Category Archives: Press

Posted in News • Press

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival Spring Gala Fundraiser at Beverly’s Larcom Theatre

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Salem Jazz and Soull Festival Spring Gala Fundraiser

Swing, rock, and groove with the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival

At the annual Spring Fundraiser at Beverly’s Larcom Theatre.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2015 – The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival is throwing a benefit concert April 26 featuring the Cape Ann Big Band, a 17-piece swing band out of Gloucester and the North Shore Jazz Project All Stars, an elite youth jazz ensemble, comprised of local high school students. All proceeds will benefit the festival, a volunteer-run nonprofit celebrating its ninth season.

The fundraiser will take place at the historic Larcom Theatre in downtown Beverly on Sunday, April 26 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:30). The theater is located at 13 Wallis St.

The benefit is sponsored by Wylie Inn and Conference Center, Marblehead Bank, Salem Cycle, North Shore 104.9 and Chianti Tuscan Restaurant and Jazz Lounge. The night will feature a silent auction of items donated by generous North Shore businesses and artists; raffles and a cash bar.

Tickets (available at www.gimmelive.tv) are $19/$29/$39 and proceeds will fund the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival’s non-profit mission of producing free concerts and supporting music education causes on the North Shore. This is the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival’s only ticketed show of the year.

About the Cape Ann Big Band: Formed in 2010, the 17-piece Cape Ann Big Band is driven by the talents of Cape Ann musicians who pride themselves in performing to entertain and connect with the local community. Bandleader Carlos Menezes Jr. directs the group in jazz, swing, New Orleans street band music, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll — standards from the “Golden era” of swing, pop tunes, and a number of show-tunes derived from popular films. “Moondance”, “Wonderwall”, Van Halen’s “Jump”, “Take the A Train”, Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood”, and a tribute to Frank Sinatra and Basie are just a few of the charts in this season’s repertoire.

About the North Shore Jazz Project All Stars: The NSJP All Stars is a world-class youth jazz band featuring the best high-school aged musical talent on Boston’s North Shore. The group is led by local tenor saxophonist, Mike Tucker, a Berklee College of Music graduate and professor.
In the coming months, the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will host the following free shows:
• The SJSF/Berklee Summer Series at Derby Square, Salem, with Berklee College of Music student-led bands, on May 9 June 13, July 11 and Aug. 8
• The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, a two-day concert at the Salem Willows, with 10 bands, a music education tent, kids tent, 21+ beer garden, and artisans selling hand-made goods, Aug. 15-16

Please go to salemjazzsoul.org for more information. Photos available upon request.

Posted in News • Press

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, city, to host 6th annual Jazz Appreciation Day concert

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City of Salem Jazz Appreciation Day 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will produce its 6th-annual City of Salem Jazz Appreciation Day concert in early April in downtown Salem.

March 15, 2014 – Salem, MA – The event kicks off Jazz Appreciation month, April, and is put on in partnership with the City of Salem. Salem Five, a major festival sponsor, has donated the room and the concert is free to the public.

The free show will take place in the Salem Five Community Room at 210 Essex Street on the Walking Mall, Saturday, April 4, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Performing this year will be the North Shore Jazz Project All Stars, a big band made up of the North Shore’s premier high school-aged jazz musicians, directed by professional saxophonist Mike Tucker.

The North Shore Jazz Project All Stars
The North Shore Jazz Project All Stars
“The NSJP All Stars played our main festival last year, and the crowd was blown away by their talent, so we thought we’d invite them back to be featured at Jazz Appreciation Day,” said Larry Claflin Jr., the festival’s executive director. “Having these young musicians on stage is at the core of what the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival is about – providing students with an opportunity to perform at no cost to the public.”

This show will open the festival’s ninth season of producing free concerts and supporting music-education causes on the North Shore.

In the coming months, the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, a volunteer-run nonprofit, will put on:

  • A fundraiser gala at the historic Larcom Theater in downtown Beverly, MA, featuring the ever-popular Cape Ann Big Band, and the NSJP All-Stars opening, on April 26.
  • The SJSF/Berklee Summer Series at Derby Square, Salem, with Berklee College of Music student bands, on May 9, June 13, July 11, and Aug. 8.
  • The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, a two-day concert at the Salem Willows, with 10 bands, a music-education tent, kids tent, 21-plus beer garden and artisans selling hand-made goods, Aug. 15-16.

Please go to salemjazzsoul.org for more information.

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Contact: Judy Parisella
Phone: 978-491-7444
Email: jparisella@salemjazzsoul.org.

Posted in Education • News • Press

The Salem YMCA in Partnership with the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival is Pleased to Offer MusicKidz Starting This Month

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YMCA Salem, MA MusicKidz

The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival is relocating its long–‐running MusicKidz to the Salem Y, bringing more music to more kids

Salem, MA – Beginning this month, the Salem YMCA will offer MusicKidz, the popular music enrichment program developed and presented by the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival. MusicKidz offers a range of music concepts and topics to introduce children to the joys of music at an early age. This fun-filled class, geared toward children kindergarten through 5th grade and their parents, will be held in the Music Studio in the Teen Arts Center at the Salem YMCA. Led by music enthusiast Justine Pasquale, an educator and Salem State University graduate, MusicKidz will take place the second Saturday of every month, from 10:00 to 11:00am. Salem YMCA’s Associate Executive Director Charity Lezama said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival to bring MusicKidz to Y families and the Salem community overall. We are so proud of the diversity of our music programs and having a state-of-the art studio available to the community gives us the perfect setting for innovative programs like MusicKidz.” Lezama added, “We are so thankful to the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival and the sponsorship from Howling Wolf Taqueria which enables us to offer this wonderful program to families in Salem.”

The Salem Y is dedicated to providing a nurturing environment where everyone belongs. More than a gym, the Y is a cause, a movement to strengthen the community and the people who live in it. Working closely with community organizations, and local businesses, the Y continues to be part of the broader Salem community through sponsorships and partnerships that bring initiatives like MusicKidz to more people.

Nick Giarratani, Education Director of the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival said, “We are very excited for this new partnership. We’re hoping that teaming up with the Y will allow us to introduce more young kids to the wonders of music!” For more information, please contact Director of Music and Media, Emily Wellman at 978-774-0351 or wellmane@northshoreymca.org.

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About the Y

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. For over 150 years, the YMCA of the North Shore has been strengthening the foundations of community for the more than 40,000 members it serves in 25 cities and towns. We nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being and provide opportunities to give back and support our neighbors; regardless of age, race, ethnicity or socio-economic background. www.northshoreymca.org.

Contact: Maggie Glidden
Marketing & Communications Director
YMCA of the North Shore
gliddenm@northshoreymca.org
978-564-3098

Posted in Press

Eighth-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival set for weekend of Aug.16-17

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The 2014 Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will take place the weekend of Aug. 16-17 at the Salem Willows. The two day concert will feature performances by 10 bands from around New England and New York.

The free festival will also include a music-education tent, a family tent, a 21-plus beer pavilion and more than 30 local artisans selling hand-crafted goods. It will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days.

The Salem High School Jazz band will open Saturday’s concert, followed by Pocket Money Orchestra, Amadee Castenell, and Moon Hooch. Delta Generators will headline Saturday.

Sunday will open with the North Shore Jazz Project All-Stars, followed by Cape Ann Big Band, Liquid Revolution, and the Frotations. Alissia Benveniste and the Funketeers, a 15-person funk band made up of Berklee College of Music students, will headline Sunday.

DJ Radio Scotvoid will spin between sets and Aurelia Nelson of North Shore 104.9 will emcee along with festival co-founder, Henley Douglas Jr.

Salem Trolley will offer an inexpensive shuttle to the festival, which will stop regularly at the National Parks Service Visitors Center on Essex Street, the Salem Ferry Landing on Blaney Street and the Bentley School, 25 Memorial Drive, where there will be additional parking.

Also, Mahi Mahi Cruises and Charters will ferry audience members from Pickering Wharf to the Willows all day, for a reasonable fee.

The festival encourages audience members to walk, ride bicycles or take the trolley to the Salem Willows, as parking will be limited.

The festival is a a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to producing free concerts and supporting music-education causes on the North Shore of Massachusetts.

Band bios can be found at www.salemjazzsoul.org and photos are available upon request.

The festival is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization that produces free concerts and raises money for music education causes on the North Shore.

Check salemjazzsoul.org for more information.

Contact: Judy Parisella
Phone: ***-***-7444
Email: jparisella@salemjazzsoul.com

Posted in Press

Sarah McKenzie performing at SJSF/Berklee Summer Series on Aug. 9

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Parisella
Phone: 978-491-7444
Email: jparisella@salemjazzsoul.com

Sarah McKenzieLeading up to the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival’s main event, Aug. 16-17, Sarah McKenzie, an Australian student attending Berklee College of Music, will play the final SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concert of 2014 in Derby Square, Salem, on Saturday, Aug. 9.

The free show will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. and will feature an educational interview about music and the Berklee experience.

Be Driven will sponsor the performance.

McKenzie is a pianist, vocalist, and composer who attends Berklee on a full scholarship. Her second album, “Close Your Eyes,” won the ARIA award for Best Jazz Album 2012.

McKenzie was mentored by legends like Graeme Lyall, Jamie Oehlers, James Morrison, and, most recently, JoAnne Brackeen, the first and only female member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. In 2010, she won the James Morrison Scholarship (Vocal) and was the only finalist to be nominated in both vocal and instrumental sections. McKenzie also sang backing vocals for Michael Bublé on the multiplatinum artist’s Call Me Irresponsible tour and was the opening act for five-time Grammy nominee Chris Botti in 2011.

The eighth-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will follow during the weekend of Aug. 16-17, featuring 10 bands, a family tent, music-education tent, artisan fair and 21-plus beer pavilion. The two-day concert is free.

The festival is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization that produces free concerts and raises money for music education causes on the North Shore.

Check salemjazzsoul.org for more information. Photos provided upon request.

Posted in Press

The Frotations will perform at SJSF/Berklee Summer Series on July 12 in Derby Square

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The Frotations
The Frotations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Frotations, a band made up of students from the Berklee College of Music, will play the third SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concert of 2014 in Derby Square, Salem, on Saturday, July 12.

The free show will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. and will feature an educational interview about music and the Berklee experience.

Creative Salem and Social Palates will sponsor the performance.

Forged in 2011 by singer-songwriter Chris Kazarian and bass player Pedro Ribiero (Pedro Zappa), the Frotations were originally called K.A.Z. — A musical experiment centered around the up-and-coming singer songwriter aimed at bringing all of the world’s people together under one sound. Today the Frotations are a concrete blend of Neo-Soul and Rock ’n’ Roll with a little drop of Hip-Hop.  Check out this video from The Frotations.

One more SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concerts will take place this year: Sarah McKenzie on Aug. 9.

The eighth-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will follow during the weekend of Aug. 16-17, featuring 10 bands, a kids’ tent, music-education tent, artisan fair and 21-plus beer pavilion. The two-day concert is free.

The festival is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization that produces free concerts and raises money for music education causes on the North Shore.

Check salemjazzsoul.org for more information. Photos provided upon request.

Contact: Judy Parisella
Phone: ***-***-7444
Email: jparisella@salemjazzsoul.com

Posted in Press

Bobby Wesley will perform at SJSF/Berklee Summer Series on June 14 at Opus in Salem

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May 12, 2014 – IMPORTANT RAIN LOCATION INFO: Due to today’s expected rain, the Bobby Wesley Derby Square concert will be held at Opus Restaurant and Lounge located at 87 Washington Street, Salem MA from 5-7pm today June 14th, 2014.   Please help us spread the word!

Guitarist Bobby Wesley will play the second SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concert of 2014 in Derby Square, Salem, on Saturday, June 14.

The free show will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. and will feature an educational interview about music and the Berklee experience.

Salem Trolley will sponsor the performance.

Bobby WesleyBobby Wesley is an up-and-coming guitarist/songwriter/vocalist from Detroit, now based in Boston. His compositions are a timeless mixture of contemporary jazz and neo-soul. He is in the process of recording his debut album. As an accomplished musician and graduate of Berklee College of Music, Wesley has had the honor of performing with Lalah Hathaway, Me’Shell Ndgeocello, Willie Nelson, and Annie Lennox. Bobby started out performing during open jam sessions in Detroit’s blues and jazz clubs at age 15. At 17, he was as a featured performer with jazz violinist Regina Carter during the Detroit Montrieux Jazz Festival.

Two more SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concerts will take place this year: The Frotations on July 12; and Sarah McKenzie on Aug. 9.

The eighth-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will follow during the weekend of Aug. 16-17, featuring 10 bands, a kids’ tent, music-education tent, artisan fair and 21-plus beer pavilion. The two-day concert is free.

The festival is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization that produces free concerts and raises money for music education causes on the North Shore.

Check salemjazzsoul.org for more information. Photos provided upon request.

Posted in Press

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival kicks off monthly concert series with Latimbop

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5/1/14 The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will begin its 2014 SJSF/Berklee Summer Series in Derby Square, Salem, on Saturday, May 10, with a concert featuring Latimbop, a band made up of current Berklee College of Music students and recent graduates

The free show will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. and will feature an educational interview about music and the Berklee experience.

The Lobster Shanty restaurant will sponsor the performance.

LatimbopLatimbop is an explosive contemporary Cuban dance group led by talented young Cuban pianist, Issac Delgado Jr., (son of famous Cuban musician Issac Delgado) and Colombian bassist Esther Rojas. Latimbop is made up of Berklee students with lots of experience in various genres of Latin American and Cuban music. Its roots come from timba mixed with jazz, funk, and Latin music.

Three more SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concerts will take place this year: Bobby Wesley on June 14; The Frotations on July 12; and Sarah McKenzie on Aug. 9.

The eighth-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will follow during the weekend of Aug. 16-17, featuring 10 bands, a kids’ tent, music-education tent, artisan fair and 21-plus beer pavilion. The two-day concert is free.

The festival is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization that produces free concerts and raises money for music education causes on the North Shore.

Check salemjazzsoul.org for more information. Photos provided upon request…

Posted in Press

Press Release: Funky, Latin dance party planned for Salem Jazz and Soul Festival’s Spring Fundraiser at refurbished Ames Hall

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The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will throw a dance party in April featuring the band Combo Sabroso, a Latin band with reggae influences out of Boston. All proceeds will benefit the festival, a volunteer-run nonprofit celebrating its eighth season.

The fundraiser will take place at the recently refurbished Ames Hall — in the Salem YMCA — on Saturday, April 26 from 8 to 10:30 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.). It’s sponsored by Howling Wolf Taqueria, Ruby Wines and Salem Cycle.

The night will feature auctions and raffles featuring items donated by generous North Shore businesses and Combo Sabrosoartists.

Tickets (available at salemjazzsoul.org, and Pamplemousse, In a Pig’s Eye, both in Salem) are $25 and proceeds will fund the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival’s non-profit mission of producing free concerts and supporting music education causes on the North Shore. This is SJSF’s only ticketed show of the year.

About Combo Sabroso: Combo Sabroso (tasty combo) presents soul cleansing Latin dance music and reggae. Lead by pianist Matt Jenson, the group is committed to the hard hitting “salsa dura” sound of the 1970s, playing hits from the likes of Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Oscar D’leon and Sonora Poncena. The band also does salsa arrangements of American R&B hits from the likes of Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and Santana. The group can turn on a dime and hit you with reggae versions of massive pop hits by artists such as Elton John, Steve Miller and The Police. The band’s members are from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Saint Maarten, Venezuela and the United States.

In the coming months, the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, a volunteer-run nonprofit, will put on:

    The SJSF/Berklee Summer Series at Derby Square, Salem, with Berklee College of Music student bands, on May 10, June 14, July 12 and Aug. 9
    The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, a two-day concert at the Salem Willows, with 10 bands, a music-education tent, kids tent, 21-plus beer garden and artisans selling hand-made goods, Aug. 16-17

Please go to salemjazzsoul.org for more information. Photos available upon request.

Posted in Press

Press Release: Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, city, to put on 5th-annual Jazz Appreciation Day concert

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, city, to put on 5th-annual Jazz Appreciation Day concert

The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will produce its 5th-annual City of Salem Jazz Appreciation Day concert in early April in downtown Salem.

The event kicks off Jazz Appreciation month, April, and is put on in partnership with the City of Salem. Salem Five, a major festival sponsor, has donated the room and the concert is free to the public.

The free show will take place in the Salem Five Community Room on the Essex Street Walking Mall, on Saturday, April 5, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Performing this year will be the North Shore Jazz Project All Stars, a big band made up of the North Shore’s premier high-school jazz musicians, directed by professional saxophonist Mike Tucker..

“The NSJP All Stars play our main festival each year, and the crowd is always blown away by their talent, so we thought we’d invite them to perform at Jazz Appreciation Day,” said Larry Claflin Jr., the festival’s executive director. “Having these young musicians on-stage is represent a part of what we’re trying to do – providing students with an opportunity to perform at no cost to the public.”

This show will open the festival’s eighth season of producing free concerts and supporting music-education causes on the North Shore.

In the coming months, the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, a volunteer-run nonprofit, will put on:

    A fundraiser at the recently refurbished Ames Hall inside the Salem YMCA, featuring Boston-based Combo Sabroso, a Latin band with reggae influences, on April 26
    The SJSF/Berklee Summer Series at Derby Square, Salem, with Berklee College of Music student bands, on May 10, June 14, July 12 and Aug. 9
    The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, a two-day concert at the Salem Willows, with 10 bands, a music-education tent, kids tent, 21-plus beer garden and artisans selling hand-made goods, Aug. 16-17

Please go to salemjazzsoul.org for more information.

Contact: Judy Parisella
Phone: ***-***-7444
Email: jparisella@salemjazzsoul.com