Three Outdoor Jazz Festivals in Massachusetts This Week: Martha's Vineyard, Provincetown and Lowell

Christian Sands, Performing at Martha's Vineyard 

Massachusetts is earning its reputation as the State of Jazz this week, with three jazz festivals taking place, according to MassJazz, which promotes live jazz in the Bay State year round.

August 4-12

2nd annual
Martha’s Vineyard Jazz Festival

Oaks Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard
Performers for the week include Jason Moran, Terri Lyne Carrington and Nasheet Waits, Drew Davidsen, Elan Trotman, Gerald Veasley, Edmar Colon and Frederick Yonnet and Urban Harmonica.  Also: book readings and signings, film presentations and an art exhibit. 

 

August 10-11

2nd annual
Merrimack Valley Jazz Festival

Tsongas Center & River Walk
Lowell Heritage State Park
Lowell
Performers include Amanda Carr and the Le Creme de Les Femme, Gregg Hopkins All-Star Faculty Big Band, Berklee College, Henri Smith's Friends and Flavours New Orleans Band, Compaq Big Band and Adagio Big Band.

 

August 11 & 13

ProvincetownJazz Festival

Provincetown & Cotuit, Cape Cod
Performers include Sharon Clark, Paul Carr, Chris Grasso, Alex Brown, Joe McCarthy and Zach Brown in concert at Provincetown Town Hall on August 11.  Then on August 13, Bruce Abbott, Steve Ahern, Fred Boyle, Ron Ormsby, Tedi March, Debra Mann, Alan Clinger and Bart Weisman perform at the Cotuit Center for the Arts.

You can find a full schedule of jazz festivals from now through October in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com/festivals.

You can pick up a free copy of MassJazz Travel Guide at these locations.

Here is tourist information about visiting MassVacation.com.

Bob Nieske Jazz Group at Top of the Hub Restaurant in Boston on August 4

The Bob Nieske Group, featuring jazz singer Maggie Galloway, is performing at the Top of the Hub Restaurant in Boston's Back Bay on Saturday, August 4, 2012, from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Located on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower in Boston's Back Bay, Top of the Hub is one of the great Boston nightspots to enjoy great jazz nightly, plus terrific food and an amazing view of greater Boston. 

For a schedule of nighty jazz at Top of the Hub, click here.

Read a story about Top of the Hub in the current issue of MassJazz Travel Guide.

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

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

Combo Sabroso Performs at Tito Puente Series in Boston on August 2

Latin dance band Combo Sabroso is performing at Sheehy Park in Boston's Mission Hill on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

The concert, located at 1545 Tremont Street, is free and open to the public.  It  is part of  Tito Puente Latin Music Series organized  by Berklee College of Music in partnership with Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion and Socidead Latina.

MassJazz has compiled a schedule of free outdoor jazz concert series as well outdoor jazz festivals taking place throughout Massachusetts this summer and fall.

For details on visiting Massachusetts any time of year, go to MassVacation.com. 

Laurence Hobgood Quartet Performs at Regattabar in Harvard Square on August 2

The Laurence Hobgood Quartet is performing two shows at the Regattabar Jazz Club in Harvard Square, Cambridge, on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at  7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Both shows are hosted by jazz radio host Eric Jackson of WGBH.  The award-winning quartet includes Laurence Hobgood on piano, Matt Rybicki on bass, Jaret Schonig on drums, and Jimmy Greene on sax.

Here's a full schedule of upcoming performances at Regattabar, located at the Charles Hotel.

For year round details on jazz throughout Massachusetts, check out MassJazz.com

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Trumpeter Chris Botti Performs at South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset on August 2

Grammy Award winning jazz trumpet start Chris Botti is performing at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, Massachusetts on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $43 to $62 and can be purchased online or at the gate. 

Botti has sold over one million albums and has performed internationally with musicians like Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Herbie Hancock and others.

Botti is also performing in the area on August 10 at the Cape Cod Melody Tent.

For a complete schedule of concerts at the South Shore Music Circus, click here.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

Jazz Pianist Jonathan Batiste Performs at Scullers Jazz Club on August 1

Jonathan Batiste, one of the most exciting innovators in jazz, is performing with his group, the Stay Human Band, at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Born in New Orleans, Batiste is co-director and musical curator of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and has performed in over 40 countries, collaborating with Wynton Marsalis, Prince, Jimmy Buffett and others. .

Here's a schedule of upcoming jazz performances at Scullers this summer.

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

Find visitor information on Massachusetts at MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Duo Performs at Berklee's Summer in the City Series at Regattabar Courtyard, Harvard Square, on Monday, June 30

Upcoming jazz duo Lee Dynes and Amanda Addleman is performing a free concert at the Regattabar Courtyard at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge, on Monday, July 30, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.

For directions click here.

The concert is one of dozens of free concerts in Berklee's 2012 Summer in the City Series, which features great young jazz musicians playing in venues all across greater Boston and beyond. 

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

MassJazz has compiled a list of free outdoor summer jazz concerts taking place across Massachusetts in July and August.

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

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

Jazz Supporters Convene at Boston Public Library on July 31 to Discuss Future of Jazz

 

In the wake of jazz programming cutbacks at WGBH, 89.7 FM, JazzBoston is hosting a meeting at the Boston Public Library on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., to discuss the future of jazz.

Dr. Emmett Price, musician, Chair of African American Studies, and Associate Professor of Music and African American Studies at Northeastern University, will moderate the conversation with José Massó, longtime community activist and announcer/producer of ¡Con Salsa! on WBUR FM.  The event is free and open to the public.

The WGBH changes scaled back Eric Jackson's nightly show to weekend nights only, and eliminated the Friday night show, Jazz at Studio Four, by host Steve Schwartz. 

For more information about the jazz gathering at the Boston Public Library, visit JazzBoston.org or the Facebook page, Save Eric in the Evening.

Posted by MassJazz.com.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band Performing in Boston's Copley Square on July 27

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is performing a free concert at the 1st annual Summer Arts Weekend in Copley Square Park in Boston's Back Bay.  The three-day festival is being organized by The Boston Globe and WGBH and a number of local businesses, arts groups and tourism agencies. 

One of New Orlean's most famous bands, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band was formed in 1961 and is considered an authentic proponent of the particular style of jazz that gave New Orleans its rightful designation as the home of jazz.

Preservation takes the stage at 7:45 p.m., and is joined onstage at 8:30 by Del McCoury, one of America's most accomplished bluegrass musicians.

Following that performance, New Orleans' own soul queen Irma Thomas takes the stage at 9:15

To find complete details of the Summer Arts Weekend, click here.

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Funk Band Lettuce Performs at Berklee in Boston on July 23

Lettuce, the funk band, celebrates its 20th anniversary concert at the Berklee Performance Center on Monday, July 23, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. The band came together in 1992 when the musicians were students at Berklee.

Tickets are $26 and $31 and can be purchased online or at the door.

For a full schedule of upcoming concerts at the Berklee Performance Center, click here.

You can find year round jazz all across Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

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

Sax Star Walter Beasley Headlines 2nd annual Onset Beach Jazz Festival on July 21

Jazz Saxophonist Walter Beasley is headlining the 2nd annual Onset Beach Jazz Festival taking place in Massachusetts on Saturday, July 21, 2012 from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The festival is organized by jazz vocalist Mikelyn Roderick, who will also perform, along with The Kozue Kuriyama Jazz Quartet, Joaquin Santos Band featuring Evan Cole, Voices of the Future, and the Jazz Thugs.

The festival is free and open to the public, and donations are accepted to support Musical Instruments for Middle School Students.

For directions to the festival click here.

 You can find year round jazz in Massachusetts - including festivals, concerts, campus events and more - by visiting MassJazz.com

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

Tessa Souter is Performing at Marblehead Summer Jazz Series on July 21

Jazz vocalist Tessa Souter is performing in concert at the Marblehead Summer Jazz '12 series on Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

The concert takes place at the Unitarian-Universal Church at 28 Mugford Street in Marblehead.  Tickets are $26-$35 and can be purchased online, or $30-$40 at the door.

Souter has been praised for her "crystalline contralto and impeccable phrasing" by Jazz Times.

To learn more about Marblehead Summer Jazz, click here.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com or NorthofBoston.com.

Semenya McCord Performs at Vernissage's in Brookline on July 19

Jazz and gospel singer Semenya McCord is performing at Vernissage Restaurant in Brookline on Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.  Admission is $15.

The popular singer is also a noted educator who taught at UMass/Darthmouth for many years; she is currently teaching at Knox College and Carl Sandburg College in Illinois.

McCord is also on the faculty at the Lowell Summer Jazz Camp which runs from July 16-29, 2012. 

For year round information on jazz festivals, concerts, campus events, and other related activities in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Arturo Sandoval, Latin Jazz Star, Performs in Rockport on July 20

Rockport Music is presenting legendary jazz trumpet player Arturo Sandoval in concert at the Shalin Liu Performance Center at 37 Main Street in Rockport on Friday July 20, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets range from $45 to $78 and can be purchased online or at the Center's box office.

Born on the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, Sandoval is considered one of the great trumpet and flugelhorn players in the world.  He has won six Grammy Awards (12 nominations), six Billboard Awards and an Emmy Award.

Rockport Music has a great line-up of jazz, including its first annual Rockport Jazz Festival on August 15-19, 2012.  For a full schedule of jazz, folk, classical and world music at Rockport, click here.

For details on year round jazz festivals, concerts, campus events and jazz activities in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com.

Festival Betances, Celebrating Latino Culture, Takes Place in Boston on July 20-22

The annual Festival Betances, which celebrates Latino culture in Boston, takes place in at Plaza Betances, 100 W. Dedham Street, in Boston's South End on July 20-22, 2012. 

This year's theme is La Famila Villa Victoria.  Among the performers at the three day fest are Salsa singer Mel Martinez, doing a homage to Frankie Ruiz, and Salsa start Osvaldo Roman. 

The annual festival is organized by Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, a community organization formed in 1968.

You can find a schedule of festivals - including jazz, blues and world music, by visiting MassJazz.com.

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

Korean Jazz Pianist in Concert at Berklee Performance Center on July 18

Hey Rim Jeon, the noted jazz pianist, composer and educator from Korea, is giving a concert at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 8:15 p.m.  Tickets are $12 at the door.

The concert is also being streamed online at Concert Windows.

Hey Rim Jeon is the first Korean faculty member at Berklee College of Music.

You can find year round details on live jazz in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com. 

2012 MassJazz Travel Guide Available for Free at Visitor Centers in Massachusetts

A free copy of the 4th annual MassJazz Travel Guide is now available at visitor centers, concert venues, jazz clubs, and college campuses throughout the state. See distribution locations.

The 40 page Guide is a handy compendium of hundreds of jazz festivals, indoor and outdoor concerts, jazz summer courses and other jazz-related activities taking place in Massachusetts between July and November. 

This year's cover features Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, who is giving a concert at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport on Friday, July 20, then again at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston in November.

Among the highlights this year are new jazz festivals taking place around the Commonwealth: the Rockport Jazz Festival (August15-19); the Berkshire Getaway Jazz Weekend (September 14-16) in Lee, and the Holyoke Latin Jazz Festival (October 13).  And this year’s Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival (September 29) is celebrating women in jazz with a line-up of great female performers.

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

MassJazz was launched in 2009 by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism to promote the state’s jazz scene year round to the travel industry.

  

Other supporters of MassJazz include Berklee College of Music, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, WGBH 89.7 FM, Cirque du Soleil, Rockport Music,  Downtown Boston BID, the Top of the Hub Restaurant, Scullers Jazz Club, Regattabar Jazz Club, Wilbur Theatre, Cape Cod Melody Tent, South Shore Music Circus, Palace Theatre, Northeastern University,  JazzBoston,  and other jazz groups across the state.

To find out more about live jazz in Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com and Massjazz.blogspot.com.  You can also follow MassJazz on twitter. 

For information about visiting Massachusetts any time of the year, go to MassVacation.com.

 

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Free Boomtown Festival Taking Place in East Cambridge on July 16-19

The Boomtown Festival! 2012 is taking place at the Multicultural Arts Center of Cambridge on July 16-19, 2012 in the outdoor Cantanni Courtyard next to the Center.

The event is free and open to the public and features four days of art, live music and cultural activities.

Among the jazz bands performing are Fernando Brandão, the New World Jazz Composers Octet, Rhythmic Explorations and The Second Line Social Aid & Pleasure Society Brass Band.

To see a full schedule, click here.

You can find year round details on jazz, blues and world music by visiting MassJazz.com.

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

Free Outdoor Summer Jazz Concerts in Boston and Across Massachusetts This Summer

MassJazz has compiled a list of dozens of free outdoor music concert series taking place across Massachusetts from now through Labor Day.

See the 2012 Summer Concert Series listings here.

The schedule includes annual concert series taking place in greater Boston and from Cape Cod to the North Shore.  Berklee College of Music has over a dozen series in various parks, plazas, shopping areas and even on Boston Harbor Island.

You can also find a schedule of outdoor jazz festivals taking place in the Bay State this summer and fall.

For year round details on jazz concerts, festivals, campus events, jazz organizations, radio programs and educational opportunities, visit MassJazz.com.

To find visitor information, go to Massvacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Win Free Tix to Chris Botti Concert at South Shore Music Circus on August 2

MassJazz is giving away a free pair of tickets to hear jazz trumpeter Chris Botti in concert at the South Shore Music Circus on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

The lucky winner also gets a $100 gift certificate to dine at acclaimed Bia Bistro in Cohasset the night of the concert.

Click here to enter the contest and submit the form.  You can also reserve tickets to the concert directly through Ticketmaster.

Botti's 2004 album, When I Fall in Love, has made him world's most popular jazz artists. His newest album, released in 2012, is Impressions. He has won numerous Grammy Awards and other awards for his albums and concert performances.  In 2008 Botti recorded a live album at Boston Symphony Hall that became a best-selling CD and DVD. 

On Friday, August 10, Botti is performing at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis.  To order tickets to that show, click here.

Find a full schedule South Shore Music Circus concerts this summer, and a full schedule at the Cape Cod Melody Tent. 

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

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

Goupo Fantasma and Debo Band Playing at Brighton Music Hall on Wednesday, July 11

Grammy Award winning Latin band Grupo Fantasma is performing live at the Brighton Music Hall in Boston on Wednesday, July 11, 2012.  They're joined by the Debo Band, an Ethopian pop band.

General admission is $15.00 and can be purchased online, or $18 the day of the show.

See a schedule of upcoming events at Brighton Hall.

For details on jazz festivals, concerts, campus events and other music activities in Massachusetts year round, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information to to MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Guitarist John Pizzarelli Performs at Rockport Music Series on Sunday, July 8

Rockport Music is presenting world-renowned jazz guitarist, singer, composer and bandleader John Pizzarelli in concert at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport on Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.

Tickets are $41, $51 and $61 and can be purchased online or at the Center on concert day.

The son of another legendary guitarist, Bucky Pizzarelli, John was hailed by The Boston Globe for "reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.”

Since 1981, Rockport Music has been committed to one enduring purpose: enriching lives through great music. To see a full schedule of concerts presented by Rockport Music this summer, click here.

For details on round jazz activities in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and NorthofBoston.org.

Jeremy Pelt Quintet Featured at Marblehead Summer Jazz Series on Saturday, July 7

Jazz trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and his quintet perform at the 28th annual Marblehead Summer Jazz season on Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $26 to $35 and can be purchased online or at the door.

The concert takes place in the Unitarian-Universalist Church on 28 Mugford Street in Marblehead. Directions here.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and NorthofBoston.org.

Yoko Miwa Performing at Post Office Square Concert Series in Boston on Monday, July 2

Jazz pianist Yoko Miwa performing at Post Office Square Park in Downtown Boston at noon on Monday, July 2, 2012.

The free, outdoor concert is part of the Live Concert Series hosted by the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District.  To see a full schedule of events click here.

For a full schedule of jazz concerts, jazz clubs, campus events and jazz brunches, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Fred Boyle Trio at Harvard Gallery Wine Bar on Cape Cod, Monday, July 2

The Fred Boyle Trio is performing at the Harvard Gallery Wine Bar in Dennis, Cape Cod, on Monday, August 22, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. There is no cover charge.

The trio includes Boyle on piano, Bart Weisman on drums and Rich Hill on bass.

For a full schedule of entertainment at Harvard Gallery Wine Bar through July, click here.

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

For tourist information visit MassVacation.com or CapeCodChamber.org.

Nora Jones Performs at Bank of America Pavilion in Boston on Sunday, July 1

Grammy Award winner Norah Jones is performing at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston's Seaport District on Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $57 - $79 and can be ordered online.

For a full schedule of concerts at Bank of America Pavilion this summer click here.

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

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

Diana Krall Performing at South Shore Melody Tent

Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall is performing in concert at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset on Saturday, June 30, 2012.  For ticket information click here.

Denzal Sinclaire, one of Canada's most popular jazz vocalists and pianists, is opening the show.

To get a full schedule of events at the South Shore Music Circus this summer, click here.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com

Live Jazz Tonight Overlooking Boston at the Top of the Hub Restaurant & Lounge

Want to catch some great live jazz while enjoying an amazing, panoramic view of Boston at night on Saturday, June 30, 2012?

Check out the Marty Ballou Trio performing at the Top of the Hub Restaurant & Lounge, on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston Street,  in Boston's Back Bay.  The trio performs live from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Ballou is a seasoned bassist and sought-after studio musician who has performed with Jay McShann, Jimmy Witherspoon, Herb Ellis and others.  He is a regular performer at Top of the Hub.

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

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

Jazz Singer Diana Krall Performs at Cape Cod Melody Tent on Friday, June 29

Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall is performing in concert at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis on Friday, June 29, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $68.25 to $87.25 and can be purchased online or at the gate.

Opening the show for Ms. Krall is jazz performer Denzal Sinclaire, one of Canada's most popular jazz vocalists and pianists.

Krall and Sinclaire perform in the area on Saturday, June 30, 2012 at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset.  For ticket information click here. 

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and CapeCodChamber.org.

Lance Houston Quartet at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Boston on June 28

The Lance Houston Jazz Quartet is performing on Thursday, June 28, 2012 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Avenue One Lounge at Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Boston.

The lounge, located at One Avenue de Layfayette off of Washington Street, has live jazz every Thursday and Friday nights this summer.  For directions click here.

This summer you can find indoor and outdoor concerts in the Downtown Boston district.  For details visit Bostonbid.org

Find year round live jazz in Massachusetts, including festivals, campus events, night clubs, hotels and restaurants by visiting MassJazz.com.

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

Berklee at the Regattabar Summer Courtyard Series Kicks off on Monday, July 9

The annual Berklee Courtyard Series at the Regattabar, featuring Berklee musicians performing Monday nights from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. this summer, is kicking off on Monday, July 9 with Ariadna Rivas, a gifted pianist and composer from Spain.

The free concert series, which runs through August 27, 2012,  takes place in the upper courtyard of the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, where is the home of the famous Regattabar Jazz Club.  It is free and open to the public.

View details on Berklee's Summer in the City concerts.

See schedule of upcoming jazz performances at the Regattabar this summer.

To find year round details on jazz and live performances in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Manhattan Transfer Performs at Scullers Jazz Club on June 27

Manhattan Transfer, the Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist group, is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 10:00 p.m.

Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online. (The 8:00 p.m. show is sold out.)

Find a full schedule of performances at Scullers Jazz Club this summer.

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

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

Jazz Pianist Yoko Miwa Performs at Les Zygomates in Boston on June 26

Yoko Miwa, jazz pianist, is performing at Les Zygomates Wine Bar at 129 South Street in Boston on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m..

Click here for a schedule of Ms. Miwa's summer performance schedule.

For details on jazz in Massachusetts throughout the year, including night clubs, concerts, campus events and more, visit MassJazz.com.

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

Flamenco Soul Project at Arsenal Center for the Arts on June 25

Berklee Mediterranean Music Institute, Spain Arts & Culture, and ArsenalArts present the Flamenco Soul Project at at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown on Monday, June 25, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $25 and can be purchased online or by calling 617 923-8487.

Under the artistic direction of Javier Limón (Seven-Time Latin Grammy Award Winner), Flamenco Soul presents a sample of the best flamenco in the world, risky but pure at the same time, by the hands, feet and soul of a group of young talents that set the tempo of the sound of today.

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

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

Cirque du Soleil Totem, Live in Boston Through July

Published on MassVacation Blog, June 25, 2012.

People gasped, wholly astonished. They laughed, shook their heads in disbelief, watched in nervous silence, and applauded wildly throughout the evening.

That’s what Cirque du Soleil Totem does to its audience, as we discovered firsthand after recently attending the opening show. Cirque is in Boston through July, over at the spacious Marine Industrial Park, right along the city’s stunning waterfront in South Boston.

Held under a giant, state-of-the-art Circus Tent and pavilion, Cirque features some of the world’s greatest acrobats, stuntmen, magicians, actors, comedians, mimes and athletes. The troupe is like a United Nations, with artists from Canada and the United States (including Native American Indians), as well as China, Russia, New Zealand, France and other corners of the world.

And so was the audience – diverse in every way, with kids, parents and grandparents, students, tourists, and locals all mingling together. Indeed, one of the great qualities of the show is its universal appeal.

Just to brief you – Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun) was formed in Quebec City in 1984 by a group of artists and dreamers devoted to live theatre and street performance. Since then it has become one of the truly great entertainment and cultural spectacles of our time.

This Cirque show on tour in Boston is called Totem – whose theme traces the journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly.

The opening stage set was of a gigantic turtle, from which all sorts of visual and acrobatic activity emerged. The feats of daring were breathtaking, much of them done without nets. What we loved, too, was the French-inspired whimsy and impishness that brought the audience right into the show before the curtain even went up.

The eight-piece live band was terrific, blending together indigenous melody with a driving polyrhythm that lent to the drama and flair of the performers.

A true highlight of the show had to be the state-of-the-art technology used to create shifting landscapes and seascapes throughout the show. The set designs, lighting, sound, and staging were remarkable in creating just the right ambiance and mood throughout the performance.

Even more good news – getting into Marine Industrial Park was easy; it is right off Northern Avenue, close to the Boston Convention Center and the World Trade Center.  It overlooks Boston Harbor, and is where cruise ships dock in the summer. A public parking garage is two-minutes from the tent, with local police directing traffic. The Cirque staff is efficient and friendly, from the ticket counter to the merchandise shops, food counter, and wine and beer stations. Even the restrooms were clean, well stocked, and efficiently placed around the facility to avoid long lines.

Would we go back again? Definitely! Cirque du Soleil is one of the most amazing, entertaining, and inspiring shows we’ve seen in a long time. The fact that it’s right in Boston gives visitors all sorts of options for dining, sightseeing or staying overnight in one of the hotels within walking distance.

Vive Le Cirque!

For show times, and ticket information, click here.

- Review by Michael Quinlin of MassJazz. 

Paulie's NOLA Jazz & Blues Festival in Worcester on June 23-24

The 5th annual Paulie's NOLA Jazz & Blues Festival is taking place in Worcester on Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24, 2012 at the Keystone Plaza Urban Fairgrounds in Worcester. 

The festival runs from noon to midnight on Saturday and noon to 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The celebration of New Orleans and Louisiana music features top performers like Henri Smith New Orleans Friends & Flavours featuring Charles Neville & Amadee Castenell.

Also performing, Tab Benoit, Eric Lindell Band, Bonerama, Royal Southern Brotherhood, Honey Island Swamp Band, Jumpin Johnny Sansone, Sonny Landreth, and Billy Iuso.

Here is a full schedule of performers. 

You can find a full schedule of jazz and blues festivals in Massachusetts this summer and fall.

For year round details on jazz and blues concerts, campus events, night clubs, brunches, radio programs and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and Central Massachusetts.

Winiker Orchestra Celebrates 50th Anniversary at Scullers Jazz Club on June 20

Congratulations to the Bo and Bill Winiker Orchestra,  celebrating its 50th anniversary as one of Boston's premier jazz bands, with a concert at Scullers Jazz Club on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

The brothers got their start in music fifty years ago thanks to their parents.  Read The Boston Globe story on the Winiker Orchestra.

See schedule of Sculler events coming up this summer.

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

For visitor details, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Jazz Pianist Hey Rim Jeon Performs at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on June 19

Korean-born jazz pianist and composer Hey Rim Jeon is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 8:30 p.m.   Tickets to the show are $20 and can be purchased online or at the door.  For information about a dinner/show package for $62, click here.

A graduate of the Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory, Hey Rim is assistant professor at Berklee, where she teaches harmony and piano.

Check out Scullers' upcoming schedule of performances this summer.

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

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

Jazz Great Lou Colombo Remembered in Hyannis on June 17

Jazz trumpet legend Lou Colombo, who died in a car accident in March while in Florida, is getting a New Orleans-style jazz procession in his memory in Hyannis Cape Cod, on Sunday, June 17, 2012 from 2:30 to 6:00 p.m.

The procession starts at Colombo Cafe on Main Street and heads to the Cape Cod Melody Tent on West Main, where an afternoon of music and memories are being shared by the Colombo family and Lou's many friends and colleagues.

Among the speakers are jazz radio hosts Ron della Chiesa and Dick Golden.  Music is being provided by the Roadhouse Band and the Gray Sargent band, with a jazz session taking place afterwards.

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

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and CapeCodChamber.org.

14th annual Roxbury International Film Festival Taking Place in Boston This Weekend

The 14th annual Roxbury International Film Festival, featuring independent films by filmmakers of color, is taking place in Boston through Sunday, June 17, 2012, at various venues, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Mass College of the Art and Design, and Northeastern University. 

One of the films being premiered is Oxygen for the Ears: Living History, a story of the trials and tribulations of jazz in America. It airs on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. at the Egan Center at Northeastern University.  Tickets are $10 and are available at the venue.

For a full schedule of screenings, click here.  And read a history of RIFF. 

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

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com. 

Michelle Cruz Quartet Performing at Colonial Blackinton Inn in Attleboro on June 15

Jazz singer Michelle Cruz and her quartet perform at the Colonial Blackinton Inn in Attleboro on Friday, June 15, 2012 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.  The group performs there every Friday evening through the summer.

For a complete schedule of live music taking place at Colonial Blackinton Inn, click here.

You can find year round details on jazz festivals, concerts, night clubs, weekend brunches, campus events, radio stations and other jazz-related activities in Massachusetts by visiting MassJazz.com.

For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com and Southeastern Massachusetts.

Singer Patti Austin Performs with Boston Pops at Symphony Hall on June 15-16

Singing legend Patti Austin is performing with the Boston Pops Orchestra on June 15-16, 2012 at Boston Symphony Hall. 

The show is part of the Boston Pops Visions of America: Salute to the Red, White and Blue.  Ms. Austin is  joined by singer Steve Tyrell, with Keith Lockhart conducting.  For ticket information click here.

Here is the 2012 schedule of Boston Pops spring and summer season.  

For a year round look at jazz and blues taking place throughout Massachusetts, including festivals, concerts, campus events, night clubs, hotel brunches and more, visit MassJazz.com

Find visitor and tourism information at MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

A Chorus Line opens at Reagle Theatre of Greater Boston, June 15-24

The Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston is kicking off its 44th summer season with a production of the hit musical, A Chorus Line, staring film and television star Lorenz Lamas. 

The show runs from Friday,  June 15 through Sunday, June 24, 2012.  For ticket information and schedule, click here.   Find out more about Reagle Music Theatre, one of the region's great community theater companies. 

For year round details on live jazz and blues in Massachusetts, including festivals, concerts, night clubs, campus events and more, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com.

Win Tix to Diana Krall Concert at South Shore Music Circus on Saturday, June 30

MassJazz is raffling a pair of free tickets to see Grammy Award winner and jazz great Diana Krall perform at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, MA on Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.  The  winner also gets a $100 gift certificate to dine before the concert at Bia Bistro, an award-winning restaurant in Cohasset.

To enter the contest, click here and submit the form.

If you don't want to take a chance on missing this performance, you can purchase tickets directly from the Music Circus.

Krall is also performing at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis on Friday, June 29, 2012.

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

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

Jazz and Blues Singer Ellen O'Brien Performs at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on June 12

Popular jazz and blues singer Ellen O'Brien is performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Tuesday, June 12, 2012, at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $20 and can be purchased online or at the door.

A native of Revere, Massachusetts, O'Brien is three-time winner at the Apollo Theatre in New York and winner of the New England Urban Music Awards for best female soul/blues artist.

For a full schedule of upcoming concerts at Scullers Jazz Club, located at 400 Soldiers Field Road in Boston's Allston neighborhood, click here.

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

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

Live Jazz in Massachusetts on Saturday, June 9

Crystal Aikin, Gospel Night at the Boston Pops

Looking for great live jazz in Massachusetts on Saturday, June 9, 2012?  Check out these selections from MassJazz.

“Too Marvelous for Words: Tribute to Johnny Mercer”
Goody Goody! Quartet
Cultural Centre of Cape Cod
307 Old Main Street
South Yarmouth, Cape Cod

Boston Pops presents
Gospel Night 20th anniversary
Boston Symphony Hall
301 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston

Linda Eder

Scullers Jazz Club

Doubletree Suites at Hilton Hotel

400 Soliders Field Road

Allston, Boston

Makanda Project with special guest Joe Ford
Dudley Library Auditorium
65 Warren Street
Roxbury, Boston

Pino Daniele
Berklee PerformanceCenter
136 Mass Ave
Back Bay, Boston

Peter Smith Trio
Battery Wharf Lounge
Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel
3 Battery Street
Downtown Boston 

Steve Soares Trio

Top of the Hub

Prudential Tower

800 Boylston Street

Back Bay, Boston

Newpoli featuring John La Barbera
Regattabar Jazz Club
Charles Hotel
Harvard Square, Cambridge

The American Songbook: The JAZZ View presents
Billy Stayhorn
Arsenal Centerfor the Arts
321 Arsenal Street
Watertown

Shepley Metcalf and Ron Roy

Acton Jazz Café
452 Great Road
Acton

For a full list of jazz clubs, hotels, concert venues and festivals in Massachusetts, visit MassJazz.com.

For visitor information go to MassVacation.com. 

Lance Houston Quintet Performs at Boston Mandarin Oriental Hotel on June 8

The Lance Houston Quintet is playing at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Boston on Friday, June 8, 2012, from 9: 00 p.m. to midnight. 

The group is led by noted flugelhorn player Lance Houston,  and includes pianist  Dayramir Gonzalez Vicente,  drummer Angelo Spampina, saxophonist Carlos Averhoff, Jr., and bassist Cyrus Sink.

Located at 766 Boylston Street in Boston's Back Bay, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is an exquisite hotel located in the heart of one of Boston's finest neighborhoods.

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

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