Boston’s local gospel scene will be represented by LeRoy Streat with Grace. The group specializes in the Christian worship music that Streat has been writing, playing, and producing for more than fifteen years, in addition to his work leading music ministries both in the United States and abroad. The local presence is increased by Major Choirboy, a native of Houston, Texas, and recent graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Headlining the event is Israel Houghton & New Breed, led by award winner Houghton, who, like Streat, is a full-service musician. His experience and talent writing, performing, and producing Christian and Gospel music resulted in a Grammy for his 2007 album Alive in South Africa (pictured above left), which was recorded in Capetown.

City Hall Plaza is conveniently located right next to the Government Center Station on the MBTA subway’s Green Line. Take a look at the video after the jump for Israel Houghton & New Breed’s track “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” to get in the mood before heading to GospelFest 2008.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art does much more than beautify Bean Town’s surroundings with displays of gorgeous visual art. In conjunction with Berklee College of Music, it also enhances the aesthetic appeal of the area by offering HarborWalk Sounds, a series of free outdoor concerts performed by Berklee students and alumni, each Thursday evening.

To enjoy the diverse musical styles that lean heavily toward jazz, just head over to Putnam Investments Plaza (100 Northern Avenue, Boston Waterfront, 617-478-3100) from 6pm to 8:30pm. The lineup for the series, which runs until September 11, follows. Visit the ICA website for additional details about the musicians and their work.

• July 17: Juan Chavez — Classical, Jazz, Afro-Cuban
• July 24: Tantanakuy — Argentinean, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Peruvian, Uruguayan, Jazz
• July 31: Sol Melodiq — Jazz, Rock, Hip-Hop, Funk, Classic Soul, World Music
• August 7: Zach Hillyard Band — Pop, Funk, Soul, R&B
• August 14: Cole Degenova — Funk, Neo-Soul, Blues, Jazz
• August 21: Pat Carroll — Jazz
• August 28: Monterey Quartet — Jazz
• September 4: Manami Morita — Jazz
• September 11: Katie Thiroux — Jazz

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Warm weather and outdoor concerts go together so well, the only thing that makes them better is when the latter are free. People who realize this and share an appreciation of the planet we call home are in luck, then, because Saturday, May 24th, marks the 15th Annual EarthFest hosted by WBOS Radio 92.9.

Performing this year for free in honor of Earth are alternative rockers Cake, the headliners, as well as The BoDeans, Cracker, The English Beat, and various Boston-based groups. The event will also offer environment-friendly activities, including many targeted specifically towards family and children.

EarthFest has been a local tradition for well over a decade, so if you’re in the area, it’s highly recommended. Gather the entire family and head over to the DCR Hatch Shell along the Charles River (100 David Mugar Way/Storrow Drive, Boston) to make the celebration a daylong outing filled with live music. The good times start at noon.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Armed with the provocative motto “The Future of Jazz Is Here and Now,” JazzBoston will take over Boston from April 25 to May 4 to offer residents and visitors a variety of affordable events focused on the music genre, such as workshops, concerts, and tributes to pioneers.

Highlights include a series of free seminars at the Boston Public Library’s main branch in Copley Square (700 Boylston Street, Copley Square, Boston, 617-536-5400), ranging from The Worlds of Duke Ellington to From Jazz to Hip-Hop and Beyond: Why Jazz Matters in the 21st Century. Especially notable is the How Jazz Happens family event, scheduled for 6pm on Monday, April 28, at the Regattabar (1 Bennett Street, Cambridge, 617-661-5099).

The benefit concert A Kaleidoscopic View of Jazz in Boston will take place on Saturday, May 3, at Berklee Performance Center (136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, 617-747-2261), where legendary drummer Rakalam Bob Moses will accompany former U.S. Poet Laureate and current Boston University faculty member Robert Pinsky as he recites his work. To round out the entertainment and raise donations for public school jazz outreach programs, musicians from Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, and the John Coltrane Memorial Concert Ensemble will also perform.

Enthusiasts with slim wallets will definitely appreciate the part of the festival unfolding at the Back Bay branch of Borders Book Store (511 Boylston Street, Boston, 617-236-1444), as well. Starting next Monday, April 28, until the following Friday, May 2, JazzWeek Borders will present the general public with regular jazz concerts after business hours. The best part is that each and every one is completely free of charge.

Those are just a few of the things happening during JazzBoston in coming days. To learn more about the numerous events planned, simply review the lengthy and detailed Schedule of Events.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Yet, after word of the reverend’s murder spread, riots quickly erupted in more than 100 cities across the United States. As a result, Boston’s newly elected mayor at that critical time, Kevin White, was left with the difficult task of preventing widespread disorder in the city.

His original decision was allegedly to cancel the James Brown concert all together, until those with better knowledge of local neighborhoods advised him a cancellation would only further ignite anger, inspiring a greater likelihood of public disturbances.

White then approached James Brown directly and suggested the soul singer go on with his performance but allow concurrent televising on local airwaves. Public broadcasting station WGBH on channel 2 stepped in to air the concert footage, and as a result, only about 2,500 of 15,000 ticket holders attended the event; the remainder stayed at home and watched the concert on TV. Hence, the lack of agitated people in the downtown Boston area directly contributed to the absence of riots in the city.

Tonight at 9pm EST, basic-cable network VH1 will present The Night James Brown Saved Boston. The music documentary details the events of April 1968, highlighting Brown’s role in helping to alleviate tension in Boston. Encore broadcasts will follow on Sunday, April 6, at 2am and on Monday, April 7, at 10pm.

WGBH, the station that actually televised the famous concert in 1968, also has its own coverage of the historic occasion available around the clock. Visitors to the website for James Brown: Live at the Boston Garden, 1968 can not only listen to the entire broadcast that originally aired, but view the network’s in-house documentary of the occasion titled The Politics of Soul, as well.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

When I think of Cambridge’s renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a lot of things instantly come to mind, first and foremost the treasure trove of brain power the university has among its students and professors.

This weekend, however, the 35+-year-old campus gospel choir will give the public something else to associate with the school, namely a love of gospel music. That’s because on Saturday, April 5, the first-ever Gospel Fest celebration will bring eight Boston-based college gospel groups to MIT to perform in a massive concert. Participants include:

• MIT Gospel Choir
• Boston College Voices of Imani
• Boston University Inner Strength Gospel Choir
• Brandeis Voices of Praise
• Kuumba Singers of Harvard College
• Northeastern University JDOAAI Unity Gospel Ensemble
• Tufts University Third Day Gospel Choir
• Wheaton Colleges Voices United To Jam

If you appreciate gospel music, Gospel Fest 2008 seems like a sure way to celebrate your faith in the company of fellow believers while also enjoying an evening of lively, spirited music.

Tickets for the general public are $10 in advance and $12 at the door, and organizers make it easy to purchase them online. Then, just show up on Saturday before 7pm at MIT’s La Sala de Puerto Rico (MIT Student Center, 2nd Floor, 84 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge) for a wonderful time. [More Information]

Take a look at the video clip after the jump for a sample of the MIT Gospel Choir in action. The song is “I Will Sing,” which the group performed during their Fall 2007 Concert on December 9, 2007.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

If you’ve got a thing for Jackson and aren’t afraid to show it, you might want to check out the Coolidge Corner Theatre (290 Harvard Street, Brookline, 617-734-2500) on April 5th. That Saturday at midnight sharp, the independent popular movie destination will host the one and only Michael Jackson Sing-Along.

Oh yes, you read the last sentence correctly — in 2008, you can go to a theater full of fellow Jackson lovers and belt out some of his more beloved tunes of old … without a single person telling you to shut up.

The classic song lineup — with accompanying music videos, of course — includes the full-length, 18-minute, Martin Scorsese-directed version of “Bad”; the originally controversial Macaulay Culkin and George Wendt complete cut of “Black or White” that was banned from television after airing one day in November 1991; the non-3D version of “Captain EO” directed by Francis Ford Coppola and executive-produced by George Lucas; and the entire 14-minute “Thriller” masterpiece co-written with and directed by John Landis. I hope they throw in my personal favorite, “Billie Jean,” as well.

Jackson traveled in some pretty distinguished circles when it came to his pioneering music videos. What does his music amount to without the moves, though? Not quite as much.

Fortunately, Coolidge Corner Theatre reps thought ahead to arrange for a little dance instruction before the belting begins in earnest. So, make sure to bring along your comfortable dancing shoes, in addition to your vocal chords and lack of embarrassment. Packing a camera to snap a few pictures before and after might be wise, too, especially if you’re just passing through town, because this is one opportunity that’s not likely to present itself frequently either here in Boston or elsewhere.

Tickets for the big event go on sale today, and they’re priced at a uniform $12 per seat. The option to buy them online isn’t available as I write, but it’s possible it will be soon on the Showtimes and Tickets page.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

So, what is OurStage? To put it simply, a venue for artists to have their work judged by the people who matter most, namely the fans who consume entertainment in various ways. After registering, artists upload a music recording or video of their work. Visitors to the website then have the opportunity to participate in the judging process by first listening to or watching two competing entries and then rating them. The fact that there are some 25 different genres in the music category and over a dozen in the video category gives a clear idea of how comprehensive OurStage is.

No registration is required the first couple of times artists are evaluated, just hearing and/or sight, but joining provides access to free downloads and other goodies. The artists with the most-preferred entries after four ranking rounds — regular, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals — rise to the top of the competition, which puts them in place to win monthly prizes that include money and spots on festival rosters.

Sounds good. Tonight, the renowned Paradise Rock Club (967 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617-562-8800) will host the first-ever regional OurStage College Clash to determine which of four bands that bested online competitors in November, December, January, and February is tops in New England.

Ameranouche (University of Maine, Gypsy Jazz/Acoustic Bliss), Brian Bergeron (Northeastern University, Acoustic/Folk Rock/Alt), Sam R-P (Berklee College of Music, Rock/Blues/Jam Band), and Zach Hillyard Band (Berklee College of Music, Pop/Soul/Funk) have the distinction of surviving through the extensive judging process to become the four inaugural acts, and they’ll go head-to-head against one another for enough audience votes to land a smoking $5,000 Grand Cash Prize.

One of the best parts for music fans is entry to the event is free until the Paradise is full, as long as you’re 18 or over. And, if you manage to get inside, you’ll also have the chance to win door prizes, as well as enjoy lots of great live music. Doors open at 7pm and the bands begin taking the stage at 8pm. [More Information]

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Select presale tickets through Ducat King are all snatched up (sincerest apologies for not posting as soon as I heard about the gig), but tickets go on sale to the general public today, Friday February 1st, at 12pm Pacific/3pm Eastern Standard Time. Admission for one through the Ticketmaster website will cost $25.00, although I’m not sure about fees.

And to all who make it to the Bosstones’ first Cali gig in five years: “Enjoy!”

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Lucky for everyone, then, that a handful of avid fans not only managed to snag some precious if occasionally jumpy and/or unfocused video footage (word has it that security didn’t even check for camera phones and camcorders), but were also kind enough to upload said snippets to YouTube.

Continue onward for a look at what I found during a recent search. It seems like more is being added every day, too, so keep current with new videos by searching for “bosstones live” and “bosstones throwdown.” It’s like having a concert on your computer, at least until the rumored DVD of the occasion is released.

December 26 | Throwdown Night One

December 27 | Throwdown Night Two

December 29 | Throwdown Night Four

December 30 | Throwdown Night Five

December 31 | Lupo’s in Rhode Island

Post from: The Boston Traveler