and musicians.

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




Tuesday, May 31, 2016

MassJazz's Festival Schedule Has Arrived!


Check out Mass Jazz's schedule of jazz festivals taking place throughout Massachusetts in 2016.  
The season kicks off on June 4th with the Cambridge Arts River Festival and continues through October, concluding with the Northampton Jazz Festival.
Visit us at MassJazz.com/festivals for the most up-to-date information.
To keep up to date and find more information on live jazz in hotels, clubs, campuses, concert halls and other cultural venues throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.MassJazz is part of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and promotes the state's vibrant jazz scene to residents and tourists throughout the year.

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Live Jazz in Massachusetts, June 1-5, 2016

Arturo Sandoval


Check out the live jazz and blues in Massachusetts the first week of June, topped off by the great Arturo Sandoval performing at the Cabot Theater in Beverly.


June 1 
Jazz and Blues Open Jam
Spire Center for Performing Arts
25½ Court St., Plymouth
spirecenter.org

June 2
Blue Horizon Jazz Band
Primavera Ristorante
20 Pleasant St., Millis
primav.com

June 2
The Jazz Depot
Destaré Martini Bar
320 Main St., Fitchburg
destare.com

June 3
Christian Sands
Scullers Jazz Club
scullersjazz.com

June 3
Michael Dessen Trio
Gateway City Arts
92 Race St., Holyoke
jazzshares.org

June 3-4
Christian McBride Trio
Scullers Jazz Club at the Double Tree Guest Suites
400 Soldiers Rd., Boston
scullersjazz.com

June 4
Cambridge Arts River Festival
East Cambridge Waterfront
Cambridge
cambridgema.gov

June 5
Leah Souza
Bullfinchs Restaurant
730 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury
bullfinchs.com

June 5
Arturo Sandoval
The Cabot
286 Cabot St., Beverly
thecabot.org

Find year round information at MassJazz.com.


Friday, May 27, 2016

Plymouth Rock Assurance Jazz Fest Takes Place May 27-29 in Plymouth, Massachusetts



The 3rd annual Plymouth Rock Assurance Jazz Fest 2016 takes place this weekend, from Friday, May 27 through Sunday, May 29, 2016 at the Spire Center for the Performing Arts in Plymouth.

Among the performers:

Friday: vocalist Donna Byrne and the Marshall Wood Trio, the Greg Abate Quintet

Saturday: Rich Greenblatt Sextet and the Eldar Djangirov Trio

Sunday: All Star Open Jam featuring Johnny Souza and the Spire House Jazz Band.

Eric Jackson, noted jazz radio host for the WGBH show, Eric in the Evening, serves as Master of Ceremony at the Friday and Saturday shows.

Here is a complete schedule of 2016 jazz festivals in Massachusetts through October.

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

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Live Jazz in Massachusetts this Weekend



Grace Kelly

Here is a sampling of live jazz taking place in Massachusetts this weekend.  Check out our list of Jazz Clubs to find live jazz near you. 

SATURDAY, May 21 
Saturday Jazz Brunch
Beehive
541 Tremont St., Boston
beehiveboston.com

Wendee Glick
Colonial Inn
48 Monument Sq., Concord
concordscolonialinn.com

Yoko Miwa
Les Gyzomates
129 South Street, Boston
winebar129.com

Mark Marguis
New Players Theatre Guild
15 Rollstone Street, Fitchburg
nptg.org

SUNDAY, May 22 
Dave Whitney
Bullfinchs Restaurant
730 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury
bullfinchs.com

New Black Eagle Jazz Band
Ken's Steak House
Route 9, Framingham

Grace Kelly in Concert
Berklee Performance Center
136 Massachusetts Ave., Boston
sueauclairpromotions.com

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Massachusetts Celebrates International Jazz Day on April 30



Devlin’s in Brighton
The global community of jazz fans celebrated International Jazz Day on April 20, 2016, by performing live concerts, bringing music to the classrooms and singing the praises of this distinctly American art form that is now shared around the globe.
Massachusetts has a vibrant, year-round jazz scene that attracts musicians from across the globe, including Central and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Many come here to study or teach at schools like the Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, and UMass/Amherst and many others. See a list of Massachusetts colleges offering jazz courses.
JazzBoston held its JazzWeek from April 22-May 1 this year leading up to the International Jazz Day celebrations. 
MassJazz offers live jazz concerts throughout the year, as well as information on jazz radio programs, organizations, and promoters.
Here is a schedule of Jazz and Blues festivals in Massachusetts in 2016.
For information about visiting Massachusetts any time of year, contact the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism. 

Re-imagine Mexico Concert at Berklee College of Music in Boston on May 5


Mexican music and culture is taking front stage on Thursday, May 5, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston's Back Bay.  

Entitled Reimagine Mexico: A Musical Celebration, the 90 minute program features Berklee students performing original songs written or arranged by Mexican students, with a special performance by Berklee alumnus Alexander Acha, winner of the Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist. 

The concert is a joint collaboration of Berklee College of Music and the Consulate General of MexicoAdmission is free. 

The concert is part of Berklee’s global initiatives, which include opportunities for students to experience Latin American culture. At Berklee, students can minor in performance studies in Latin music and pursue focused studies in Latin music. Artists can also participate in Berklee Latino, the college’s Spanish-language program, in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

The Consulate General of Mexico’s Cultural Program aims to foster a deeper knowledge of cultural diversity in New England through literature, poetry, cinema, theater, music, visual arts, and gastronomy.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit
 MassJazz.com


Friday, April 22, 2016

Live Jazz in Massachusetts This Weekend, April 22-24, 2016

SFJazz Collection 

Here is a sampling of live jazz & blues scene in Massachusetts the weekend of April 22-24, 2016.   


FRIDAY, April 22
Karrin Allyson
Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Road
Boston
scullersjazz.com

April 22
Roomful of Blues
Regattabar
Harvard Square, Cambridge
regattabar/

April 22
Jay Geils All Star Quintet
Bull Run Restaurant, Shirley
bullrunrestaurant.com

April 22 
Yonghyun Lee: Hardcore Jazz Party
Red Room at Café 939
939 Boylston St., Boston
berklee.edu

SATURDAY, April 23
Delfeayo Marsalis and Ellis Marsalis
Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Road
Boston
scullersjazz.com

April 23
Second Annual Makanda Saturday Night Dance Party
Hibermain Hall
184 Dudley St., Roxbury
makandaproject.com

April 23 
Howard Brubeck’s Dialogues Combo
Littleton High School
56 King St., Littleton
littletonps.org

SUNDAY, April 24
SFJAZZ Collective
Berklee Performance Center
136 Mass Ave, Boston
berkleebpc.com 

April 24 
Duo Laroo/Byrd W Jason Schwartz & Jon Fisher
Chez Albert
178 N Pleasant St., Amherst
facebook.com

In addition, check out Jazz Week 2016 organized each year by JazzBoston, which runs from April 22 to May 1. 

Find more upcoming jazz by visiting MassJazz.com.   For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Live Jazz in Massachusetts tonight: Kevin Harris, Minguel Zenon, Women of the World on Thursday, February 11



There is always great live jazz in Massachusetts, but check out these three special concerts taking place on Thursday, February 11, 2016!

Invictus! With Kevin Harris
Berklee Performance Center

136 Mass Ave, Boston 


Kevin Harris 



Miguel Zenon’s Big Band
Fine Arts Center
University of Massachusetts, Amherst


Miguel Zenon

Women of the World
Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Road
Boston



 Check out MassJazz.com for ongoing jazz in Massachusetts.

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

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Live Jazz in Massachusetts in February 2016.



Check out the MassJazz schedule of live jazz in Massachusetts in February 2016.

Performers range from saxophonists Gerald Albright and Miguel Zenon to pianist Donal Fox and trumpeter Terence Blanchard to vocalists Linda Eder and Tony Award winner Betty Buckley.

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

For visitor information go to 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...