Menu

News

Ted Rosenthal appears with Karrin Allyson, Dec. 5 in Lenox

Ted and Karrin will perform their Wonderland holiday show –jazz versions of holiday favorites and more– at the Gateways Inn in historic downtown Lenox, Mass. There will be two shows, at 5 and 7pm.

Karrin Allyson is a 5-time Grammy nominee with a major touring career, and appears in theTed Rosenthal appears with Karrin Allyson, Dec. 5 in Lenox Berkshires for the first time since her thrilling performances at the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival and the inaugural Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend. Ted Rosenthal is one of today’s most noted jazz pianists, with periodic appearances at the Gateways and other venues. They will be joined by New York-based artists Noriko Ueda, bass, and Tim Horner, drums.

The Gateways Inn, in the picturesque village of Lenox, has fast become one of the best and most popular jazz rooms in the county. This is a rare opportunity to see these world-class artists working together in such an intimate setting.

“For those who like their holiday music sleek, chic, and elegant, Wonderland takes you there.” – Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune

Online box office:
First set, 5pm:
https://gatewaysinn.ticketleap.com/wonderland5pm/

Second set, 7pm:
https://gatewaysinn.ticketleap.com/wonderland7pm/

Gateways Inn will also be serving dinner that evening. Separate dinner reservations recommended.

The concert is part of the Gateways jazz series, curated by Andy Wrba and presented in cooperation with Berkshires Jazz, Inc.

 

Laszlo Gardony returns to the Berkshires for Feb. 15 solo concert

“New Branches on Ten Old Trees”
Saturday, Feb. 15, 7:30pm
Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield
Beer and wine bar at 6:30pm

Piano virtuoso Laszlo Gardony performs fresh, modern but soulful arrangements of beloved familiar tunes, and covering ten styles and genres (jazz, spirituals, rock, funk, Broadway, Neapolitan, etc.). Based in part on his new, highly-acclaimed CD “La Marseillaise,” his adaptations include the title song and nine other familiar tunes, from Misty to Eleanor Rigby, Lady Madonna to Summertime, and myriad in between.

Plus, some surprises.

Known as an innovator for both his composing and performance approaches, Laszlo will be performing unaccompanied, on the marvelous Steinway grand piano at the Berkshire Museum, home of so many wonderful cultural events.  Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 on the day of the event. They are available now at our online box office (click here).

Hungarian-born Laszlo Gardony is a professor of piano at the Berklee College of Music. He made his local debut at the Berkshire Museum nearly 25 years ago, and has developed a strong regional and national following. This program was devised specially for Berkshires Jazz, and is presented in conjunction with Pittsfield’s 10×10 Upstreet Winter Arts Festival.

 

Berkshire Jazz Showcase re-scheduled to Sept. 28

Berkshires Jazz brings five of the most popular regional bands to the stage for the second annual Berkshire Jazz Showcase.

Originally scheduled for Aug. 3, 2019, the event will take place on Sept. 28, noon-5pm, rain or shine.

Berkshires Jazz brings five of the most popular regional bands to Pittsfield Common for the second annual Berkshire Jazz Showcase, Sept. 28 from noon-5pm. The wide-ranging lineup for the jazz extravaganza will include (in this planned sequence):
• Gina Coleman and Misty Blues
• Paul Green and Two Worlds
• Andy Wrba’s Berkshire Jazz Collective
• First Take with Mary Ann Palermo
• Kyle Murray Quintet

A free event, the Showcase will also include food vendors, as well as a beer and wine garden. The event will be held on the field adjacent to the First Street Common’s playground and “splash park”. Prelude music will be provided from 10am until noon at The Pittsfield Farmer’s Market. Audiences are advised to bring blankets or chairs.

Berkshire County enjoys a long-standing reputation as a hotbed of jazz talent, going back nearly 75 years to Music Inn, and now enjoying renewed popularity throughout the region. On any particular weekend, and some weekdays, audiences can find dozens of locally-based world-class musicians in clubs and lounges, but rarely on a main stage. Berkshires Jazz addressed that oversight in 2018, when the showcase took off, from the City of Pittsfield’s outdoor stage as the launching pad. This year’s event includes all new bands.

The performing arts represent the heart and soul of the Berkshires. And yet, despite signature jazz festivals that feature headline talent during the shoulder seasons, there is no other main-stage jazz event during the high tourist season. Compounding that absence was the fact that there had been no event that celebrates and showcases the rich variety of local talent who call the Berkshires home. We’re delighted to be presenting such excellent groups in such a proud setting.

Many of these artists could easily establish careers in jazz havens like New York, Chicago, New Orleans or San Francisco, but they live in the Berkshires because this is where they want to be. Visitors and locals alike will be amazed at the talent that calls the Berkshires home.

Lead sponsor for The Berkshire Jazz Showcase is The Berkshire Eagle, with additional support from MountainOne Financial, The Pittsfield Cultural Council, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the City of Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held indoors in the Common Room of Zion Lutheran Church, which is adjacent to the Pittsfield Common.

 

Student Art Winners Announced

On April 30, 2019, observed globally as International Jazz Day,
Berkshires Jazz announced Student Art Contest winners

More than 100 students from Pittsfield High School participated in this 12th annual contest, which was conceived as a way to engage more of the student community in cross-genre creative activity.

This year’s judges included painters Marguerite Bride and Scott Taylor, and designer Tom Buckley. They were charged with the difficult task of determining three winners, and five honorable mentions. The wWinning paintings include (with judges’ comments):

1. Sophia Nguyen (painting to left). The judges commented that it was especially well-painted, down to the detail, very good composition. Captures the essence of many instruments in an appealing mix. Ms. Nguyen’s painting will become the graphic symbol of the 15th annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, in mid-October.
2. Megan Francoeur. The painting “feels musical,” and expresses itself in vibrant colors and creative composition.
3. Antonia Bedard Torres. A great abstract with fun color play, it conjures abstract jazz.

Honorable mentions are awarded to
• Nolan Degrof
• Jazlyn Rodriguez
• Lynniah Falwell
• Paige Webster
• Abby Cohan

The contest was organized by art teacher Colleen Quinn of PHS, in collaboration with Lisa Ostellino. Overall project coordinator is Art Niedeck, a jazz musician and music educator, and co-chairman of the Education Committee of Berkshires Jazz, Inc., which is responsible for planning the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival and other events throughout the year. In addition to our mission of presenting ‘live’ jazz, Berkshires Jazz, Inc. is chartered to promote jazz education throughout Berkshire County.

The student art contest is one way to spread the interest in jazz to a broader part of our community and draw attention to April as Jazz Appreciation Month. Jazz Appreciation Month is a national program started by the Smithsonian Institution in 2002 and recognized by Congress in 2003. Its purpose is to celebrate jazz, the country’s indigenous art form, often referred to as “America’s classical music.”

 Megan Francoeur’s painting is to the left, below; Antonia Bedard Torres’ painting is to the right.

                                                              

Jazz Meets Classical: the Ted Rosenthal Trio with strings

A creative and insightful program that illustrates how many classical themes
have been incorporated into popular music and jazz

Saturday, April 27, at the Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield, Mass.

6:30pm: beverage service and winetasting
7:30pm concert
Post-concert meet and greet the artists

The Ted Rosenthal Trio returns to Pittsfield with a unique program that demonstrates the influence that classical music has had on the modern music scene. He performs a creative and insightful program that includes joint numbers with the Elayne P. Bernstein Octet, the advanced strings ensemble from Kids 4 Harmony. The program is presented in partnership with the Berkshire Museum, and is part of ArtWeek, a celebration of the rich cultural offerings found throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Ted Rosenthal is an iconic jazz pianist, and has performed worldwide, both as a leader and as a sideman with many jazz greats, including Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Phil Woods, Bob Brookmeyer, and Jon Faddis. His classical/jazz crossover performances include solo and featured appearances with the Boston Pops, the Baltimore Symphony, the Kansas City Symphony, and many other orchestras. His work includes adapting themes by Brahms, Schumann, Tchaikovsky and others into a mainstream jazz idiom. Local audiences are still talking about his interpretation of “Rhapsody In Blue” at the Berkshire Museum last year.

The Elayne P. Bernstein Octet is a group of student musicians in elementary and middle schools. The octet is the most advanced ensemble in Kids 4 Harmony, which is operated by Berkshire Children and Families. Members have appeared in large and small events from Boston to Los Angeles, including the national Take A Stand Orchestra under the baton of maestro Gustavo Dudamel.

In addition to participating in ArtWeek, the program is our contribution to Jazz Appreciation Month, a nationwide initiative of the Smithsonian Institution, and recognized by Congress in 2003.

Come early, enjoy a beverage. Stay late, meet-and-greet the artists. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 on the day of the event. Click here for our online box office. Tickets are also on sale at the Berkshire Museum, 413-443-7171

World Music Concert and Workshops with Royal Hartigan and Nana Simopolous

Two of the Berkshires’ most noted musicians join forces back home this Saturday, Jan. 26, for a world music concert and a pair of master classes. In addition to their concert, Royal Hartigan and Nana Simopoulos will be conducting percussion and vocal workshops for musicians of all ages and capabilities.

Details below, or go straight to the ticket page for further descriptions:

Teaming up with master percussionist Royal Hartigan on drums, Nana plays sitar and guitar and sings in an exotic style that blends sounds and textures from around the world with jazz. Virtuoso saxophonist Charlie Tokarz and bassist Otto Garner accompany her along with Caryn Heilman on keyboard and vocals. The concert starts at 7:30pm (doors open at 6:30) in the wonderful performance space of The Stationery Factory, 63 Flansburg Ave., Dalton, Mass.

Workshops:
Royal Hartigan Hands on World Music: West African Drumming and Dance, (4:00-6:00pm) will focus on the traditions of Ghana, West Africa, including bell, rattle, and lead and support drumming. Participants experience the interactions of the drums and how these rhythms are expressed in dance movements. each attendee should bring a drum and dress comfortably to move. use of earplugs is strongly suggested.

Nana Simopoulos Vocal Circle Workshop (4:00-6:00pm)
Singing in a vocal circle can be one of the most gratifying group experiences. Open to singers of all levels, this vocal circle workshop will introduce you to and help you develop the various techniques used to create music on the spot in a circle of other vocalists. Nana studied with Bobby McFerrin who developed “Circlesongs”, a style of improvised singing that works for groups large and small. In the circle, singers will explore their own voices as they listen to the voices around them. We will begin with games and exercises that will open up the flow of creativity. You will learn how to create unique motifs, rhythms and melodies that will ultimately guide you toward making your own improvised vocal circles. More than anything we will have a wonderful time singing together.

 

Matt and Atla DeChamplain Return for Feb. 16 Performance

TONIGHT! Saturday, Feb. 16, 7:30pm.
The Matt and Atla DeChamplain Quartet
Whitney Center for the Arts, 42 Wendell Ave., Pittsfield, Mass.

We are pleased to announce “Ten Approaches to Love and Life,” a Valentine’s weekend performance by the Matt and Atla DeChamplain Quartet.

One of the Berkshires’ favorite vocalists, Atla returns with a wide-ranging repertoire that focuses on various avenues (perhaps “adventures” would say it better) of love. From fascinating to flirting, from courting to marriage to family and who-knows-what, Atla brings unique vocal stylings to our stage. She will be accompanied by her equally amazing pianist –her husband Matt– and their group. Rounding out the band are Matt Dwonszyk on bass and Tony Davis on guitar. A veritable who’s-who of next-generation jazz talent who call New England “home.”

When the calendar says February, many thoughts turn to Pittsfield’s popular “10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival,” which will take place Feb. 14-24. We know…that’s 11 days, but the first day is a bonus. This special program is our contribution to the festivities, and given the date, it’s logical to have a Valentine theme. The band’s setup –piano, bass, guitar and voice—is perfect for the warm acoustics of the Whitney Center for the Arts, the home of so many creative performance events.

Since their sold-out performance at Flavours two years ago, fans have been clamoring to bring Matt and Atla back, and we’re delighted to present them on Feb. 16 in this new setting.

Come, enjoy the adventure. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 on the day of the event. Light bar snacks and cash bar will be available. Seating is limited, don’t miss out.

The online box office is closed. Tickets will be available at the door starting at 7pm.

 

 

 

 

New Programs on the Horizon

We look forward to announcing our next activities shortly. Please return for updates on our 2019 programming.

Next up:

  • the second annual Berkshire Jazz Showcase, re-scheduled to Sept. 28
  • the 15th annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, October 11-20, presenting
    • Stephanie Nakasian and Veronica Swift, the dynamic duo of jazz vocalists;
    • Cuban pianist and jazz visionary Dayramir Gonzalez;
    • jazz prodigy concert;
    • our annual jazz crawl, and more.

Watch this space for details!
  

Veronica Swift, Christian McBride headline this weekend’s Pittsfield CityJazz Festival

We are pleased to announce the lineup for the 14th annual Pittsfield CityJAZZ Festival, Oct. 5-14, a cultural highlight of the Fall Foliage season in western New England. Highlights include the annual “jazz crawl,” a jazz prodigy concert; headline performances featuring Veronica Swift (Oct. 12) and Christian McBride’s New Jawn quartet (Oct. 13); jazz brunches, and more. Box office activity is heavy for both of the ticketed events.

The events all take place within the Upstreet Cultural District, Pittsfield, Massachusetts’ downtown corridor that is rich with visual and performing arts activities, restaurants, lounges, and other cultural attractions.

Things kicked-off on Columbus Day weekend, Oct. 5-7, with Jazz About Town, the annual jazz crawl featuring local musicians in restaurants and lounges. The holiday weekend continued with a brunch on Oct. 7 at Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, featuring Nico Wohl and Andy Wrba.

Festival activities resumed mid-week with the Jazz Prodigy concert, on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 7pm, at the Berkshire Athenaeum. The free concert, sponsored by the Friends of the Athenaeum, introduced the remarkable bassist Gabriel Severn to Berkshires audiences. He was backed by Eugene Uman, piano, and Conor Meehan, drums. Snippts are appearing on Facebook…check them out.

The fast-rising vocalist Veronica Swift opens headline weekend on Friday, Oct. 12, with the Berkshires Jazz All-Star Trio in a dinner/concert at Legion Hall, 41 Wendell Ave. Tickets are $25 for the concert, which starts at 8pm (optional Italian dinner is $17, including tax and gratuity (dinner available starting at 6:30). Cash bar will be available.  Tickets are available here.

Christian McBride’s New Jawn quartet caps the festival in a 7:30pm concert at The Colonial Theatre, 111 South Street. The Berkshires Jazz Youth Ensemble, a curated big band comprising students from Herberg and Reid Middle Schools, will open for McBride. Tickets are $25 and $38.

The festival concludes with a jazz brunch on Sunday, Oct. 14. Ticket information and the online box office can be found at www.BerkshiresJazz.org.

About the artists

Award-winning 13-year-old electric bassist Gabriel Severn began playing at age 7, but was already drawn to the bass by age 2. As a toddler, he’d point the bass out at performances and festivals while watching his dad play. It was then that he developed an ear for Jaco Pastorius’ music, and loved listening to bands such as the Yellowjackets and Weather Report during car rides.

In 2012, at age 7, Gabriel began private lessons, and 4 months later joined his first band. He received international recognition when his video performing Jaco’s solo on Havana at age 11 went viral, setting the wheels in motion for a possible professional career. He has won a Down Beat Magazine award for student composition. He will appear with local musicians Eugene Uman on piano and Conor Meehan on drums.

At age 24, Veronica Swift is being recognized as one of the top young jazz singers on the scene. She performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center at age 11, as part of the “Women in Jazz” series at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. She won second place at the prestigious Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition in 2015, and her album from that same year, “Lonely Woman,” features some of the hottest young jazz players on the scene including Emmet Cohen, Benny Bennack III, Daryl Johns (with whom she shared the Grammy Choir/Band experience), Matt Wigler, and Scott Lowrie.

She moved to New York City in 2016 and almost immediately started performing every Saturday night at the legendary Birdland Jazz Club, a gig she continues to maintain when she isn’t on the road. Earlier this year, she appeared in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s reprisal of the famous Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall concert.

In addition to performing the Great American Songbook and bebop and vocalese classics, Swift is also a passionate devotee of 20s and 30s music. Last year at this time, she was on tour with Chris Botti in California. Here in Pittsfield, she will appear with the Berkshires Jazz All-Star Trio: Benny Kohn, piano; Mary Ann McSweeney, bass; and Conor Meehan, drums.

Six-time GRAMMY-winning jazz bassist Christian McBride has been likened to a force of nature, fusing the fire and fury of a virtuoso with the depth and grounding of a seasoned journeyman. Powered by a relentless energy and a boundless love of swing, McBride’s path has described a continuous positive arc since his arrival on the scene. With a career now blazing into its third decade, and recordings as both a sideman and leader numbering more than 300, the Philadelphia native has become one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today.

The consummate jazz educator and evangelist, McBride often leads the ensemble at Jazz House Kids in Newark, NJ, and is the voice of the syndicated NPR program “Jazz Night In America,” and hosts his own show on Sirius/XM. In 2016, he was named creative director of the Newport Jazz Festival. His New Jawn Quartet comprises Josh Evans, trumpet; Marcus Strickland, saxophone; McBride, bass; and Nasheet Waits, drums. Their first CD, “Christian McBride’s New Jawn,” will be released in October, shortly after the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival.
.
The festival is made possible thanks to sponsorships from the Feigenbaum Foundation, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and private donations.

Click here for our online box office for Veronica Swift’s concert on Oct. 12. The Colonial Theatre is also selling tickets for Christian McBride (Oct. 13) online (click here).  You can also order them by phone at 413-997-4444 (saving the transaction fee vs. ordering online), and at The Colonial Theatre’s walkup box office at 111 South Street, Pittsfield, during regular operating hours.

See you there!

Berkshire Jazz Showcase, Aug. 25 on the Pittsfield Common

Berkshire County has a long-standing reputation as a hot-bed of jazz talent, going back nearly 75 years to Music Inn, and now being revived throughout the region. Dozens of world-class musicians, many of whom could easily establish careers in jazz havens like New York, Chicago, New Orleans or San Francisco, live here because this is where they want to be. You can find them in clubs and lounges on many weekends, but rarely on a main stage, especially those from the more rural areas.

This is somewhat ironic. The performing arts represent the heart of the Berkshires; the area is swarming with creativity. And yet, despite signature jazz festivals that feature headline talent during the shoulder season (e.g., the Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend each June, and Pittsfield CityJAZZ Festival in October), there is no main-stage jazz event during the high tourist season –and none at all that showcases the rich variety of local talent who call the Berkshires home.

That all changes on August 25.

As a county-wide organization whose mission includes promoting the local jazz scene, Berkshires Jazz addresses this longstanding oversight by showcasing a panoply of the highest-quality regional jazz artists in a one-day outdoors festival at the Pittsfield Common. Free to the public, the first annual Berkshire Jazz Showcase (1-6pm, Saturday, Aug. 25) will include 5 bands, food vendors, a beer and wine garden, and the adjacent playground and “splash park”.

Come and enjoy a wide-ranging jazz extravaganza, with:
Gruppo Mondo
Andy Kelly Gypsy Jazz
Ben Kohn Trio
Jason Ennis and Friends
Lucky 5

And, it’s free!

Watch this space for updates.

Bring blankets or chairs. And, come early, the Pittsfield Farmer’s Market will be in full swing until 1pm.

1 2 3 4 ›»