Among the more attractive performances scheduled in the near future in the Boston
area are the ones listed below.
With the exception of some gigs that feature Magazine Cover (MC) groups (which can range
in quality from very good to terrible), the gigs listed below are ones that I
wish I could attend.
And—if time and
circumstances permit—I will be there.
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For now some locations indoors are open for music performances. Distancing and mask restrictions apply. If people exhibit safe behaviors, such gigs may not be shut down. Let's hope things improve soon.
Henry
David Thoreau was a brilliant philosopher, scientist, and intellectual who was
way ahead of his time. His political
commentaries paved the way for Gandhi, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and just
about anyone who came to realize that we are all brothers and sisters--and acted
upon that premise. Now finally there is
a comprehensive documentary about his life and development as a sometimes hard-headed
visionary. PBS is presenting a three-part,
three-hour documentary about Thoreau beginning at 9 P.M. on March 30. The production features the narration of
George Clooney and character voices of Jeff Goldblum, Meryl Streep, Tate
Donovan, and Ted Danson. Historical
experts interviewed during the film include historians from around New
England. Musician Don Henley, who is the
founder and chair of the Walden Woods Project, is co-executive producer of the production
along with Ken Burns. Thoreau is one of
our own, and it is good to celebrate him.
Watching the documentary is a good way to do that. If
you missed it, you can see all three episodes in sequence on channel 44 on
April 5 starting at 8p.m.
4/4 – The Kassel-Zicarelli Group at 4:30 p.m.
(MP/PA) – This fine ensemble consists of vocalist Melissa Kassel, Tom
Zicarelli, Dino Govoni, Bruce Gertz, and Gary Fieldman. Pandemic regulations apply. This
ear-stretching and engaging quintet returns to the Lily Pad where pandemic
regulations apply ($15)...
4/9 – GBH Jazz Nights featuring Ken Field
and the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble Trio
at 5:30 p.m. (MP/eclectic) – WGBH continues to expand its coverage of jazz in
Boston with its Jazz Nights series at Boston’s main public library. Again, the effort is produced by WGBH and Ken
Field, president of Jazz Boston. The
musicians perform in front of a live audience in the WGBH studio in the
library. Ken brings his flute and alto
saxophone with him and partners Blake Newman (bass) and Phil Neighbors (drums). This smaller version of the ensemble will
present music that evokes the world of New Orleans as well as some of the
leader’s original compositions. The
event takes place at the WGBH studio in the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston
Street, Boston. Tickets are free, but registration is
encouraged. Seating is limited. There
is further info at 617-300-3300 and info@wgbh.org…
4/10 – The Laszlo Gardony Quartet at 7:30
p.m. (MP) – Laszlo brings with him impressive band-mates saxophonist Don
Braden, bassist John Lockwood and drummer Yoron Israel. The evening’s music takes place at set at
the Regattabar in Cambridge. Information
is available at regattabarjazz.com or by phone at 617-661-5099 (students
$30.15/general public $41.79)…
Every Monday – Monday night at the Lily Pad returns with Jerry Bergonzi, Phil Grenadier, guest bassist, and Luther Gray. Then The Fringe Duo, John Lockwood and George continuing the fire no doubt inspired by the memory of Bob Gullotti. It begins around 8:30 pm and continues forever ($15 per group; $10 students)…
Ongoing – Non-Event online Music – Performances at various times plus an archive of music (PA) – Non-Event is offering music via online audio files and video files plus real-time performances. The emphasis is on new music, some of which is improvised music. For example, Matt Samolis (who unfortunately for us moved from Boston to central Massachusetts) is presenting his bowed cymbal meditation recorded on May 1, 2020. Keep in mind, money helps support these events. The URL is: http://www.nonevent.org/
If you would like to read Science News’ fine coverage of the pandemic and its implications (including dozens of articles so far), go to the site’s page of coronavirus feature articles. On that page also is information about how to receive that publication's coronavirus update newsletter twice each week. Science News will try to answer your questions at feedback@sciencenews.org. …
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Key codes: The abbreviation in parentheses following the name of the event or
band/musician performing indicates roughly the type of music that you can
expect if you go to the gig.
MC=
Magazine Covers. These musicians/bands
are popular with jazz fans and therefore often find their photos on the covers
of jazz magazines. This type of band may
or may not be any good qualitatively.
However, many fans like to know “what’s hot.”
MP=Mainstream/Post-Bop. This is the music that most people think of
today when they think of jazz. It runs
the gamut from Parkeresque bebop and Websterish ballads to the post-bop work of
people such as Bergonzi and Lovano.
PA=Post-Ayler. This is Anthony Braxton’s term for all the
adventure that came out of Ayler, Ornette, Cecil and others (including Mr. Braxton,
of course). In some ways it is the most
diverse jazz and jazz-rooted music being performed today, including everything
from near zero dB whispers (e.g., undr, John Tilbury) to eardrum demolishing
walls of sound (Keith Rowe, a ton of stuff from Japan) to performances built on
combinations of composed and improvised material (Liberation Orchestra, Charlie
Kohlhase’s ensembles) to completely improvised offerings
(Evan Parker, Laurence Cook).
S=Swing. It don’t mean a thing… Maybe “nothing” means “anything” if you are a
fan of swing. Sadly, fine swing music
seems to be approaching extinction, at least in the Boston area clubs. The reasons are obvious and elusive. The great names of Swing (such as Lunceford
and Barnet) have passed on and taken almost all of their band mates with
them. In addition, in spite of the fact
that some of the finest music of the swing era was produced by the combos
of Goodman and Basie (among others), people continue to think of swing in terms
of large (and therefore economically untenable) ensembles. You can find it happening in some dance
halls, but mostly at weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.
For years such names as Whitney, Winniker, and Hershman have held the
fort in the Boston
area. But you’ve got to keep your eyes
peeled.
T=Two-beat/Trad. Some of the finest contemporary two-beat jazz
anywhere has been nurtured and grown in Eastern
Massachusetts since the 1970s.
Everyone knows about the New Black Eagles, and a host of other musicians
are held in equally high esteem around here.
Some of the better-known are Jimmy Mazzy, Stan McDonald, Jeff Hughes,
and Guy Van Duser. Unfortunately for
city dwellers, two-beat jazz (and, to a lesser extent, the blues) has moved to
the suburbs. But the best of it is worth
the drive.