Results tagged “jazz”

All Fluff -- and Loving It Somerville can be proud of so much, but Archibald Query's crazy marshmallow concoction is something to celebrate. That's why we have "What the Fluff?" Fesstival. Fluffernutter may be the guest of honor this year, but you can stuff your face with all sorts of reasonably-priced treats or enjoy Fluff fun 'n games or enjoy the entertainment including Jordan Valentine & the Sunday Saints, Rex Complex, Los Sugar Kings, and The Flufferettes. Union Square Plaza, Somerville. 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Free.

Let's throw out the necessary splash of cold water first. The Patriots aren't going to the playoffs unless Mia/NYJ or the Ravens flop. Which isn't impossible. But it's out of their hands, and even if they keep doing like they did yesterday and steamrolling collections of stiffs like the Oakland Raiders, it may not come to anything in the end. And if that's the case, we'll toast Bill and Matt for getting this team as far as they did, and congratulate the rest of America on their dream of a collection of crippling Patriots injuries coming true.

7 p.m.

$25/$20

Last Thursday, the soft light of dusk lingered in the theatre at the Institute for Contemporary Arts, where floor-to-ceiling windows let you see the Boston Harbor from two sides. Yachts, Harbor Cruisers, and sailboats passed in the distance, backgrounded by the Logan airport control tower on one side and the Custom House clock tower on the other. In the middle of the room, on an oriental rug spread across the hardwood floor, a set of five instruments sat bunched.

Nothing helps avant garde art go down like a good gimmick, and filmmaker Robert Fenz had a great one. Fenz screened two films Monday at the Harvard Film Archive, each accompanied by live improvisation from the renowned jazz trumpeter Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith.

--Haven't you always wanted to go to an event called HARVAPALOOZA? Well, now you can. Local band The Franklin Kite bring a special combination of musical prowess and astrophysics knowledge to Tommy Doyle's, where they'll play alongside Maya and The Trolleys to commemorate the palooza that is Harvard. Or something like that? Anyway, the show starts at 9 and it's totally free. A dance party will follow, so put your best foot forward. Hopefully it's not the left.

Jazz critic Bob Blumenthal reads from Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America's Music, and Branford Marsalis is going to join him. However, word is from Harvard Book Store that Marsalis will only talk about jazz, not perform it. The event will be at the Regattabar at the Charles Hotel (via Harvard Book Store), 7:00 pm. Free.

Art

As the primaries approach and now that they've given John McCain their endorsement for Republican candidate for president, the Herald has whipped off the gloves and is going after former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential aspirant Mitt Romney. Dave Wedge ladles a heaping helping of sarcasm when describing the latest development in the Romney vs. Huckabee Catfight Extraordinaire:

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is gaining appeal among Republicans thanks to his hard-right views, his ability to lose weight, and Chuck Norris. Obviously, this has former Massachusetts governor and presidential aspirant Mitt Romney thoroughly freaked out because Romney has spent boodles of money and has less to show for it. All Huckabee had to do was lose weight and gain an action star. Hence, Romney has unleashed an attack ad. However, we think Romney...

Bostonist just left the 2007 Boston Music Awards, and while we'll have ruminations on the awards ceremony for your Sunday reading pleasure, you can find below the crop of winners from the 20th anniversary ceremony, presented here in chronological order: Outstanding Funk/Jam Band of the Year: Westbound Train Outstanding Blues/Soul Act of the Year: Eli "Paperboy" Reed & the True Loves Outstanding DJ/Dance Act of the Year: DJ BC Outstanding Rock Band of the Year:...

Trot Nixon's homecoming game at Fenway was one to remember. Not so much for Trot (1-for-3), but for the fact that this game had a little bit of everything. An inside-the-park home run for Kevin Youkilis (shhh...20 game hitting streak...shhh). A conventional home run for Manny, tying him with former teammate Jim Thome for 25th place all time. A controversial third-strike call in the ninth that brought both managers out for some earnest discussions with...

All across the Ist-A-Verse (or at least the American parts thereof), writers and editors are in the midst of enjoying their three-day weekend. But after the week we've all had, we feel like the break is not only needed, but deserved. Just look at everything we've been doing! Gothamist headed into the Memorial Day weekend with a number of tasks accomplished. They worried about Long Islanders giving New Yorkers a bad name. They tried...

We've now entered the portion of the 2007 Red Sox season where, frankly, it's not that big a deal if the starters struggle. How long this portion will last, we don't know, but we saw the Sox' offense rescue a queasy Daisuke on Friday, and they bailed out a shaky Wakefield Saturday to club the Rangers 7-4. Wake struggled in the fifth, giving up a two-run double to Gerald Laird as the lowlight of a...

No games last night of local interest. So let's take a spin around the country to see what's going on in the rest of the sporting world.

The happiest Red Sox fans around have to be the ones who stopped watching baseball around 7:30 last night. They would have seen Game 1 of the doubleheader, a 13-3 Sox rout/Home Run Derby. They would have seen the Yankees' nightmarish loss to the Mets. But most importantly, they would have been spared Game 2, in which Atlanta demolished the Sox 14-0. A wild day all around. Game One was a laugher thanks in part...

Let's give a hand to WEEI caller Pauley, who aptly summed up Tuesday's Sox home game against the Detroit Tigers during the Planet Mikey Show with, "It was a drinking night tonight." It wasn't a pretty showing at Fenway on Tuesday, despite the presence of the brilliant-this-season Tim Wakefield on the mound. The Sox endured a 7-2 pounding that was led by Tiger pitcher and 2006 AL Rookie of the Year Justin Verlander (7 2/3...

On the brink of the Summer music scene, two weeks from EarthFest 2007 music doesn’t stop in Boston. Good shows are still to be had on the cheap before the summer festival season is truly upon us. Take a gander at this week's picks and keep on rocking. Wednesday 5/16 The Blow With the release of their latest record, Paper Television, Portland, Oregon's The Blow have finally hit their mark. Earlier recordings were scattered...

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day, The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play. So begins Ernest Thayer's immortal "Casey at the Bat". Mudville flops in that poem, as we all know, but the situation was even more grim for the Red Sox going into the ninth on Sunday. Orioles youngster Jeremy Guthrie was firmly in control of the ballgame, and the score at Fenway stood...

Bostonist was walking past the hustle and bustle of Fenway Park on Friday afternoon when we finally identified that nagging feeling that had been with us ever since the Park Street station. We had seen more Baltimore Orioles jerseys, hats and T-shirts in an hour than we saw all day when we traveled to Camden Yards last season! What was going on? Everyone knows that the orange-accented Baltimore ballpark is known fondly in Red Sox...

Not much gets said about the restorative effects of a vacation to Canada, but the Red Sox' stay in Toronto has been nothing but beneficial. The Blue Jays are falling apart at the seams, and the Sox are more than happy to take advantage of their hospitality. Last night's 9-3 win was just the latest example.

The April rain is seemingly behind us, the flowers are springing, but we're not yet upon summer festival season. Soon enough we won't be able to go a weekend without a sleepless night with ringing in our ears as we spent too many hours in the heat a little too close to a bank of speakers broadcasting to the masses. Well, that or a sweet show at Harbor Lights The Pavilion. Tuesday, 5/8 Grant-Lee...

This week JazzBoston pulls together Jazz Week. More than 150 events, including concerts and lectures are held across the city. Jazz Week shines a light on the diverse and vibrant local jazz scene. It all wraps up with concerts on Sunday. A full line-up as available from the event website. Wednesday, 4/25 Wooden Wand & the Vanishing Voice Churning out strange, occasionally nostalgic, and frequently psychedelic Americana, James Toth distinguishes himself in the increasingly...

As the saying goes April showers bring May flowers. We're willing to subscribe with that theory. April looks to be a bit soggy for us in the beginning, especially considering the current seven day forecast. That means that frolicking in the outdoors will be limited and heading into the haven of the local rock haunts will be plentiful. Lucky this week provides a host of great shows around the Boston area. Included this week is the Shoot the Moon residency at Abbey Lounge. Another one of those wonderful local bands we first heard while tuning into Exploit Boston Radio.

Since daylight savings time kicked it's been hard to get a good nights sleep. Up too late, and up again the next day too early. This week promises to keep us in that very same groove with a list of great music coming to Boston. Who needs sleep anyway? Don't forget to give your support to Exploit Boston Radio, they've got their fingers crossed that Congress and their favor of big label music will be beaten. Listen up for hot local tunes.

This week the music world turns its gaze to the party they call SXSW. A number of local bands are hitting the scene in hopes that it will propel them to some worldwide tour – or at least help them get out of that "garden level" apartment in Medford. While some eyes turn south to Texas where an immigration debate runs wild the US immigration policy has taken a toll on the local concert...

After the total lunar eclipse spiced up the night sky this past weekend we've got enough of the visuals. This week we're committed not to go see live music but to go hear live music. This week we're welcoming a few new contributors to the list, have a listen, will ya? Monday 3/5 Badly Drawn Boy It's okay to admit to liking British singer-songwriter Damon Gough, aka Badly Drawn Boy. He may write lyrics...

Bostonist didn't realize that the news about Keith "I wear leather pants" Lockhart and Ben "I don't wear pants" Folds' Boston Pops partnership was new -- word of the May concert at Symphony Hall has been circulating through Folds fan circles for some time now. But Sarah Rodman's news on Boston.com's Exhibitionist blog today did set our hearts aflutter. With all the early buzz, there was a worry that perhaps tickets had already gone on...

The Florida Panthers beat the Bruins 7 to 2. What happened? Things were looking up! Maybe they're just tired after being on the road. Or maybe stamina isn't their strong suit. At least Marco Sturm resigned for four years. Fourteen million dollars ought to help wake him up! The Bruins' loss surprised us a little bit. The Celtics' loss did not. They lost to the Jazz 87 to 105. There's a thin silver lining for...