Past Performances
The Gringo Kings
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020
The Gringo Kings
The Gringo Kings crush the world of Salsa and Jazz music into an amalgam of sometimes fiery, sometimes irreverent originals and covers penned by the group’s leader and tenor saxophonist, Ed Harlow. Originally inspired by the great Salsa groups of Cuba, The Gringo Kings has evolved a style of music that takes the swinging creativity of Jazz and broils it under the heat of Latin rhythms into a surprising and satisfying result.
Gregory Groover’s Negro Spirituals Project
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2019
Gregory Groover Jr
ABOUT GREGORY GROOVER JR.
Raised with devotion for music, Gregory George Groover Jr. is a twenty-six-year-old tenor saxophonist from the Greater-Boston area. His love and pursuit of music directed him to the Boston Arts Academy where he graduated in 2011 as both the Elma Lewis Graduate with distinction and the Louis Armstrong Jazz award recipient. His effort and dedication to music led him to earn a full-tuition scholarship to Berklee College of Music where he received both his Bachelors and Masters in Music Performance Studies through the Global Jazz Institute, headed by world-renowned artistic director, pianist and UNESCO Artist for Peace Danilo Perez.
As a performer, Gregory has had the honor to share the stage with prestigious musicians such as Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind, and Fire), Patrice Rushen, Terri Lyne Carrington, Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Brian Blade, and Esperanza Spalding. As a bandleader and a sideman, he has performed in music festivals in the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Africa.
Currently, Gregory serves as an educator at his alma mater the Boston Arts Academy where he provides instruction in Jazz studies to the next generation of artists and scholars. In addition to teaching, Gregory continues to perform regularly with his working quartet performing the music of his first EP release, the Negro Spiritual Songbook Volume I and is earnestly working towards the release of his first full-length recording as a leader, the Negro Spiritual Songbook Volume II.
ABOUT THE SONGBOOK
Negro Spirituals are at the bedrock of the African American musical experience, providing the foundation upon which many genres that are enjoyed now were built. Although the composers of these spirituals are largely anonymous and nameless, their music named the non-anonymous tragedy of slavery, while also naming a steadfast hope for a better tomorrow -- maybe not for them, but for the future generation. The Negro Spiritual Songbook Volume I is a product of that hope from the future generation. It takes the words, melodies, and rhythms of that time and translates it into our current context of the twenty-first century. The result is a soulful celebration of what was, a dynamic presentation of what is, and a warm invitation for what is to come.
The passion for this project emanated from the transformative effect Negro Spirituals has had on my life both personally and professionally as a musician. The lyrics and harmonies instilled a deep sense of pride for the music of my heritage, helping me to have a better understanding of the jazz music I love to play. Therefore, this project was accomplished through the examination of original scores, deep analyses of historical elements, and honest adaptations of arrangements. The hope is that through touring The Negro Spiritual Songbook Volume I at non-conventional jazz venues, such as churches, colleges, and museums, the performances will not only be enjoyable but educational -- helping to bridge the gap across the many divides of society.
The Art of the Trio
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2019
This concert will present the jazz duo consisting of clarinetist/saxophonist John Clark and pianist Henry “thins” Francis aided and abetted by drummer Steve Taddeo. Over the years of performing together (since 1996), a bag of unique arrangements has evolved, and these have been captured for posterity on a CD entitled Two for Tea. The musical genre is best described as classic hot jazz, a distinct type of American music which developed during the first half of the 20th century, covering the beginnings of jazz through the swing era. John and Henry concentrate on the rich source known as The Great American Songbook, which encompasses music (mostly songs) written by Broadway composers, pop songwriters, and jazz musicians. Their extensive knowledge of jazz and American popular song has yielded a large eclectic repertoire of interesting material, which they play with exuberance, swing, and taste.
Ed Harlow Trio featuring Mark Shilansky and Keala Kaumeheiwa
George Russell, Jr. and Donna McElroy
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2019
Patrice Williamson: Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2018
Fabiola Mendez Trio
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018
2018 SOULAR JAZZ FESTIVAL
SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 11 - 6
First Parish Unitarian Church
40 Church Street
Northborough, MA
Dan Gabel and his Abletones Combo
Worcester Youth Jazz Ensemble
Algonquin High School Jazz I
South Combo
LISA THORSON
FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2018
Vocalist Lisa Thorson has performed on radio, stage and in film and television for over thirty five years. Jazz Legend Sheila Jordan calls Lisa "one of the most exciting jazz singers on the scene today".
Lisa has toured throughout the U.S., Canada and Italy as a concert artist and jazz vocal clinician. Lisa has released six jazz recordings as a leader. Her most recent, 2014’s Lisa Thorson Quartet Live received unanimous critical acclaim and international airplay.
George Schuller - drums; Daniela Schachter - piano; David Clark - bass
THE GRINGO KINGS CD RELEASE CONCERT
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018
The Gringo Kings walk the knife's edge between Salsa music and high-minded jazz. The eight musicians comprising the band are assembled from Boston's vibrant jazz scene and dispense humor and grace via Harlow's originals and classic pop covers, ranging from Chicago to The Beatles.
Marco Pignataro Almas Antiguas Quartet
Friday, December 1, 2017, 2017
PAUL BROADNAX TRIO
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2017 @ 7 PM