Martha’s Vineyard Jazz and Blues Summerfest 2018 Taking Place on August 30-September 2

Jazzmeia Horn

The Martha’s Vineyard Jazz and Blues Summerfest 2018 (August 30-September 2) is a perfect way to head into the Labor Day weekend.  Performers include Jazzmeia Horn, Sage, Alyson Williams and Maysa. Tickets are available online. 

A Summerfest Marketplace features an array of vendors, artists, crafts and beverage tasting opportunities for festival-goes. 

Summerfest was launched in 2008 by music promoter Sheila Baptista to celebrate women in jazz, and is produced by Lewis & Kirk, Inc. 

Sage

Martha's Vineyard was recently named one of America's 12 best islands by CNN Travel. 

Find more details on visiting Martha's Vineyard and Massachusetts. 

Jazz Festivals in Massachusetts in August 2018

Gloria Ryan, Springfield Indie Soul Festival 

August marks the peak season for live jazz in Massachusetts, with eight terrific jazz festivals slated over the next three weeks!  Boston, Salem, Springfield, Provincetown, Martha’s Vineyard and Rockport are great summer destinations for their natural beauty, dining and hospitality assets, and for live jazz.

Performers range from local favorites like vocalist Pat Braxton, sax player Grace Kelly and the Salem High Jazz Band to internationally acclaimed artists like Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Pedrito Martinez and Monty Alexander.

You can find a full summer & fall schedule of jazz & blues festivals in Massachusetts go to MassJazz.com/festivals.  Here is a run-down of August jazz festivals:

The 14^th Annual Provincetown Jazz Festival (August 9 & 13), organized by popular jazz drummer Bart Weisman, is a perfect celebration of P-Town’s cultural richness.  On Monday, August 13, the festival moves to the Cotuit Center for the Arts in Cotuit, with performances by the Tim Ray Trio and vocalist Daryl Sherman.

The 6^th Annual Rockport Jazz Festival (August 9-12) has attracted leading international performers on the jazz circuit to this beautiful seaside town.  This year’s lineup includes saxophonist Grace Kelly, vocalist Kurt Elling, pianist Monty Alexander and the Joe Lovano Classic Quartet.  The concerts are held in the breathtaking Shalin Liu Performance Center.

The 5^th Annual Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival (August 11) features Latin jazz performers, including saxophonist Maceo Parker, Afro-Cuban singer and percussionist Pedrito Martinez, vocalists Sweet Honey in the Rock, guitarist Jon Cleary and bassist Avery Sharp. An opening jazz parade through downtown Springfield is led by New Orleans native Henri Smith.

The 8^th Annual Jazz on the Vineyard (August 11-12) celebrates jazz on Martha’s Vineyard, a wonderful summer destination.  Five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves, just named as a 2018 Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts, is this year’s marquee performer. The festival supports the Student Achievement through Opportunity (SATO) and provides educational opportunities for talented young scholars.

The 12^th Annual Salem Jazz & Soul Festival (August 18-19) attracts over 6,000 people to the Salem Willows each year for a free festival featuring top local groups.  This year watch the Salem High Jazz Band, Ethan Santos, The Darlings, First Friday Funk, Allstar Revue and Big Sam’s Funky Nation.

The Springfield Indie Soul Festival (August 25) feature vocalist Gloria Ryan, R&B Artist Heshima Moja, Singer/Songwriter Mr. Qwes, soul roots rockers Toussiant Liberator and the Naya Rockets, roots music/hiphop/jazz band Malado Music, vocalist Tia Shanae and soul singer SuCh.

The 8^th Annual Boston Jazz Festival (August 25) at the Raymond L. Flynn Maritime Park in the Seaport District pays tribute to jazz’s African American roots.  This year’s festival features Ron Savage Trio, Wali Ali, Amazing Z.Y.G, the GroovaLottos, Sivan Arbel, Erena Terakubo and Pat Braxton.

Launched in 2008 by music promoter Sheila Baptista, Martha’s Vineyard Jazz and Blues Summerfest 2018 (August 30-September 2) is a perfect way to head into the Labor Day weekend.  Performers include Jazzmeia Horn, Sage, Alyson Williams and Maysa. A Summerfest Marketplace features an array of vendors, artists, crafts and beverage tasting opportunities.

In addition to the vibrant festivals that attract visitors worldwide, the distinct jazz scene carries into neighborhoods and communities throughout Massachusetts. For more on where to find and celebrate jazz in the Bay State, visit MassJazz.com.

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival, August 11, Features Top Jazz and Roots Performers

The fifth Annual Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival takes place on Saturday, August 11 in Court Square, downtown Springfield. The internationally heralded festival draws visitors from throughout the Northeast and has become a powerful expression of civic pride, uniting our region’s diverse cultural communities through music, arts, education, and revelry.

Among the performers at this year’s festival: Maceo Parker, Pedrito Martinez Group, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Jon Cleary, Avery Sharpe and more. Here is the full festival schedule.  

Other features of the festival include a Second Line Parade of musicians to kick off the parade led by New Orleans native Henri Smith.  The parade is a tribute to the late and beloved musician Charles Neville.  Also, a program about Songs from the Civil Rights Era; a Festival Tasting Experience; and an After-Festival party. 

Find more jazz and blues festivals in Massachusetts this summer and fall.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com. 

Free Cambridge Jazz Festival on Sunday, July 29

The 5th Annual Cambridge Jazz Festival takes place on Sunday, July 29 at Danehy Park in Cambridge.  The event runs from noon to 6 p.m. and is free to the public.

This year's headliners include Terri Lyne Carrington & Special Guests, Gabrielle Goodman, Receita de Samba featuring Anna Borges & Bill Ward, MND FLO and the Ron Savage Trio. Find bios of the performers here.

Gabrielle Goodman

On Saturday, July 28, there is a panel discussion entitled Jazz & Gender: Challenging Inequality and Forging a New Legacy at 47 Howard Street in Cambridge.  Find ticket information here.

Find other jazz festivals in Massachusetts this summer and fall.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

50TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL BETANCES CELEBRATES PUERTO RICAN + LATIN CULTURE IN MASSACHUSETTS

The 50th Annual Festival Betances is taking place on July 21-22, 2018 at Villa Victoria, located at 100 W. Dedham Street in Boston’s South End.

The two-day festival celebrates Puerto Rican culture, including music, dance, food, visual arts and other traditions. In addition, the festival features a parade, traditional cuisine, arts and crafts, a greased pole competition, children’s activities like face painting and inflatables, and other activities that highlight the diversity of Latino culture.

Among the performers this year are world-renowned artists including Andy Montañez, Giro López, Julio César Sanabria, and 3NITY featuring Zayra Pola.

Here is a video of 3NITY performing Summertime. Band members met at the Berklee College of Music, forming the first all-female Latin band in Boston.

The festival is organized each year by Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción is a non-profit organization and a dynamic community development corporation that started in the South End neighborhood of Boston, to address displacement of low-income families due to urban development. IBA offers affordable housing and supportive programming to improve the knowledge, life skills and health of participants of all ages.

Festival Betances is named after Ramón Emeterio Betances, a Puerto Rican patriot whose medical contributions benefited Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States. He also became a leader in awakening national consciousness in Puerto Rico, and is considered one of the foremost intellectuals of the 19th century. There is a plaza and a mural dedicated to him where the festival is held.

Read more about the Massachusetts United for Puerto Rico Fund launched in October 2017 by the Boston Foundation and elected officials such as Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. Dr. Vanessa Calderon-Rosado, Chairwoman of the Advisory Committee, is CEO of Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción.

Find more jazz and world music festivals in Massachusetts this year by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com.

Free Tito Puente Latin Music Series in Boston City Parks, July 5 - August 9

The 11th Annual Tito Puente Latin Music Series is taking place in Boston parks from July 5 through August 9.  Co-sponsored by the Berklee College of Music, Boston Parks & Recreation Department, Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion (IBA) and other groups, the concerts are free and open to the public.

The series is named for Tito Puente, the Harlem-born son of Puerto Rican parents who was a pioneer in fusing jazz and Latin American music.

Enjoy free salsa dance lessons at select concerts by Meta Movements Latin Dance Company.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

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Jazz Pianist Yoko Miwa Performs at Regattabar in Harvard Square on June 1

Photo by Steven Sandick

The Yoko Miwa Trio is performing at the Regattabar jazz club inside the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 1, 2018.

Show tickets are available online or by calling 617 395-7757.  Yoko is joined by Brad Barrett on acoustic bass and Scout Goulding on drums. 

A native of Kobe, Japan, Yoko first came to Boston in 1997 on a full scholarship.  Today she is a full time teacher there, teaching about 30 students a semester.  She performs regularly with her trio in Boston and New York City.

Find more jazz in Massachusetts at MassJazz.com.

For information about visiting Massachusetts go to MassVacation.com.