Tanglewood Holds Centennial Celebration Concert Honoring Ella Fitzgerald on July 9

Photo courtesy of EllaFitzgerald.com 

A centennial concert in honor of jazz great Ella Fitzgerald is taking place at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 9, 2017 at Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood.  Tickets range from $12 to $55 and can be purchased at the venue.

Featured  guests include Dawn Upshaw, soprano; Stephanie Blythe, mezzo-soprano; Lee Musiker, piano; members of the Boston Pops; and TMC vocal fellows.

Ella Fitzgerald was born in 1917, and became one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century.  Known as the First Lady of Song, Fitzgerald won 13 Grammys and sold over 40 million albums.

Here is a schedule of performances at Tanglewood this summer.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

JAZZ IN JULY Returns to UMass Amherst Campus on July 10-21

The annual Jazz in July Summer Music Program is taking place on July 10-21, 2017 at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Founded over 30 years ago by the UMass/Amherst music department, Jazz in July brings together top jazz performers and educators to work with students for an intensive week of jazz instruction and improvisation.

In addition to the classes, the instructors and students also stage a series of concerts open to the public.  Here is a schedule of performances.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Darryl's Corner Bar + Kitchen features live jazz with trumpeter Darren Barrett on Sunday, July 9

Darren Barrett 

Darryl's Corner Bar + Kitchen in Boston's South End has a full line-up of live music this week, featuring rhythm and blues musicians from Berklee College of Music; a classic big band; and Canadian Grammy Award winning trumpeter Darren Barrett.  Here is the schedule below:

Thursday July 6 : Aaron Venable & Co. (7:00 p.m.)

Friday, July 7 : Briana'Lise & The Fellas (7:00 p.m.)

Saturday, July 8 : DCBK House Band (7:00 p.m.)

Sunday, July 9 : Darren Barrett Band (6:00 p.m.)

Here is the menu at Darryl's. 

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

Bobby Keyes Jazz Trio Performs at Maudslay Arts Center in Newburyport on July 8

The Maudslay Arts Center presents the Bobby Keyes Trio in concert at the  at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 8, 2017.  Tickets to the show are $28 and can be purchased online or by calling 978 499-0050.

Bobby Keyes is a versatile guitarist who blends a range of music - jazz, r&b, country, pop and swing - into a distinct American sound.   His newest album is Dojogobo.

Located in Newburyport, the Maudslay Arts Center is now in its 25th year of staging live music through the summer.  Here is the upcoming schedule.

Find more about jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Jason Palmer Performs at NEC's Jordan Hall on June 28

Jazz trumpeter Jason Palmer is performing at the Jazz Lab at the New England Conservatory of Music at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28, 2018. The concert takes place at Jordan Hall and is free and open to the public.

Palmer is a well-known musician, composer and educator who performs regularly at Wally's Cafe in Boston's South End when he is not on national or world tours.

The Jazz Lab provides opportunities for motivated students to spend a week on campus working with like-minded musicians, a world class faculty and renowned guest artists.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Jazz Trumpeter Chris Botti Performs with Boston Pops at Tanglewood on June 24

Jazz trumpet player Chris Botti & the Boston Pops Orchestra perform at Tanglewood at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 24, 2017.   Special guest conductor is Lawrence Loh.

Tickets to the show start at $23 and can be purchased online or at the venue.

Here are directions to Tanglewood.

Winner of numerous Grammy Awards, Botti has become the largest-selling American instrumentalist artist, selling more than four million albums.

Here is a schedule of jazz, pop and rock concerts taking place at Tanglewood this summer.

To learn more about jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

Jazz Singer Tierney Sutton Performs at Regattabar in Harvard Square on June 22

Jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton and her band perform at the Regattabar at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 22, 2017.

Tickets to the show are $35 ($27 for students) and can be purchased online or by calling 617 661-5000.

Sutton, a seven-time Grammy nominee, has been performing and recording for 20 years, and has released nine CDs.  She is performing from her latest CD, The String Variations.  

Here is a recent interview with Tierney Sutton.

See calendar of upcoming events at Regattabar.

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

Jazz Singer Amanda Carr Becomes Executive Director of Jazz Radio Station WICN in Worcester

Congratulations to jazz artist Amanda Carr, who has been named as executive director of WICN-FM(90.5) in Worcester. 

“It’s an honor to be taking on this new and exciting leadership position at WICN,” Carr said in an announcement. “This station gave me my first interview as a jazz artist over 20 years ago, and I have been a loyal contributing member ever since, with a closeness to many of the hosts and staff. I’m looking forward to being an integral part of the emerging and exciting Central Massachusetts arts scene along with WICN.”

See full press release on Amanda Carr here. 

WICN is a National Public Radio affiliate now in its 47th year.  It has a full schedule of jazz, 24/7. 

Find out more about jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

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

Fred Taylor's Jazz & Heritage Series at the Cabot

Jazz impresario and jazz hero Fred Taylor has launched a new Jazz & Heritage Series at  The Cabot Theatre in Beverly.

The series kicks off on Saturday, June 3, with Joey DeFrancesco & The People, and the Grace Kelly Group, and finishes up on Friday, December 8 with the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra.

For more information and to order tickets, call 866 811-4111.

Here is a full schedule of events at The Cabot.

Find year round information on the jazz scene in Massachusetts at MassJazz.com.

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

Mother's Day Weekend at Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen features Tia Fuller, Troy Durden and Valerie Stevens

Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen in Boston's South End is featuring a great line up of live jazz and blues over Mother's Day weekend.

On Friday, May 12, blues and pop singer Troy Durden takes then stage, then on Saturday, May 13, renowned saxophonist Tia Fuller performs.  Then on Sunday, May 14, jazz and blues singer Valerie Stevens performs during brunch.

Here is a full schedule of live music at Darryl's this spring.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

Singer/Songwriter Lucinda Williams in Concert at Berklee Performance Center on May 10, 2017

Two-time Grammy Award winner Lucinda Williams is in concert at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 10, 2017.

Tickets to the concert are $35 & $45, and are available online or at the venue.

Here are directions to the Berklee Performance Center in Boston's Back Bay.

Regarded as one of America's most original poet-songwriters, Lucinda Williams follows the blue highways and the back roads of America for her inspiration and material.

This is the only New England appearance of Williams this season.

For more about live music in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

Massachusetts Celebrates Jazz Month & International Jazz Day on April 30

Governor Charlie Baker has declared April 2017 to be Jazz Month in Massachusetts,  a tribute to the state's vibrant, year-round jazz scene.  Governor Baker called jazz "one of America's most treasured exports, connecting races, cultures and continents."

The proclamation coincides with "Jazz Week 2017," organized each year by JazzBoston, a non-profit organization that promotes jazz year round in greater Boston.

Another resource for jazz lovers is MassJazz.com at the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, a year round marketing effort to promote the state's jazz performance and education.  

Sunday, April 30 is International Jazz Day, which is organized by UNESCO each year to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the world. 

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

Jazz Greats Branford Marsalis Quartet with Kurt Elling Performs at Cary Hall in Lexington on April 28

Spectacle Management is presenting the Branford Marsalis Quartet with jazz vocalist Kurt Elling at Lexington’s Cary Memorial Hall at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 28.

Tickets are $79-$59 and are on sale now at caryhalllexington.com or by calling 617-531-1257.

Regarded as among the most creative and exciting musicians of this generation, Marsalis and Elling joined forces in 2016 to create Upward Spirit, an ambitious album that has been nominated for a 2017 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal album.

The top flight quartet consists of saxophonist Marsalis, pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner.

Here is a schedule of upcoming show presented by Spectacle Management, a full-service booking, marketing and promotion company with offices in Boston and Lexington.

For more jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com. 

Cuba Con Salsa Features Pedrito Martinez Group. at Boston's Cutler Majestic

WBUR is celebrating the rich heritage of Cuban music at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at the Emerson Cultler Majestic Theatre.  

Robin Young, co-host of Here & Now, and José Massó, host of ¡Con Salsa!, emcee the event.

The evening features multiple performances by the Grammy Award-nominated Pedrito Martinez Group. 

Ned Sublette, author of “Cuba and its Music” and award-winning Cuban singer Gema Corredera will discuss the origins of Cuban music and its influences. Corredera will also join Pedrito Martinez for the final number. 

The event will be recorded live and broadcast throughout the Greater Boston Area. 

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

Trumpeter Terence Blanchard + E Collective Perform at UMass Amherst on April 8

Trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard performs with his new quintet, The E-Collective, at the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 8, 2017. 

Tickets are $25-35, and $10 for local students from the five colleges.  To order, call the box office at 413 545-2511 or 800-999-UMAS.  

A native of New Orleans, Terence Blanchard is a multiple Grammy Award winning musician and composer who has recorded more than 30 albums.  His latest album is Breathless (Blue Note), recorded with the E-Collective. 

Here is a full lineup of upcoming concerts at the Fine Arts Center. 

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

  

International Folk Music Festival at Berklee on March 29

Berklee College of Music presents its annual International Folk Music Festival at Berklee Performance Center at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29, 2017. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the venue or online.

Berklee's abundant international student population is being showcased at the festival, with traditional folk music from China, Lebanon, Russia, Turkey, Belgium, Iran, Bolivia, Serbia, India, and Puerto Rico. 

In addition to the music, expect a vibrant display of traditional dance and costumes, and instruments from students' homelands.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

Steve Schwartz - Thanks for the Music

In memory of Steve Schwartz, who passed away recently, here is a story below that ran in the 2012 issue of MassJazz Travel Guilde.

Steve Schwartz graced the airwaves at WGBH for nearly 27 years, enlightening listeners with his knowledge, passion and perceptiveness about jazz.

That’s why jazz lovers in Boston and around the nation were dismayed to learn that the station was eliminating his Friday night show, Jazz from Studio Four. And that Steve’s esteemed colleague, Eric Jackson, would have his nightly radio show reduced to weekends only.

Schwartz was gracious about the news, telling The Boston Globe, “It wasn’t a total surprise, but it is a loss. The station is losing a consistent format spread across the week. And the Boston jazz community is losing an important venue for musicians to promote their events.”

Meanwhile, jazz leaders were quick to praise Schwartz and reflect on his contributions.

“Steve’s shows were the most intelligent, well-crafted jazz presentations on radio,” said impresario Fred Taylor, music director at Scullers Jazz Club. “He brought a wealth of knowledge to each record he played.”

“Jazz from Studio Four has been one of my favorite radio shows over the years,” says jazz publicist Sue Auclair. “Steve has very fine musical taste and a gentle radio voice—he picks the really special pieces of music and showcases artists in a really unique way.”

“People like Eric and Steve love and know the music. To a listener like myself, it’s almost like having a History of Jazz class on the radio,” wrote pianist Danilo Perez, head of Berklee’s Global Jazz Institute.

Schwartz was “born and raised in Boston…and discovered jazz on the radio as a teenager living in southern California,” he writes on his WGBH profile, adding, “There’s always new music to discover and old music to rediscover.”

Before coming to GBH, Steve volunteered on Harvard’s WHRB and earned high praise for his jazz show, wrote Globe reporter Ernie Santosuosso.

In addition to being a stellar on-air radio host, Steve is also a talented producer.

“Steve produced many great live recordings from Scullers and other locations that went national on NPR through WBGO in New Jersey under the title Jazz Set,” says Taylor. “And he produced some wonderful live music from the WGBH studio featuring the talents of musicians living and working here in our community.”

“I really loved the recordings he did as well—many for Jazz Set,” says Auclair. “Especially memorable is his recording of the late Shirley Horn at a concert she gave at Sanders Theatre. It was the only time I’d seen Shirley away from the piano and a completely different experience watching her sing directly to the audience! At the end, everyone gave her a standing ovation . . . in tears!”

Along with Jackson, Steve has been ubiquitous on the local jazz scene, introducing acts at Berklee’s BeanTown Festival while supporting local initiatives like JazzBoston.

“Two of JazzBoston’s strongest supporters - Tom Everett, founder of Harvard’s jazz studies program, and jazz journalist and Boston native Nat Hentoff – came to us because of Steve,” says JazzBoston founder Pauline Bilsky.

Optimists hope that WGBH will reconsider its programming and restore jazz to its former presence. In the meantime, Steve remains the class act that had so many listeners tuning in every Friday night.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to be on the radio playing music and producing live broadcasts for all these years,” he writes on Facebook. “Please continue to support the local Boston jazz scene. Go out to the clubs. Buy CDs and downloads. Continue to tune in to Eric Jackson. Jazz in Boston needs to survive. You can make it happen!”

Chris Botti, Darcy James Argue, Mavis Staples & Eliane Elias Performing Jazz + Blues in Massachusetts this Week

Chris Botti Performs in Lexington on March 24

MassJazz has some great suggestions for hearing live jazz and blues in Massachusetts this week, in greater Boston, Plymouth, Lexington, Cape Cod and other parts of the Commonwealth.

Wednesday, March 22
Celebrity Series of Boston presents
Stave Sessions w/ Melissa Aldana Trio
Berklee College of Music
160 Massachusetts Avenue
tickets.celebrityseries.org

Jazz and Blues Open Jam Session
Spire Center for the Performing Arts
25 ½ Court Street, Plymouth
spirecenter.org

Thursday, March 23
Celebrity Series of Boston presents
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society
Berklee College of Music
160 Massachusetts Avenue

Fred Hersch Trio
Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Road
Allston, Boston
scullersjazz.com

Friday, March 24
Mavis Staples
Cabot Theatre
286 Cabot Street, Beverly
thecabot.org

Christ Botti
Cary Memorial Hall
1605 Mass Avenue, Lexington
spectacleshows.com

Saturday, March 25
Eliane Elias
Berklee Performance Center
136 Mass Avenue
Back Bay, Boston
berklee.edu

Sunday, March 26
Cape Conservatory CJazz
Cape Cod Museum of Art
60 Hope Lane
Dennis, Cape Cod
ccmoa.org

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

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

Joshua Redman's Still Dreaming Tour Comes to Berklee Performance Center on Sunday, March 19

Joshua Redman, Brian Blade, Scott Colley and Ron Miles are in concert at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 19, 2017. 

Tickets range from $28 to $56 and can be purchased online or at the venue the night of the show.   The concert is presented by World Music/CRASHarts!

Called the Still Dreaming tour, it is a tribute to his father, legendary sax player Dewey Redman, and features new compositions inspired by his father's band. 

Prior to the concert, at 6:30 p.m., there is a free talk with Bob Blumenthal, Grammy-winning author and journalist,taking place  in the Davis Room on the second floor of the Berklee Performance Center. 

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

36th Jazz Showcase at UMass/Amherst Features Movie Soundtracks on March 9

UMass/Amherst Department of Music and Dance presents its 36th annual Jazz Showcase of the department’s top instrumental and vocal jazz ensembles, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 9  in the Fine Arts Center, Bowker Auditorium.

The showcase includes performances by Jazz Ensemble I, Chapel Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Lab, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Jazz Ensemble and student and faculty soloists.

The ensembles are directed by professors Jeffrey W. Holmes, Catherine Jensen-Hole, Thomas Giampietro and Felipe Salles and graduate students.

This year's showcase features works from a variety of movie soundtracks, including blockbusters like “Star Wars,” “The Godfather,” “The Lion King” and “Rocky,” along with selections from the Austin Powers and James Bond series.

Ticket are $3 for UMass students; $5 for other students, seniors & children; and $10 for the general public. Tickets may be purchased at the Fine Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 413/545-2511, or online at www.fineartscenter.com/musicanddance.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

Live Music in Massachusetts this Week features Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas, Madeleine Peyroux & Ricki Lee Jones, Mary Wilson, Kenny Barron, New Black Eagle Jazz Band, Gary Burton & Makoto Ozone and Duke Robillard

There is some amazing live jazz, soul and blues taking place in Massachusetts in the first week of March, according to MassJazz.com.

Performers range from female stars like Mary Wilson (of the Supremes), Madeleine Peyroux and Ricki Lee Jones, to jazz greats like Joe Lovano & Dave Douglass, Kenny Barron, New Black Eagle Jazz Band, Gary Burton & Makoto Ozone, and blues legend Duke Robillard. 


March 2
Madeleine Peyroux and Ricki Lee Jones
The Wilbur Theatre
246 Tremont Street, Boston
thewilbur.com

March 2
Joe Lovano & Dave Douglass Quintet
Regattabar
Charles Hotel
Harvard Square, Cambridge
getshowtix.com

March 3-4
Mary Wilson of the Supremes
Scullers Jazz Club
400 Soldiers Field Road
Allston, Boston
scullersjazz.com

March 3-4
Kenny Barron Trio
Regattabar
Charles Hotel
Harvard Square, Cambridge
getshowtix.com

March 4
New Black Eagle Jazz Band
Amazing Things Art Center
160 Hollis Street, Framingham
amazingthings.org

March 5
Gary Burton and Makoto Ozone Duets
Berklee Performance Center
136 Mass Avenue
Back Bay, Boston
berklee.edu

March 5
Duke Robillard
Bull Run Restaurant
Route 2A, Shirley
tickets.bullrunrestaurant.com

For year round jazz, visit MassJazz.com.

To find out about visiting  Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com.

Live Jazz & Blues in Massachusetts this Saturday, February 25, 2017

Other than Boston Band

Looking for some quality music in Massachusetts this weekend?  Check out these live jazz and blues shows taking place around the state from the February calendar on MassJazz.com.

Saturday, February 25:

Chris Brubeck’s Triple Play
Mechanics Hall
321 Main Street, Worcester
mechanicshall.org

Sugar Ray & the Bluetones
Amazing Things Art Center
160 Hollis Street, Framingham
amazingthings.org

Ameranouche
Third Life Studio
33 Union Square, Somerville
thirdlifestudio.com

Greg Hopkins Sextet
Spire Center for the Performing Arts
25 ½ Court Street, Plymouth
spirecenter.org

Other than Boston
Darryl’s Corner Bar + Kitchen
604 Columbus Avenue
South End, Boston
dcbkboston.com


Here is a full list of jazz clubs in Massachusetts and concert venues.  See what's happening near you!

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

Berklee High School Jazz Festival is Saturday, February 11 in Boston

The annual Berklee High School Jazz Festival is taking place on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston's Back Bay.

The largest event of its kind in the United States, the festival is free and open to the public.

The festival features big bands, combos, and vocal jazz ensembles from around the U.S. and other countries performing and competing throughout the day. 

All ensembles are adjudicated by a panel of Berklee’s top faculty and will receive a written critique of their performance. Top-ranked ensembles will be awarded partial scholarships to Berklee’s FiveWeek Summer Performance Program, and individual students are invited to audition for tuition scholarships towards the full-time program or our Five Week Summer Performance Program.

Here are details on the awards. 

Massachusetts has a vibrant jazz community throughout the year.  Find details at MassJazz.com.

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

John Kordalewski Trio performing at Third Life Studio in Somerville on February 4

Jazz pianist John Kordalewski and his trio perform at the Third Life Studio in Somerville at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 4, 2017.  He is accompanied by Carlos Pino on bass and Kesvian Naidoo on drums.

Tickets to the show are $15 and can be purchased online or at the venue. 

John is the originator of the Makanda Project, an all-star jazz band devoted to the compositions of the late Makanda Ken McIntyre. 

The concert is part of the Mandorla Music Series, which represents the diversity and spectrum of jazz.  

Find year round information on live jazz throughout Massachusetts at MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com. 

Live Jazz, Blues & World Music this February in Massachusetts

Miguel Zenon

Massachusetts is offering amazing live jazz, blues and world music throughout the month of February, according to MassJazz.  See schedule here. 

Atop the schedule are two shows on Friday, February 10:  saxophonist Miguel Zenon and his quartet perform at Villa Victoria in Boston’s South End, while jazz vocalist Regina Carter, performing her show, Simply Ella, at the Sanders Theatre in Cambridge, 

Other great performers include Mindi Abair, Linda Eder, Beantown Swing Orchestra, Paula Cole, Dianne Reeves, Cyrille Aimee, Bebel Gilberto, John Scofield and Chris Brubeck.

Check out these jazz clubs and concert halls for more details on the venues.

For year round live music in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

2017 Berklee Chinese New Year Concert

Yazhi Guo

The annual Chinese New Year Concert at Berklee is taking place at 8:00 pm. on January 31, 2017 at the Berklee Performance Center at 136 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston's Back Bay.

Tickets are $12 at the door. 

The concert is an annual celebration among Chinese and other Asian populations at Berklee. A collaboration between the Chinese Student and Scholar Association and Bridge the Gap, this year's concert aims to connect cultures and musicians, and to bridge the cultural gap between Western and Eastern music. 

The development of Chinese music will be condensed into a 90-minute program, with unique arrangements of both Chinese folk songs and pop music, along with dance and other forms of performance, to show the audience a brand new perspective on China.

Find out more about Berklee College of Music. Read story on Chinese pop star and Berklee alumni Leehom Wong. 

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

Boston University Commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with Duke Ellington Concert

Photo of Randall Keith Horton by Conor Doherty, courtesy of BU Today

Boston composer, arranger and musician Randall Keith Horton is presenting at concert entitled "Hope, Despair and the Blues," in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, January 16 at the GSU Metcalf Ballroom at Boston University.

The concert features music of the Sacred Concerts of Duke Ellington performed by BU’s Big Band and the Inner Strength Gospel Choir and conducted by Mr. Horton.  

Read a full description of the concert, and of Horton's connections to Boston and to Ellington, at BU Today. 

Also, read this address by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the importance of jazz, delivered at the Berlin Jazz Festival in 1964, courtesy of Jazz 91.9, Atlanta's jazz station.  

A signifiant collection of Martin Luther King's writings and materials is housed at Boston University's Martin Gotlieb Archival Research Center. 

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

Blues legend Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson Performs at Bull Run Restaurant on January14

Legendary blues artists Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson is performing at the Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley, Massachusetts at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 14, 2017.  Tickets to the concert are available online or at the venue.

The Mississippi native moved to Chicago in the 1970s and helped showcase the city's strong blues tradition along with Otis Rush.

Here is a schedule of upcoming performances at Bull Run.

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

Find visitor information at MassVacation.com or MerrimackValley.org.

4th annual Narrows Blues Festival in Fall River on January 13

The 4th annual Narrows Blues Festival, featuring top blues artists, is taking place on Friday, January 13, 2017 at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River.

Tickets can be purchased online for $32 in advance and $37 the day of the show.

This year's festival includes the Eric Gales Band, Davino and the Vagabonds, Nick Schnebelen and Jimmy Bez Blues Band.

Here is a full schedule of upcoming concerts at the Narrows Center for the Arts.

Find more live jazz and blues in Massachusetts in January here.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com

MassJazz Posts Dozens of Live Jazz & Blues Performances in Massachusetts in January 2017

There are dozens of live jazz & blues performances in January taking place throughout Massachusetts, according to MassJazz.  They range from concerts featuring trumpeter Christian Scott, guitarist Pat Metheny, Italian vocalist Roberta Gambarini and guitarist John Abercrombie to night jazz sessions in local jazz clubs, restaurants and hotels.

In the greater Boston area, you can find jazz every night at the week at places like Top of the Hub, Darryl's Corner Bar + Kitchen, The Beehive, Wally's and others.  Here is a full list of jazz clubs in Massachusetts.

Find details on Massachusetts' vibrant jazz community by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.