ACCELERATING THE TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY WITH
JAZZ & GREEN TECHNOLOGY
The Soular Jazz Foundation promotes sustainable, clean energy with music events.
These events include parades, concerts and the annual Soular Jazz Festival.
Soular Jazz Festival
11th Annual!
Sunday, September 28, 2025
Featured Performers: Christine Fawson, The Gringo Kings
Christine Fawson
CHRISTINE FAWSON
Christine Fawson captivates audiences worldwide with her sultry vocals and virtuosic trumpet playing—a rare double threat that makes every performance unforgettable. This Northern California native has spent over 20 years blazing trails through jazz and commercial entertainment while shaping the next generation of musical talent.
Bach-endorsed and Berklee-proven, Christine spent 14 years on the prestigious college's Brass faculty, teaching across multiple departments and helping discover new talent through auditions. Downbeat Magazine called her "a distinctive performer with compelling dynamism," while All About Jazz's Jack Bowers declared her "a performer who must be seen, as well as heard."
Her credentials speak volumes: third place in the 2017 International Sarah Vaughan Jazz Vocal Competition, featured vocalist for Syncopation's memorable 2009 Boston Pops July 4th performance, and five years with the legendary DIVA Jazz Orchestra, gracing stages from Carnegie Hall to Lincoln Center alongside icons like Johnny Mandel.
Christine's versatility shines whether she's performing with The Rat Pack, Disney, Adele, or teaching master classes for the Jazz Education Network. Her four albums showcase her range—from the Phil Wilson collaboration Happy Talk(2003) to her original compositions on My Side (2013), traditional jazz on Here Now (2016), and contemporary songbook interpretations on Christine Fawson Sings Jazz (2018).
Simply put: Christine Fawson doesn't just perform music—she lives it, breathes it, and makes everyone around her fall in love with it too.
Anastassiya Petrova Organ Trio featuring Mark Zaleski
From the steppes of Kazakhstan to the jazz clubs of Boston, Anastassiya Petrova brings fire to the keys! This dynamic pianist and organist has shared stages with jazz legends like Terri Lyne Carrington, John Patitucci, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, and Catherine Russell, lighting up festivals from Italy's Umbria Jazz to California's Monterey Jazz Festival.
A Berklee College of Music double graduate (including the elite Global Jazz Institute), Petrova's trophy case sparkles with a DownBeat Student Music Award, International Jazz Bridge Competition grand prix, and the coveted New Jazz Legacy Grant that landed her mentorship with Chris Potter and Kris Davis.
When she's not making magic on The Voice or serving as principal keyboardist for Terence Blanchard's opera Champion with Boston Lyric Opera, you'll find her crafting her highly anticipated debut album. Get ready to experience jazz with an international twist!
Mark Zaleski has carved out a distinctive voice as an internationally touring saxophonist, composer, and bandleader who seamlessly bridges jazz tradition with rock and soul influences.
A product of Boylston, Massachusetts who absorbed everything from his parents' Beatles records to his brother Glenn's jazz obsessions, Zaleski became the first alto saxophonist selected for the prestigious Dave Brubeck Institute Fellowship before honing his craft at New England Conservatory under legends Charlie Banacos and Jerry Bergonzi.
His dynamic approach has led to collaborations with an eclectic roster including Dave Brubeck, Christian McBride, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, the Grammy-winning 8-Bit Big Band, and featured performances with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra.
Leading his own ensemble, Zaleski channels saxophone heroes and vocal icons like Stevie Wonder and Robert Plant to create a uniquely expressive sound that has graced stages from New York clubs to the Istanbul Jazz Festival. Now faculty at both Berklee and New England Conservatory, he continues to push boundaries while mentoring the next generation, proving that jazz's future lies in fearless genre-blending and authentic personal expression.
The Gringo Kings
The Gringo Kings sprang out of Ed Harlow’s love of the famed Cuban Salsa band, Cubanismo. Imitation of Cubanismo preceded Harlow to shift The Gringo Kings’ repertoire to integrate his Jazz roots into his latest compositions and arrangements. This includes influences from Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz and many other giants of Jazz. Covers of Chicago and The Beatles compliment Harlow’s numerous inventive originals.
The Gringo Kings is a Latin Jazz band in the truest sense - drawing from the giants of both styles.
Ed Harlow - tenor sax, compositions, arrangements
Rick Stone - alto sax
Mike Peipman - trumpet
Garret Savluk - trumpet
Peter Fanelli - trombone
Steve Chaplin - piano
Ehud Ettun - bass
Austin McMahon - drums
