Greek Jazz Pianist Lefteris Kordis Performs at Langham Boston Hotel on November 23

Greek-born jazz pianist and composer Lefteris Kordis is performing at the BOND Restaurant | Lounge at the Langham Boston Hotel on Wednesday, November 23, 2011, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Kordis is a Fullbright Scholar who graduated with honors from the New England Conservatory, where he now teaches piano, jazz ear training and music theory.  He has developed an undergraduate course entitle, The Post-Bebop Era: 1949-61.

The BOND Jazz Experiment highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and funk.  BOND  is open seven days a week, offering gourmet sandwiches for lunch, afternoon tea, and global cuisine for dinner, plus an extensive wine list and distinctive cocktails. A special jazz menu is available on Wednesdays. For reservations call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists through December, click here.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

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

Roomful of Blues wins Blues Artists of the Year prize at Boston Music Awards

Congratulations to Roomful of Blues, the veteran band who won the Blues Artist of the Year prize at the annual Boston Music Awards ceremony held at the Liberty Hotel on Sunday, November 20, 2011.

The Boston Herald and the Boston Phoenix have a full list of winners in all of the categories.

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

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

Esperanza Spalding wins Jazz Artist of the Year at Boston Music Awards

Jazz bassist, singer and composer Esperanza Spalding won the Jazz Artist of the Year award at the annual Boston Music Awards ceremony held at the Liberty Hotel on Sunday, November 20, 2011.

The Boston Herald has a for a full list of winners in all of the categories.

A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Spalding has won several important awards this year.  In October she won the DownBeat Readers Poll for Jazz Artist of the Year, and in February 2011 she won the Best New Artist Award at the 54th Grammy Awards.

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

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

Lance Houston Jazz Quartet at Tamo Lounge at Seaport Boston Hotel on Tuesday, November 22

The Lance Houston Jazz Quartet is playing at the Tamo Bar at the Seaport Boston Hotel on Tuesday, November 22, 2011, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. 

Houston, who plays the flugelhorn, is joined by pianist Mihoko Abe, drummer Miki Matsuki  and bassist Cyrus Sink.

The food at Tamo and other restaurants at Seaport Boston Hotel is prepared by celebrated chef Rachel Klein.

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

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

Cabaret Singer Carol O'Shaughnessy Performs at Scullers on November 22

Boston's First Lady of Cabaret, Carol O'Shaughnessy, is performing in concert at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Tuesday, November 22 2011 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets are $23 and can be purchased online.

The veteran performer has been named Best Female Entertainer of the Year and has performed around the world with entertainers like Joan River and David Brenner. She is frequently profiled on local television and radio shows and has also acted in stage productions.

At Scullers, Carol is performing with the Tom Lemark Trio.

For a schedule of upcoming performances at Scullers, click here.

For year round jazz concerts, night clubs, campus events, radio stations and jazz brunches in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Aaron Goldberg Jazz Trio performs at Milton Academy on November 20

The public is invited to attend a free concert at Milton Academy featuring Aaron Goldberg on piano, Omer Avital on bass and Danny Freedman on drums.  The concert is funded by the Melissa Dilworth Gold Fund.

The concert takes place at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 20, 2011 at the Kellner Performing Arts Center at Milton Academy.  For directions click here.

To read about the Milton Academy Jazz Band's visit to South Africa in 2011 click here.

For year round jazz concerts, campus events, night clubs, Sunday brunches, radio stations and more, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Singer and Activist Harry Belafonte at JFK Library on November 21

Harry Belafonte is appearing at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston on Monday, November 21, 2011 to discuss his new book, My Song: A Memoir.   Local television reporter and host Liz Walker is moderator.

The event runs from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. and is free to the public, but reservations are required.  You can also view a live Webcast of the conversation here.

Belafonte is a veteran singer, composer,  actor and activist.  His book, My Song, published by Knoph, recounts his life growing up poor in New York City, his rise in the entertainment field and the release of his first album, Calypso, which sold over one million records. And it recounts his many decades as a civil rights activist and humanitarian around the world.

For more information about the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum, visit JFKLibrary.org.

For year round cultural activities in greater Boston, visit Irishboston.org.

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

Live Jazz in Massachusetts on Friday, November 18 in Concert Halls, Jazz Clubs, Colleges and Restaurants

Brian Evans

There's great live jazz, blues and world music taking place all across Massachusetts on Friday, November 18, 2011.  Here is just a sampling from MassJazz:

Cambridge

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones

Celebrity Series of Boston

Sanders Theatre

Black Sea Salsa Band

Ryles Jazz Club

212 Hampshire Street

Inman Square, Cambridge

John Scofield Quartet

Regattabar Jazz Club

Charles Hotel

Harvard Square

MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble:

The Art of Transformation

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Kresge Auditorium

Boston

Spyro Gyro

Scullers Jazz Club

Doubletree Suite @ Hilton

400 Soldiers Field Road, Allston

Tato Torres and Yerbabuena

Villa Victoria Centerfor the Arts

85 W. Newton Street

South End

Vinx, with special guests Flynn and Emily Musolino

Café 939

939 Boylston Street

Back Bay

Metro Boston/Central Mass

Shemekia Copeland

Bull Run Restaurant

Route 2A, Shirley

Hannah Rose and Harvey Diamond Jazz Quartet

Concord’sColonial Inn

48 Monument Square, Concord

California Guitar Trio and

Montreal Guitar Trio

Center for the Arts in Natick

14 Summer Street, Natick

Western Mass

Seth Glier and Liz Longley

Iron Horse Music Hall

20 Center Street, Northampton

North of Boston

Rockport Music Presents

Brian Evans

Shalin Liu Performance Center

37 Main Street, Rockport

Cape Cod

Mark Booth, jazz guitar

Ardeo Restaurant

644 Main Street

Hyannis

Bittersweet Live

Cape Codder Grand Cru Wine Bar

Route 28

Hyannis

Latin and Salsa Dance Night

Cultural Center of Cape Cod

307 Old Main Street

South Yarmouth

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

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

Grace Kelly Performing at the Fireplace in Brookline on Wednesday, November 16

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Jazz saxophonist Grace Kelly is performing at the Fireplace Restaurant at 1634 Beacon Street in Brookline on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 9:30 p.m.

Grace grew up in the Boston area and recorded her first album at age twelve, then went on to perform around the world and to record with top jazz artists like Phil Woods, George Russell, Jr. and Wynton Marsalis.  

For a schedule of upcoming live jazz and Latin music at the Fireplace Restaurant on Wednesdays and Thursdays, click here.

For year round details on jazz clubs, concerts, campus events, radio stations, festivals and organizations throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Vibraphonist Yuhan Su Performs at Langham Boston Hotel on Wednesday, November 16

Jazz vibraphonist and composer Yuhan Su is performing with her quartet at the BOND Lounge | Restaurant at the Langham Hotel in Boston on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

A native of Taiwan and a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music, Su is preparing to release her first CD, and continues to perform and compose music.

Su's performance is part of the BOND Jazz Experiment, which highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and funk. 

Located at the Langham Boston Hotel,  BOND Restaurant & Lounge is open seven days a week, offering gourmet sandwiches for lunch, afternoon tea, and global cuisine for dinner, plus an extensive wine list and distinctive cocktails. A special jazz menu is available on Wednesdays. For reservations call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists through December, click here.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

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

Jazz Saxophonist Tia Fuller Performs at UMass/Amherst on November 16

Jazz sax player, composer and educator Tia Fuller is performing with her Quartet at Bowker Auditorium, Fine Arts Center at University of Massachusetts in Amherst on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

Reserved seating is $15-$25, tickets for students of the five colleges, and for students under 17, are $10.  These can be purchased online.

Fuller is an accomplished musician with three CDs produced with her Quartet.  She has toured and been a featured soloist with the all female band of R&B star Beyonce.  She is also a respected educator who speaks at colleges around the country.

To read more about the jazz program at University of Massachusetts at Amherst, click here.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or Boston USA.com.

Japanese jazz pianist Yoko Miwa Performs at Ryles on Sunday, November 13

Japanese jazz pianist Yoko Miwa is performing at the Sunday Jazz Brunch at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Sunday, November 13, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

To see the Sunday Brunch menu, click here.  For upcoming jazz events at Ryles, located at 212 Hampshire Street in Inman Square, click here.

You can find a list of  jazz brunches in Massachusetts taking place throughout the year, or visit MassJazz.com for a schedule of concerts, night clubs, campus events, radio stations and jazz organizations. . 

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or Boston USA.com.

  

Lance Houston Jazz Quartet at the Seaport Boston Hotel on Tuesday, November 8

The Lance Houston Jazz Quartet is playing at the Tamo Bar at the Seaport Boston Hotel on Tuesday, November 8, 2011, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. 

Houston, who plays the flugelhorn, is joined by pianist Mihoko Abe, drummer Miki Matsuki  and bassist Cyrus Sink.

The food at Tamo and other restaurants at Seaport Boston Hotel is prepared by celebrated chef Rachel Klein.

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

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

Mike Baggetta Quartet at the Dirty Truth on November 6

The Mike Baggetta Quartet appears at The Dirty Truth Beer Hall in Northampton, MA on Sunday, November 6, 2011 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.  There is no cover charge.

The group will have its new CD, Source Material, on sale at the gig.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Great Deals in Boston on hotels, museums, restaurants and tours

Searching for an affordable vacation where you can do all the things you want at a reasonable price?

You can get great deals in Boston on hotels, museums, cultural activities, tours around Boston and family friendly activities, thanks to the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Poncho Sanchez Latin Band, with Terence Blanchard, Performs at Berklee on Sunday, November 6

The Poncho Sanchez Latin Band, featuring Terence Blanchard is in concert at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets to the concert are $41-$55 and can be purchased online.

The show is part of the Celebrity Series of Boston 2011-2012 season.

A longtime bandleader and premier exponent of Latin jazz, congero Poncho Sanchez is joined on this concert tour by multi-Grammy winner Terence Blanchard,  anther pioneer in Latin jazz.

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

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

Choreographer Mickey Davidson and The Makanda Project perform at Hibernian Hall in Boston on November 5-6

Well I See: The Music in the Motion,  a collaboration among choreographer Mickey Davidson and her dancers (New York City) and the members of the Makanda Project jazz ensemble (Boston), is being  presented at the Roxbury Center for the Arts at Hibernian Hall in Boston on Saturday, November 5 at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday,  November 6, 2011 at 3:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show cost $20 and can be ordered online. 

The show explores the interlocking relationship between music and dance, and is also a celebration of the music of the late Ken McIntyre, a Boston jazz artist and composer who influenced Davidson and for whom the Makanda Project is dedicated.

For more information about Hibernian Hall, click here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts visit MassJazz.com.

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

Jazz Pianist Hey Rim Jeon Performs at Ryles Jazz Club on November 3

Korean-born jazz pianist and composer Hey Rim Jeon is performing at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

Jeon,  an an assistant professor at Berklee College of Music, is performing with Greg Holt on bass, Tim Mayer on sax, and J. Curtis WarnerJr. on drums.

Tickets to the performance are $7 per person and can be purchased online or at the door. 

For a schedule of live jazz at Ryles, located at 212 Hampshire Street in Cambridge's Inman Square, click here. 

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

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

Berklee Performs Michael Jackson's Thriller Live on Halloween Night!

Students and faculty at the Berklee College of Music are performing the entire album of Michael Jackson's Thriller on Monday, October 31, 2011 at 8:15p.m.  Tickets are available online.

The concert takes place at the Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston's Back Bay.  Assistant Professor Tom Appleman is directing the performance.

You can also watch the concert streamlined live by clicking here.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts visit MassJazz.com.

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

Free Halloween Concert at Boston's Jordan Hall on Monday, October 31

Jazz pianist and composer Ran Blake and trombonist Aaron Harley are presenting their 7th annual Shadow of a Doubt Halloween Concert, at Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, on Monday, October 31, 2011, starting at 8:00 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

Students and faculty of NEC's Contemporary Improvisation department—along with guests—perform in response to the plots, moods, scenes, spirit, and music of these two films as clips appear onscreen. Blake and Hartley coach a Storyboarding/Noir Ensemble that will play a key role in this concert.


The music will come primarily from two classic movies from film noir: Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943) and Claude Chabrol's Le Boucher (1970).

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

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

Tom Wandell Trio Performs at BOND Lounge at Langham Boston Hotel on November 2

Jazz drummer Tom Wandell and his trio perform at  BOND Restaurant & Lounge in downtown Boston on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00  p.m.

The gig is part of the BOND Jazz Experiment, which highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and funk.  Located at the Langham Boston Hotel,  BOND Restaurant & Lounge is open seven days a week, offering gourmet sandwiches for lunch, afternoon tea, and global cuisine for dinner, plus an extensive wine list and distinctive cocktails. A special jazz menu is available on Wednesdays. For reservations call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists through December, click here.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

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

Pianist Laszlo Gardony Performs at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on November 2

Hungarian-born jazz pianist and composer Laszlo Gardony is performing with his band at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $18 and can be purchased online.

They'll be performing songs from their newest CD, Signature Time, which features Gardony on piano, John Lockwood on bass, and Yoron Israel on drums – with the addition of saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Stan Strickland.

For more concerts at Scullers this November, click here.

For year round details on jazz nightclubs, concerts, campus events, brunches and festivals throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Jazz Singer Kurt Elling and Kluvers Big Band at Wilbur Theatre in Boston on November 2

Grammy Award-winning Jazz vocalist Kurt Elling is performing with the Kluvers Big Band from Denmark at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.   Tickets range from $27-$37 and can be purchased online.

Elling, who celebrates his birthday at the Wilbur Theatre performance,  is considered this generation's premier jazz vocalist.  The Chicago musician has won numerous awards for his work, including a Grammy in 2010 for his album Dedicated to You: the Songs of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman.  He has won numerous Jazz Vocalist of the Year from Downbeat and Jazz Times.

For a full schedule of upcoming concerts at the Wilbur Theatre, click here.

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

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

 

Jazz Trombonist Curtis Fuller Lectures at Harvard on Monday, October 31

Blue Note jazz trombonist and composer Curtis Fuller has been invited as a Visiting Artist at at Harvard University's Office of the Arts  on Monday, October 31, 2011, 7:30 p.m, .at the New College Theatre Studio, 10-12 Holoyke Street in Cambridge.

Fuller will discuss his work in a conversation with Tom Everett, Director of the Harvard Bands, and later will perform in an open rehearsal with the Harvard Jazz Band.  The event is free and open to the public and is part of the Learning from Performers series.

Born in Detroit, Fuller has been one of the most influential trombonists in the history of jazz over the past six decades. He is a featured artist on the series “Blue Note Records, Then and Now,” a year-long celebration of the premiere jazz label.

On November 12, Fuller is performing in concert with the Harvard Jazz Band at the Lowell Lecture Hall, 17 Kirkland Street in Cambridge.  For information click here.

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

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

Jazz Pianist Chick Corea is Profiled in Wall Street Journal

Massachusetts native Chick Corea, one of the world's leading jazz pianist and composers, was profiled in a story in today's Wall Street Journal by reporter Will Friedwald.

Corea was born and raised in Chelsea, Massachusetts; in May 2001 Everett Street in Chelsea, where his family lived, was renamed Chick Corea Way in his honor.

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

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

Jimmy Webb, singer/songwriter, performs at Bull Run Restaurant on October 29

Singer/Songwriter Jimmy Webb is performing at the Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley, Massachusetts on Saturday, October 29, 2011, at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $24 and can be purchased online.

Webb is a prolific composer known for a string of hits, including By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Up, Up and Away, the Wichita Lineman, and countless other songs that shaped the American Songbook over the past fifty years.

For a full schedule of upcoming concerts, visit Bull Run Restaurant.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Jay Geils Jazz & Blues Revue in concert at Shalin Liu Performance Center on October 29

The Jay Geils Jazz & Blues Revue takes the stage at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, Massachusetts on Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.

It's an all-star cast led by rock guitar legend Geils, and includes Gerry Beaudoin, Cassandre McKinley, Fred Lipsius of Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Doug Bell of Bellevue Cadillac.

Tickets to the show are $29, $39, and $49 and can be purchased online.

For a schedule of concerts coming up at Shalin Liu Performance Center, click here.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Samantha Farrell performs at Boston Langham Hotel on Wednesday, October 26

Jazz vocalist Samantha Farrell has a return engagement at BOND Lounge at Boston Langham Hotel on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

The singer/songwriter, originally from Boston and now living in Los Angeles, has been described by Ben Evans of the Huffington Post as possessing "a liquor-honey voice, deft guitar work and slightly melancholic tones that meld to form an arching and elegant aural tapestry."

Samantha's show is part of the new BOND Jazz Experiment that features upcoming and established jazz artists on Wednesday nights.  A special menu is available.  For reservations, call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists coming to the BOND Restaurant and Lounge, click here.

For year round details on jazz clubs, hotel brunches, campus activities, jazz festivals and concerts throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

For visitor information on Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Oleta Adams, Spanish Harlem Orchestra Perform at Steppin out for Dimock fundraiser on October 29 in Boston

Jazz and gospel stars Oleta Adams, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the Harlem Gospel Choir and Henry Butler are just some of the performers at the 24th annual Steppin out for Dimock charity event, taking place at the Westin Copley Hotel in Boston on Saturday, October 29, 2011.

The annual event raises funds for the Dimock Center, which provides quality health care and human services to a variety of constituents in Boston's neighborhoods.

The event takes place from 8:00 p.m to 1:00 a.m. Tickets are $150 general admission and can be purchased online. 

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

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

Joshua Abrams Natural Information Society Performs at UMASS Amherst on Wednesday, October 26

Joshua Abrams and the Natural Information Society perform at the Fine Arts Center at University of Massachusetts at Amherst on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 8:15 p.m.  Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for students and can be ordered online.

Playing bass and guimbri (North African bass lute), composer Abrams is part of Chicago's vibrant music scene over the past 15 years.  He appears with percussionist Frank Rosaly. 

For a complete schedule of concerts and events at the Fine Arts Center at UMass/Amherst, click here.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Gospel Feast at Hibernian Hall in Roxbury on Sunday, October 23

The Harmonizing Stars of Boston - a quartet of gospel singers - perform at the Roxbury Center for the Arts at Hibernian Hall in Dudley Square on Sunday, October 23, 2011 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

It's a dinner show with food prepared by Ethnica Gourmet Caterers.  Cost is $25 per person and $12 for children twelve and under and can be ordered online. 

The Harmonizing Stars of Boston  was named Best Gospel Band by the New England Urban Music Awards.  In 2009 it released a CD, Heaven Bound.

For a full schedule of upcoming events at Hibernian Hall, located at 184 Dudley Street in Boston 's Roxbury neighborhood, click here.

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

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

Milton Academy Jazz Band presents Tribute to Art Blakey on Friday, October 21

The award-winning Milton Academy Jazz Band, led by jazz musician and educator Bob Sinicrope, is performing a special tribute to jazz drummer Art Blakey on Friday evening, October 21, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

The concert is free and open to the public and takes place at King Theater in the Kellner Performing Arts Center on campus. For directions, click here.

Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Blakey was a promising jazz pianist who later switched to drums, embarking on a brilliant career that included a thirty-year stint with his group, the Jazz Messengers and performing alongside the world's best jazz musicians. 

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

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

Music of Oscar Winner Harry Warren is featured at Arsenal Center for the Arts on Saturday, October 22

The American Songbook series at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown is featuring the music of Grammy Award winning composer and Hollywood legend Harry Warren on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online.

The music is being performed by Boston-based musicians Larry Monroe and Donna McElroy, featuring Russell Hoffman, John Rapucci, John Ramsay and Jeff Stout.

The winner of two Grammy Awards and eleven nominations over a distinguished career, Warren is known for his hits Lullaby of Broadway, That's Amore, and You'll Never Know.

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

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

Jazz Pianist Ahmad Jamal Performs at Shalin Liu Center in Rockport on October 22

Ahmad Jamal, legendary jazz pianist, is appearing at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, Massachusetts on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.

The benefit concert will help support Rockport Music's artistic programming and its educational outreach on Cape Ann and the region.   Tickets are $200 and can be reserved online. 

Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Jamal is considered one of the most influential jazz musicians of the last half century, according to jazz critic and scholar Stanley Crouch.

For a list of upcoming concerts presented by Rockport Music, click here.

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

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com.

34th John Coltrane Memorial Concert is on Saturday, October 22 at Northeastern University in Boston

The 34th John Coltrane Memorial Concert presents saxophonist John Coltrane's music in contemporary interpretations, illustrating influences  from Afro-Caribbean music cultures.

This year's concert honors Jose Masso, host of "Con Salsa" on WBUR, who is celebrating his 36th year of of presenting the best of Afro-Latin music.

The concert features the John Coltrane Memorial Ensemble, an outstanding lineup of 14 prominent Boston-based musicians, many of whom have been the core of the John Coltrane Memorial Concert over its 34 year legacy:  Carl Atkins, Leonard Brown, Jeff Galindo, Tim Ingles, John Lockwood, Ricardo Monzon, David Neves, Jason Palmer, Bill Pierce, Ron Savage, Syd Smart, Joel Larue Smith, Stan Strickland, and Gary Valente.

Tickets are $25 general admission; discounts available to groups, NU faculty & staff, WGBH Members, NU & non-NU students, and seniors. Tickets are on sale now online,  or call 617-373-4700 (TTY 617-373-2184).

For a history of the John Coltrane Memorial Concert in Boston, click here.

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

Live Jazz Everywhere in Massachusetts This Fall

Kurt Elling

(Boston) -  Massachusetts is boasting a great line-up of jazz this fall in hundreds of concert halls, night clubs, college campuses, and hotels and restaurants, fortifying the state’s growing reputation as a tourist destination for live jazz in the United States.

According to MassJazz, a sampling of jazz artists performing in the Bay State from October through December 2011 includes Grammy award winners like bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding, vocalist Kurt Elling, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, bassist Christian McBride, pianist/composer Gunther Schuller and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra.

Plus, local jazz musicians perform nightly in jazz clubs in greater Boston and throughout Massachusetts and at jazz brunches at hotels and restaurants each weekend.  

”Massachusetts is a magnet for the world’s best jazz performers,” says Michael Quinlin, founder of MassJazz, which promotes jazz to the tourist industry year round.  “Plus, our vibrant jazz scene is fueled by dozens of college jazz studies programs and jazz students from over forty countries who represent an appreciative and knowledgeable jazz audience.”

The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism is a partner in the MassJazz initiative.  

Visitors can pick up a free copy of the 40-page MassJazz Travel Guide detailing jazz connections for out-of-town visitors and local residents.  The Guide is available at local visitor kiosks, jazz clubs, hotels and colleges.

The web site, MassJazz.com has up-to-date listings of jazz concerts, nightclub and hotels, jazz brunches, campus events and festivals. 

Both the web site and Guide also provide resources like jazz radio programs, educational courses, jazz organizations and tourism outlets for visitors.   

And daily updates on are available on Tweeter:  @massjazz and at MassJazz.blogspot.com.

A SAMPLING OF LIVE JAZZ IN MASSACHUSETTS

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2011

COMPILED BY MASSJAZZ

October

October 27-28

The Bad Plus

Regattabar Jazz Club @ Charles Hotel

Harvard Square, Cambridge  

October 28

Jay Geils – Jazz and Blues Review

Shalin Liu Performance Center
Rockport

October 29
Steppin Out for Dimock Gala
Featuring Spanish Harlem Orchestra and Oleta Adams

Copley Westin Hotel
Back Bay, Boston

October 31

Office for the Arts at Harvard Presents

Trombonist Curtis Fuller

New College Theatre Studio

Cambridge

November

November 2

Kurt Elling and the Kluvers Big Band

Wilbur Theatre, Boston

November 5-6

Mickey Davidson and Makanda Project

Roxbury Center for the Arts at Hibernian Hall

Roxbury, Boston

November 6
Terence Blanchard & Poncho Sanchez
Berklee Performance Center
Boston

November 11
The Three Cohens
Shalin Liu Performance Center
Rockport

November 11
Buddy Guy
Wilbur Theatre, Boston

November 12-13

Arturo Sandoval

Scullers Jazz Club @ Doubletree Suites Hotel

Boston

November 16
Tia Fuller Quartet
Bowker Auditorium
University of Massachusetts, Amherst

November 18

Brian Evans

Shalin Liu Performance Center

Rockport

November 18-19

Spyro Gyra

Scullers Jazz Club @ Doubletree Suites Hotel

Boston

November 19

Klezmer Swing

Cape Cod Cultural Center

Yarmouth, Cape Cod

November 25-26

Regina Carter

Regattabar Jazz Club @ Charles Hotel

Harvard Square, Cambridge

November 30

Alexander Baboian

BOND Lounge @ Langham Hotel

Boston

December

December 2

Gunter ‘Baby’ Sommer and Wadada Leo Smith Duo
Bezanson Recital Hall
University of Massachusetts, Amherst

December 3

Grace Kelly

The Center for Arts

Natick

December 4
Boston Conservatory

New Music Festival
Progressive Jazz Orchestra with Gunther Schuller
Boston

December 7
USAF Band of Liberty Jazz Band

Mechanics Hall
Worcester

December 9-10-11

Esperanza Spalding

Scullers Jazz Club @ Doubletree Suites Hilton

Boston

December 16

Sergio Mendes Project: Brazilian Jazz

Amazing Things Arts Center

Framingham

December 18

Steve March Torme

Amazing Things Arts Center

Framingham

December 19

Sisters of Swing Holiday Concert

Arsenal Center for the Arts

Watertown

December 30-31

Christian McBride & Inside Straight

Scullers Jazz Club @ Doubletree Suites Hilton

Boston

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Live Jazz and Blues in Massachusetts on Saturday, October 15

Japanese Jazz Pianist Hiromi at Sculllers 

 

There's great live jazz and blues taking place all across Massachusetts on Saturday, October 15, 2011.  Here is just a sampling from MassJazz

Western Mass

Grace Kelly and Phil Woods
Part of the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival
Colonial Theatre

111 South Street
Pittsfield

North Shore 

Shaboo Allstars with Matt Guitar Murphy
Blue Ocean Music Hall

4 Ocean Front North
Salisbury

Laszlo Gardony Quartet
Marblehead Jazz Series

Unitarian Universalist Church
28 Mugford Street
Marblehead

Boston/Cambridge 

Johnny A
Regattabar Jazz Club at Charles Hotel
One Bennett Street, Harvard Square

Cambridge

Hiromi Uehara Trio

Scullers Jazz Club @Doubletree Suites Hotel

400 Soldiers Field Road

Allston, Boston

Cape Cod

Bart Weisman Jazz Group

Grand Cru at Cape Codder Resort & Spa

1225 Iyannough Road (Route 132)

Hyannis, Cape Cod

Central Mass

Hannah Rose and Harvey Diamond

Concord Colonial Inn

48 Monument Square

Concord

You can find a full list of jazz clubs, concert venues, festival information, campus events and other jazz related activities throughout Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com.

Florencia Gonzalez Performs at Lily Pad Club in Cambridge on Thursday, October 13

Jazz saxophonist Florencia Gonzalez is performing with her big band at the Lily Pad jazz club in Inman Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts on Thursday, October 13, 2011 from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Born and raised in Montevideo, Uruguay,  Gonzalez is an accomplished jazz and classical saxophonist, composer and arranger. She came to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music on a scholarship and graduated with honors in 2007.

Following Gonzalez on stage at the Lily Pad, guitarist-composer Joel Harrison is performing with Stan Strickland, Bruce Gertz and Steve Langone starting at 9:00 p.m.

Then at 10:30 p.m, the Jorge Perez-Albela Quartet finishes out the evening.

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

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

Armen Donelian Trio Appearing at Pittsfield Jazz Festival on Friday, October 14

The Armen Donelian Trio is appearing at Baba Louie's Music Hall in Pittsfield on Friday, October 14, 2011 at 7:30 p.m., as part of the annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival taking place through October 20 at venues around the city.

Click for a full schedule of performances. You can also follow the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival Facebook page.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation or BerkshiresTourism

Lance Houston Performs at Boston's Langham Hotel on Wednesday, October 12

Jazz flugelhorn player Lance Houston and his quartet perform at the BOND Lounge | Restaurant at the Boston Langham Hotel on Wednesday, October 12, 2011, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

The gig is part of the BOND Jazz Experiment, which runs from  each Wednesday evening and highlights emerging artists and accomplished performers covering the jazz spectrum, including classic jazz from the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and funk.  For reservations call 617 956-8765.

For a full schedule of artists through the fall, click here.

For year round jazz in concert halls, clubs, hotel lounges and college campuses throughout Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com

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

Pablo Ablanedo Octet Performs at Regattabar on Tuesday, October 11

Argentinean composer and pianist Pablo Ablanedo and his octet perform at the Regattabar Jazz Club at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge, on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

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

Ablanedo has a distinctive sound that is influenced by his Argentinian roots and by American jazz artists Bill Evans and Gil Evans, Astor Piazzola of Argentina and Egbuto Gismaonta of Brazil.  His unique use of various instruments in his compositions - violin, trumpet, two reeds, guitar, piano, bass and drums - gives him the freedom to explore South America rhythms through jazz and classical forms.

For a schedule of upcoming performances at Regattabar, click here.

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

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

Jazz Guitarist Pat Metheny Performs at Somerville Theatre on Sunday, October 9

Jazz guitar legend Pat Metheny is performing with bassist Larry Grenadier at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, Somerville, on Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.

Ticket to the concert are $35 and $45 and can be purchased online.

Metheny will be performing from his new album, What It's All About, a collection of classic songs and favorites of the musician, released this summer.

For year round jazz in Massachusetts visit MassJazz.com.

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