Tag Archives: sjsf/berklee summer series

RickyExpress SJSF/Berklee Summer Series 8/13/16
Posted in Berklee • News • Press

RickExpress closes SJSF/Berklee Summer Series before Salem Jazz and Soul Festival

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RickExpress a Berklee College of Music student, will play the last SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concert of 2016 with his band in Derby Square, Salem, on Saturday, Aug. 13.

The free show will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. and will feature an educational interview about music and the Berklee experience. Rain location is Koto Japanese Grill. 90 Washington St., Salem.

In a Pig’s Eye restaurant will sponsor the performance, which marks the festival’s last show before the main festival, Aug. 20-21.

RickExpress (Ricky McKinney) is a singer, songwriter/composer and pianist. The youngest of his siblings and the only boy, RickExpress’ talent was discovered at an early age and harnessed thereafter. He began singing gospel music at church when he was just 2 and by 6, he had written his first song. With his unique style and eccentric flavor, he has gained the likes of music lovers across the board, ranging from his peers to older generations. They find his music soothing, healing and timeless. While he lends himself to the Neo-Soul genre, he describes his sound as “soulful, moving and ahead of the times”.  He incudes inspirations from funk and rhythm and blues. Ricky has stated that many of the messages in his songs come from his time in Sanford, a small town in North Carolina and also deal with modern themes such as social action.

RickExpress has worked with many artist including Valerie Simpson, Sam Smith, Ledisi, Talib Kweli, Sinbad, Sheila E., Lady Gaga, Robert Glasper, Snarky Puppy and more.  Ricky continues to study music and perfect his genius as a newly minted graduate from the Berklee College of Music.

The 10th-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will follow during the weekend of Aug. 20-21, featuring 10 bands, a MusicKidz 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.

Watch RickExpress perform his original “Ex Man” live at the Berklee Performance Center.

Published on Jul 13, 2016 | Source: Berklee College of Music

 

Posted in Berklee • Press • Shows

Selah Poitier Performing at SJSF/Berklee Summer Series, July 9 Derby Square

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Selah Poitier will perform at SJSF/Berklee Summer Series on July 9 in Derby Square

Selah Portier bassist

Selah Poitier, a recent Berklee College of Music graduate, will play the third SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concert of 2016 with her band in Derby Square, Salem, on Saturday, July 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.

The Lobster Shanty will sponsor the performance, which marks the festival’s third outdoor show of its 10th season Multi-talented Bahamian bassist and singer Selah Poitier is a new artist with an eclectic musical style influenced by fresh sounds from modern jazz/hip-hop fusion, blues, neo-soul and R&B to funk, gospel, Afropop and reggae, as well as traditional Bahamian music. Poitier is also a songwriter, poet, composer, actress, activist and recent graduate of Berklee College of Music. To her, music acts as a powerful tool for emotional healing, social change, spiritual transformation and to explore the profound aspects of the human experience. Selah describes herself as a storyteller and uses her music to not only relate to listeners from all over the globe but also to reflect the times. One more SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concert will take place this year: RickExpress on Aug. 13. The 10th-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will follow during the weekend of Aug. 20-21, featuring 10 bands, a MusicKidz 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 Berklee • Press • Shows

Maddie Jay & the pH Collective Perform at SJSF/Berklee Summer Series June 11

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Maddie Jay & the pH Collective will perform at SJSF/Berklee Summer Series on June 11 in Derby Square

Maddie Jay & the pH Collective press release web header
Maddie Jay & the pH Collective, a band consisting of students from the Berklee College of Music, will play the second SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concert of 2016 in Derby Square, Salem, on Saturday, June 11.

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 will sponsor the performance, which marks the festival’s second outdoor show of its 10th season

Maddie Jay & The pH Collective brings to the table a unique blend of acid jazz, old school beats and psychedelic girl rap. Since their inception in January 2015, they have garnered attention from online music magazines and fellow musicians with their two music videos “Throw Away Your Hate” and self-produced “No Going Back.” They serve up steaming plates of groovy original music, sautéed with spicy synth lines, creamy vocal harmonies and meaty bass fills. All music is composed by front woman Maddie Jay – rapper, writer and bassist, and is guaranteed to dish out something you have not heard before.

Two more SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concerts will take place this year: Selah Poitier on July 9; and RickExpress on Aug. 13.

The 10th-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will follow during the weekend of Aug. 20-21, featuring 10 bands, a MusicKidz 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.

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Posted in Berklee • Press • Shows

First SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concert of 2016 in Derby Square, Salem, 5/14/16

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MIXLA featuring Zahili Gonzalez Zamora will perform at SJSF/Berklee Summer Series on May 14 in Derby Square

MIXLA featuring Zahili Gonzalez Zamora, a trio consisting of students from the Berklee College of Music, will play the first SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concert of 2016 in Derby Square, Salem, on Saturday, May 14.

February 5, 2016 (Salem, MA) – The free SJSF/Berklee Summer Series show will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. and will feature an educational interview about music and the Berklee experience. MIXLA featuring Zahili Gonzalez Zamora,

Howling Wolf Taqueria will sponsor the performance, which marks the festival’s first outdoor show of its 10th season

Pulling from three dynamic spirits of The Zahili Gonzalez Zamora Project, a new mixture of sonic masterpieces is born. MIXCLA is a play on words between mezcla and mix. It is also a merging of cultures hailed from the mountains of Chile, to the traditions of Japan, which driven by the fires of Cuba achieve a truly unique Latin jazz experience. MIXCLA is led by composer/pianist and singer Zahili Gonzalez Zamora, with Gerson Esteban Lazo Quiroga on bass and backing vocals, and Takafumi Nikaido on percussion. This mixture of cultural spices makes the perfect recipe for one of a kind musical experience.

Three more SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concerts will take place this year: Maddie Jay & the pH Collective on June 11; Selah Poitier on July 9; and RickExpress on Aug. 13.

The 10th-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will follow during the weekend of Aug. 20-21, 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.

Media Contact: Judy Parisella
Email: jparisella@salemjazzsoul.com

Posted in Berklee • Press • Shows

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival continues monthly concert series with the Marika Galea Quartet

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Marika Galea Quartet

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival continues monthly concert series with the Marika Galea Quartet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 28, 2015 – The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will continue its 2015 SJSF/Berklee Summer Series in Derby Square, Salem, on Saturday, June 13 with a concert featuring jazz bassist Marika Galea, and her quartet.

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 will sponsor the performance.

A rising star and bandleader, Marika Galea is a respected young jazz bassist and composer who has studied with and opened for a number of highly acclaimed artists including Bucky Pizzarelli, Branford Marsalis, Al Jarreau, and Teri Lyne Carrington. Originally from Cananda, Marika is carving out a reputation on this side of the border as a jazz bassist, journalist, and educator with longevity. She is pleased to present her international quartet, including Yoav Eshed (Israel) on guitar, Tomoaki Baba (Japan) on saxophone, and Jongkuk Kim (South Korea) on drums.

Marika’s band members bring their respective talents to Derby Square as well. Yoav Eshed, guitar, has been studying music since he was a toddler and won the third place prize in the 2104 Montreux Jazz Festival International Guitar Festival in Switzerland. Tomoaki Baba, saxophones, began playing in a big band at age seven that ended up playing at the Sydney Opera House during a cultural exchange. Johgkuk Kim, drums, released his first solo album when studying at the Seoul Institute of the Arts at age 16. All members of the quartet are current Berklee College of Music students.

Two more SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concerts will take place this year: Beneil Miller on July 11; and Chuks Okpu on Aug. 8. The ninth-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will be held during the weekend of Aug. 15-16, 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 Berklee • Press • Shows

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival kicks off their SJSF/Berklee Summer Series at Derby Square, Salem

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The Berklee Yellowjackets Ensemble

SJSF/Berklee Summer Series monthly concerts kicks off with the Berklee Yellowjackets Ensemble

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 29, 2015 – Salem Jazz and Soul Festival kicks off SJSF/Berklee Summer Series monthly concert series with The Berklee Yellowjackets Ensemble

The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will begin its 2015 SJSF/Berklee Summer Series in Derby Square, Salem, on Saturday, May 9, with a concert featuring The Yellowjackets, a band made up of current Berklee College of Music students.

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.

The Berklee Yellowjackets Ensemble is a sought-after band led by Dave Weigert (drums), a professor in the Ensemble Department. They play the repertoire of the world-renowned Yellowjackets, one of the few jazz bands that has been together for over 30 years. The students—bassist Elin Margareta Sandberg (Sweden), tenor and alto saxophonist Andrew Denicola (Stamford, Connecticut), guitarist Lior Tzemach (Ramat Gan, Israel), and piano synth player Zak Leever (San Francisco, California)—are highly motivated, dedicated, and accomplished musicians.

The selected Yellowjackets repertoire that the ensemble will play is funk oriented and groove based with beautiful, soaring, and expressive melodies and rich harmonies. Audience members will be treated to an uplifting and inspiring performance.

Three more SJSF/Berklee Summer Series concerts will take place this year: Marika Galea on June 13; Beneil Miller on July 11; and Chuks Okpu on Aug. 8.

The ninth-annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will follow during the weekend of Aug. 15-16, 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.

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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…