The Colonial Theatre Presents: Rickie Lee Jones

Named as one of the 30 greatest women in rock, Rickie Lee Jones has been hard to classify ever since she came on the scene with the instant classic “Chuck E.’s in Love” in 1979. Jones began her career in the pop realm, but in her 15 albums, she has experimented fearlessly with her sound and persona. She’s performed straight jazz, blues, synth pop, new wave rock, pop covers, trip-hop, gospel, ambitious singer-songwriter music, and more, putting her unique spin on each style. Each new round of music-making activity by Rickie Lee Jones is different. Her live concerts have almost without exception been unforgettable experiences over her more than 30 years of performing. Her artistry is brilliantly underlined with her latest album KICKS which spans two decades (50s–70s) of pop, rock and jazz, presenting her unique and sophisticated interpretations of songs that were pivotal to her musical journey.

The Colonial Theatre Presents: Rickie Lee Jones

RESCHEDULED TO SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

Named as one of the 30 greatest women in rock, Rickie Lee Jones has been hard to classify ever since she came on the scene with the instant classic “Chuck E.’s in Love” in 1979. Jones began her career in the pop realm, but in her 15 albums, she has experimented fearlessly with her sound and persona. She’s performed straight jazz, blues, synth pop, new wave rock, pop covers, trip-hop, gospel, ambitious singer-songwriter music, and more, putting her unique spin on each style. Each new round of music-making activity by Rickie Lee Jones is different. Her live concerts have almost without exception been unforgettable experiences over her more than 30 years of performing. Her artistry is brilliantly underlined with her latest album KICKS which spans two decades (50s–70s) of pop, rock and jazz, presenting her unique and sophisticated interpretations of songs that were pivotal to her musical journey.

The Hot Sardines On Stage at The Colonial Theatre

Fueled by the belief that classic jazz feeds the heart and soul, THE HOT SARDINES are on a mission to make old sounds new again and prove that joyful music can bring people together in a disconnected world.

In the last two years, the Hot Sardines have been featured at the Newport Jazz Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival, have sold out NYC venues from Joe’s Pub to Bowery Ballroom, and have released two albums to critical raves and a No. 1 slot on the iTunes Jazz chart in the U.S. and internationally. 

These mischief-makers of hot jazz have been described as “potent and assured” (The New York Times) and “simply phenomenal” (The Times, London). “Everything in our DNA is about connecting with the audience. That’s where we feel most at home,” says Elizabeth, of playing live with the eight-piece band (including one wildly percussive tap dancer).

Pat Metheny Solo at the Colonial Theatre

Winner of 20 Grammy Awards, 36 Grammy Nominations, 3 Gold Records, DownBeat Hall of Fame.

PAT METHENY was born in Kansas City into a musical family. Starting on trumpet at the age of 8, Metheny switched to guitar at age 12. By the age of 15, he was working regularly with the best jazz musicians in Kansas City, receiving valuable on-the-bandstand experience at an unusually young age. Metheny first burst onto the international jazz scene in 1974. Over the course of his three-year stint with vibraphone great Gary Burton, the young Missouri native already displayed his soon-to-become trademarked playing style, which blended the loose and flexible articulation customarily reserved for horn players with an advanced rhythmic and harmonic sensibility – a way of playing and improvising that was modern in conception but grounded deeply in the jazz tradition of melody, swing, and the blues. With the release of his first album, Bright Size Life (1975), he reinvented the traditional “jazz guitar” sound for a new generation of players. Throughout his career, Pat Metheny has continued to re-define the genre by utilizing new technology and constantly working to evolve the improvisational and sonic potential of his instrument. METHENY’S versatility is almost nearly without peer on any instrument. Over the years, he has performed with artists as diverse as Steve Reich to Ornette Coleman to Herbie Hancock to Jim Hall to Milton Nascimento to David Bowie. Metheny’s body of work includes compositions for solo guitar, small ensembles, electric and acoustic instruments, large orchestras, and ballet pieces, with settings ranging from modern jazz to rock to classical.

It is one thing to attain popularity as a musician, but it is another to receive the kind of acclaim Metheny has garnered from critics and peers. Over the years, Metheny has won countless polls as “Best Jazz Guitarist” and awards, including three gold records for Still Life (Talking), Letter from Home, and Secret Story. He has also won 20 Grammy Awards in 12 different categories including Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, Best Instrumental Composition. The Pat Metheny Group won an unprecedented seven consecutive Grammies for seven consecutive albums.

Art of the Duo at The Tillotson Center

Join the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire for an unforgettable performance and artist’s talk with world-class musicians Art of the Duo. World-renowned Syrian clarinetist and composer Kinan Azmeh and Sri-Lankan born Canadian pianist/composer Dinuk Wijeratne combine Arabic and Southeast Asian sounds with classical and jazz styles. Art of the Duo’s masterful melding of composition and improvisation is not to be missed.

Tickets are $10 or $5 for students and on sale at the door or buy in advance online at artsalliancennh.org. For more information email [email protected] or call 603-788-8038.

Berlin Jazz at St. Kieran Arts Center

Jazz. Big Band. Smiles. Berlin Jazz has been a fall tradition at St. Kieran’s for many years. The 18-member big band will again amaze the audience with music from the big band era and a variety of jazz hits from their vast repertoire.

Tickets: $12.00 adults / $8.00 under 18

Rockin’ the Park Concert with The Trichomes

The Rockin’ the Park concert series creates a fun, festival-like event to bring people of all ages together in Centennial Park in Lancaster as a celebration of local music, local food and community. Food is available for purchase; rain location will be the Lancaster Town Hall.

The schedule includes:

July 27 – The Trichomes, with food by Farm to Fire
August 3 – Pam McCann, with food by Alburrito’s Mexican Restaurant

The Trichomes

“The Newmarket-based quartet harnesses the eclecticism of their jam-influenced idols, like Lettuce, Soulive, and Consider the Source, showcasing funk, jazz, blues, hip-hop, and even gypsy music… The Trichomes craft hip-swinging tunes with melodies and harmonies that weave through one another, one riff fading out as another takes its place.” -Austin Sorette (The Sound)

The Medallion Presents: The Sultans of String

Three-time JUNO Award nominees and Billboard charting band Sultans of String creates “Energetic and exciting music from a band with talent to burn!” according to Maverick Magazine.

Thrilling their audiences with their genre-hopping passport of Celtic reels, flamenco, gypsy-jazz, Arabic, Cuban and South Asian rhythms, the group celebrates musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity. Fiery violin dances with rumba-flamenco guitar, while bass and percussion lay down unstoppable grooves. Acoustic strings meet with electronic wizardry to create layers and depth of sound, while world rhythms excite audiences to their feet with the irresistible need to dance.

Mt. View Grand Summer Concert Series: Beard & Glasses

Enjoy live music by local artists during our outdoor concert series, bound to keep you singing all summer long. Shows are 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Club House Lawn.

Beard & Glasses represents the shortest distance between two musical points; Sam Clement (guitar, vocals) from Rockland, ME and Matt Scott (guitar, vocals) from the foot hills of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. The duo has been playing together for more than a decade, and are staples of the Southern VT Music scene. They’ll be joined by veteran musician and multi-instrumentalist Micah Carbonneau for an evening of acoustic soul music interspersed with jazz and folk.
More info: https://www.facebook.com/beardandglassesband/

Jazz Concert on the Lawn

The Littleton Community Center is again hosting the Sippican School Jazz Band on the front lawn. Last year’s concert was full of energy and lots of fun.  The band is made up of 25 students ages 10 to 12 from a small public school in the seaside town of Marion, Mass.  Despite their young ages, they perform at a very high level and audiences thoroughly enjoy their performances. Bring a chair and come listen to this talented group of musicians directed by Hannah Moore.