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Mayor Thomas Menino Officially Proclaims April 26-May 4 "Jazz Week"

BOSTON, MA: A rare jazz appearance by former U. S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky in duet with internationally renowned percussionist Rakalam Bob Moses, a conversation about jazz, hip-hop and beyond, a tribute to Max Roach featuring drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, and performances in every style at more than 50 venues are part of this year’s Jazz Week, a citywide celebration of the music once again being coordinated and promoted by JazzBoston (www.jazzboston.org).

For nine days from April 26 through May 4, JazzBoston will highlight hundreds of musicians of all generations who will appear at venues throughout the Greater Boston area — from clubs, museums, and churches to libraries, universities, hotels, and community centers. For information about Jazz Week visit www.jazzboston.org/jazzweek or call (866)439-9396. Stay tuned for the full listing of Jazz Week events, to be posted later this month.

Jazz Week Highlights

JazzBoston’s second annual Jazz Week benefit concert, “A Kaleidoscopic View of Jazz in Boston,” will be held at Berklee Performance Center on Saturday, May 3. Among those appearing will be former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, who will read from his work accompanied by legendary drummer Rakalam Bob Moses. Pinsky, a Boston University faculty member, will be making only his second jazz appearance ever, following his debut earlier this year in New York with drummer Andrew Cyrille. Moses has worked with jazz giants including Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus, John Medeski, and Larry Coryell.

Artists from Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, and the John Coltrane Memorial Concert (JCMC) Ensemble will perform at the benefit, proceeds of which will go to three outstanding jazz outreach programs in the Boston Public Schools: the JCMC Educational Outreach Program, based at Northeastern University, the New England Conservatory Community Performances and Partnerships Program, and the Berklee College of Music City Music Program. Young talent from the Berklee program will be front and center when the Berklee City Music All-Stars Quintet takes the stage. Special guests, including a quartet led by singer Marianne Solivan with guitarist Eric Hofbauer performing “Songs My Teachers Taught Me,” will also be part of the bill. Additional special guests are still to be announced.

JazzBoston will once again present “Jazz Week at the Boston Public Library,” a series of free weekday and evening seminars covering a range of topics for audiences of all ages and backgrounds at the Main Library in Copley Square. This year’s topics include:

-- From the Savoy to Storyville: Boston in the ‘40s and ‘50s with Dick Vacca (Monday, 4/28, 6 p.m., Mezzanine Conference Room).
-- The Worlds of Duke Ellington held on Duke Ellington’s birthday, with Mark Harvey (Tuesday, 4/29, 6 p.m., Mezzanine Conference Room).
-- From Jazz to Hip-Hop and Beyond: Why Jazz Matters in the 21st Century with Emmett G. Price III (Wednesday, 4/30, noon, Rabb Lecture Hall).
-- Boston Jazz’s Voices of Experience with Eric Jackson, Mae Arnett, Hy Lockhart, and Al Vega; coordinated by Leonard Brown (Thursday, 5/1, 6 p.m., Mezzanine Conference Room).
-- The Future of Recording for Jazz and Improvised Music with Andrew Shrock (all-digital "ReRelease label of "Mass Jazz Underground" artists from the 1970s), Eric Hofbauer (Creative Nation label), and Russ Gershon (Accurate Records) (Friday, 5/2, noon, Mezzanine Conference Room).

How Jazz Happens, a special interactive family event featuring pianist Pierre Hurrel with a short film about Bill Evans, is scheduled for the Regattabar at 6 p.m., Apr. 28.

Other events set so far for Jazz Week include:

-- Jason Palmer Collective, Apr. 26, May 2, Wally’s
-- Sheryl Bailey, Apr. 29; Eguie Castrillo & Orchestra, May 2, Regattabar
-- Miguel Zenon, May 1, Center for Latino Arts
-- Rachel Price, May 1; Najee, May 2-3, Scullers
-- Grace Kelly Quartet, May 2, Jazz in the Square, Roslindale.

JazzBoston’s partnership with Borders continues this year with another “Jazz Week @ Borders” series of free after-work jazz concerts at the bookstore’s Copley Square location from April 28 to May 2. On Saturday May 3, Boston-based music journalist and author Bob Blumenthal will mark the release of his new book, Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America’s Music, with a special book-signing event at the Copley Square store.

Jazz Week events will take place in a variety of venues, including the Real Deal Jazz Club and Café, Ryles, the Lily Pad, the Colonial Inn, Wally’s, the Regattabar, Matt Murphy’s Pub, Scullers, Wellesley College, Boston University, Boston College, and the Lizard Lounge.

Jazz Week events are produced independently by participating musicians, presenters, clubs, educational institutions, and other organizations. All events are promoted by JazzBoston under the Jazz Week umbrella through an extensive print, broadcast, and Web marketing campaign.

JazzBoston would like to thank Jazz Week 2008 Primary Sponsor, the Regattabar together with the Charles Hotel and The Blue Note, and Lead Sponsor, Scullers Jazz Club and the DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel, for once again supporting this community-wide celebration of the music. More information about becoming a Jazz Week sponsor can be obtained by writing to jazzweek@jazzboston.org.

For continuous updates on Jazz Week 2008, visit the JazzBoston website at www.jazzboston.org/jazzweek.