Events
.
Ticket Sales
617 747-2261
Cafe 939 full
-
Shea Rose
Saturday, February 4, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Shea RoseBerklee alumna Shea Rose graces the stage for a special night of music. She is a soulful, feisty, rockin' storyteller and performer with traces of blues, folk, jazz, and rock influences in her music, who describes herself as "the female Lenny Kravitz meets Lauryn Hill."
$10 -
KidsJam: Opposites
Monday, February 6, 2012, 11:00 a.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]The program is intended to introduce young children to a variety of musical activities essential to a well-rounded music education. These include singing and sound exploration, moving, playing rhythm instruments, creating, listening, and responding to music, as well as learning about a variety of musical concepts and instruments.
To register for this session, email kidsjam@berklee.edu
-
Open Mic Night
Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 7:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]If you are interested in participating in this open mic, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Signs-ups start at 6:00 p.m. in the 939 coffeehouse area.
- First-come, first-served, and first to play.
- Performance slots are open to the public as well as the Berklee community.
- Seven minute, two song max.
- Unplugged sets only (no drums, light percussion is okay).
- Piano and mics provided.
- All styles welcome.
-
The Checkout - Live at Berklee: Leala Cyr and Ricardo Vogt
Thursday, February 9, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Leala Cyr & Ricardo VogtFamed New York area NPR jazz station WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM/wbgo.org and Berklee College of Music are teaming up to present the first-ever NPR concert series showcasing Berklee alumni. The Checkout - Live at Berklee, broadcast live from Berklee's Red Room @ Cafe 939, will bring critically acclaimed, New York-based performers back to Berklee for performances broadcast live in New York to WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM/wbgo.org's 350,000 listeners and streamed worldwide on NPRmusic.org. The shows will also be audio podcast from Checkoutjazz.org and from NPRmusic.org.
Leala Cyr and Ricardo Vogt, a duo since 2002, blend picturesque vocals and sensual guitar to create a unique collaboration of music. Together since 2002, this pair has found a way to combine American and Brazilian roots to form a new array of sound.
Born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Leala Cyr discovered jazz singing after already excelling in classical trumpet at a young age. Cyr was featured as a trumpet and vocal soloist at the prestigious Essentially Ellington Competition at the Lincoln Center in New York before attending the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay where she met Vogt.
Ricardo Vogt hails from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, where he was recognized for an original composition he wrote at age nine. A singer in his own right, Vogt also became the lead vocalist for the Cassino Orchestra Show Band in 2000.
While attending the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, Cyr and Vogt began arranging together—everything from Duke Ellington, to Antonio Carlos Jobim, to GuingaSince—and transferred to Berklee. With the incredible scat technique of Leala Cyr and sensational accompaniment of Ricardo Vogt, there was no stopping this dynamic duo.
Since their debut as a duo, Cyr was named Best Jazz Vocalist in DownBeat magazine's Student Music Awards in 2005 and performed on Esperanza Spalding's album Chamber Music Society. Vogt endorses Godin Guitars and joined the Eliane Elias Quartet and the Esperanza Spalding Quartet. Together, the two have traveled widely to conduct clinics and master classes and have performed live with renowned artists such as Milton Nascimento and Esperanza Spalding.
Now graduates of Berklee, Ricardo and Leala are beginning their professional career in New York and around the world.
$10, general admission, $5 with Berklee ID -
Chamberlin / Tall Heights / The Milkman’s Union
Friday, February 10, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
ChamberlinLast fall Roll Call Records' Chamberlin unveiled its five track covers EP, aptly titled Chamberlin Cabin Covers EP. The group's latest effort finds the band adding its recognizably laidback flair to some of today's most popular songs by Passion Pit, the Cults, Vampire Weekend, Kanye West/Bon Iver, and Foster the People. Recorded this past summer in its cabin tucked away in Vermont, Chamberlin chose which songs to cover based on fan voting through its official website.
In the summer of 2010, this Boston-based duo, Tall Heights, was playing for spare change in Faneuil Hall Marketplace. In the year since, Tall Heights has performed alongside national acts like David Wilcox, Barefoot Truth, and Andrew Belle, and headlined packed houses across New England. They have independently sold over 2,000 copies of their debut album.
Also playing is The Milkman's Union.
$10 General Admission, $12 Day Of -
Sam James / Amy Allen
Saturday, February 11, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Sam James is a singer-songwriter rising to prominence in the alternative folk-rock scene. Fresh off an extended tour, he has already amassed a sizable fan base. Amy Allen will open the evening.
$12 general admission -
KidsJam: Friendship
Monday, February 13, 2012, 11:00 a.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]The program is intended to introduce young children to a variety of musical activities essential to a well-rounded music education. These include singing and sound exploration, moving, playing rhythm instruments, creating, listening, and responding to music, as well as learning about a variety of musical concepts and instruments.
To register for this session, email kidsjam@berklee.edu.
-
Gretchen Parlato: Connecting on the Bandstand.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 12:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]A workshop for both singers and instrumentalists that will address interaction and communication between singer and the band, listening skills, creating a band sound, discussion and feedback on arrangements and instrumentation, and more.
Gretchen Parlato's 2009 sophomore breakthrough, In a Dream, signaled the arrival of an incredibly inventive modern jazz singer. Her follow-up, The Lost and Found, demonstrates that she has staying power. In a Dream garnered international acclaim with Billboard magazine hailing it as "the most alluring jazz vocal album of 2009"; it also made it onto the top year-end polls for Jazz Times, the Boston Globe, the Village Voice and NPR. The Lost and Found shows immediate weight and intensity, exposing a greater dynamic range. "I feel like I stepped out of my own way and allowed myself to be more revealing and vulnerable through the music," reflects Parlato.
An alumni of the Thelonious Monk Institute, Parlato has been turning heads ever since she won the 2004 Thelonious Monk Institute International Vocal Competition with which she displayed a musical individuality loaded with paradoxical powers. Her sultry, intriguing voice and unique, rhythmically agile phrasing came with inescapable centripetal force; the more intimate and understated she sang, the more she drew listeners in. Since then she has toured worldwide to sold out audiences with BBC Radio proclaiming, "Star over London...A star is born!" Her originality captivates musicians as well, prompting invitations to appear on over 50 recordings with the likes of Terence Blanchard, Kenny Barron, Terri Lynn Carrington and Esperanza Spalding. Her breathtaking performances have been captured on television in Europe and Japan and she has become a sought after clinician on vocal styling.
-
Cirkestra / Klezwoods
Friday, February 17, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
CirkestraCirkestra is a five-piece musical troupe from Boston that started as a circus pit band and stuck together. The group's leader is Peter Bufano, who first ran away with Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus at the age of 17. He is known for musical contributions to a number of other circuses around the world. The group's eastern European–influenced instrumentals are now heard in films and on TV everywhere. On March 15, 2011, Cirkestra composed and recorded their fifth release, The Hairless Woman, in 22 hours while the world watched on streaming internet. Buy Tickets
$15, general admission -
Barnaby Bright / Suzie Brown / Jenee Halstead
Saturday, February 18, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Barnaby BrightBrooklyn-based indie folk rock duo Barnaby Bright, has garnered high accolades for its lyrically captivating and impeccably balanced songwriting and sound.
Two-time finalists in the prestigious New York Song Circle Contest, Barnaby Bright was awarded the grand prize in November 2010 for its song, "Don't Look Down." The duo self-produced its first album, Wake The Hero, garnering recognition as an "Emerging Artist" at the legendary Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in July 2010, and was one of only four artists voted to return in 2011 as a featured performer.
The group's music has been featured on ER, Days of Our Lives, and Roadtrip Nation, and the catchy, melodic "If I Came Back As a Song" placed third in 2007's International Songwriting Competition. Barnaby Bright has toured all over the U.S. and Europe, dazzling fans with unique instrumentation, powerful harmonies, intelligent lyrics, and genuine warmth on stage. Inspired by literature, life, human behavior, and a hint of fantasy, Barnaby Bright is a classic vision of timeless indie folk rock in all its glory.
$10 in advanced, $12 day of -
KidsJam: America Makes Music
Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 11:00 a.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]The program is intended to introduce young children to a variety of musical activities essential to a well-rounded music education. These include singing and sound exploration, moving, playing rhythm instruments, creating, listening, and responding to music, as well as learning about a variety of musical concepts and instruments.
To register for this session, email kidsjam@berklee.edu
-
Tauk / Bear Language / Ripe
Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
TaukMeet Tauk, a band that delivers a unique blend of funk, jazz, pop, and rock with a fresh, experimental spirit. The Long Island-based trio have built an impressive DIY buzz, scoring opening gigs for O.A.R, MOE, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, 311, and Tea Leaf Green, as well as earning slots at top festivals like Gathering of the Vibes (alongside Buddy Guy and Bob Weir and Ratdog) and being featured on Fuse TV.
Tauk's tunes are adventurous in scope, but the band's origins are humble. Bassist Charlie Dolan, keyboardist-organist Alric "A.C." Carter, and guitarist Matt Jalbert met as teenagers in middle school and instantly connected over a shared passion for music.
In September of 2011 Bear Language released their self-titled debut EP. Word continues to spread, along with the question "are you speaking Bear Language yet?"
Ripe formed in September of 2011 after many late night jams between a few friends seemed to make everyone around them sing, dance, and laugh. Kevin, Sam, Tory, and Robbie are a unique group of musicians whose “funkifized” mix of melodic grooves and catchy melodies started to gain attention from their local community in Boston. While currently in the studio recording a new EP, they warmly welcome you to join in on the fun at their regular bar and club gigs. If you’re going to join the Ripe family, get up, get loose, and get ready to party.
$10, general admission -
Meagan Hickman / Jesse Ruben / Hillary Reynolds
Thursday, February 23, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Meagan HickmanFeaturing new pop, rock, and soul material off her debut EP, On My Way, singer-songwriter Meagan Hickman is captivating audiences of all ages with her groove-oriented, catchy hooks; pure and soulful sound; powerful lyrics; and unique fusion of contemporary styles. This show also features performances by Jesse Ruben and the Hillary Reynolds Band.
A classically trained singer since age of 6, Meagan has performed in numerous venues all over the world, from Australia to Brazil, with an array of accomplished musicians such as Garth Brooks, Dennis D. Young, the Berlin Philharmonic, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. As a graduate of Berklee College of Music, Meagan pursues her career full time by performing, writing, recording, producing, and collaborating with other experienced musicians. Meagan just recently completed the east coast leg of her Coast to Coast Tour, and will be heading to the West Coast this spring.
$8 advanced, $10 day of show -
Q-Brew: Road Rules
Friday, February 24, 2012, 1:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Q-Brew: Information about the Music Industry That You Need to Know 101
Road Rules: Touring in This Economy—All things touring, best practices, and keeping healthy and sane on the road.
The Red Room @ Cafe 939 and the Professional Music Department bring you a monthly series about the reality of branding, booking, touring, and producing your band in the now. It’s called the Q-Brew series because you have questions and we have answers.
Whether you’re a band, solo/duo artist, or a future business and industry person, please come and join us and our speakers from various fields in the industry for a heartfelt conversation. (Bring your lunch.) We will keep it concise and honest. Come with questions or email them ahead of time to 939booking@berklee.edu with the subject line "Q-Brew questions."
-
Helicopria / Sounds of Venus / Noize Tank
Friday, February 24, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
HelicopriaThese three bands will ensure a power-packed performance. Enjoy catchy tunes and a variety of different music styles.
Helicopria is a four-piece prog rock band, influenced by groups like the Mars Volta, Björk, and Circa Survive. With members from all over the world, Helicopria's sound merges the best of a variety of influences to create something powerful and unyielding. With a mix of jaw-dropping technical musicality, catchy melodies, and a very personable and energetic live show, Helicopria is pushing boundaries and redefining the term "prog rock."
Meet Sounds of Venus, an alternative rock band breaking into the Boston music scene. Five Berklee musicians contribute lush male and female vocal harmonies, surging electric guitar, and a solid foundation of bass and dynamic percussion. With influences like Radiohead, Sigur Rós, Björk, and Bon Iver, their live performance cannot be missed. Their set varies from ambient soundscapes that make the crowd sway to sheer rocking energy and adrenaline. As supporters of art communities, they often welcome visual artists to display their work and incorporate their creativity with live performances.
Noize Tank is a Boston-based rock group formed in the spring of 2010 by students at Berklee. They continue to utilize new techniques for their music and are incorporating elements of grindcore, drum 'n' bass, and pop punk into their compositions.
$8 -
Company of Thieves
Saturday, February 25, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
$12, general admission -
KidsJam: Animals
Monday, February 27, 2012, 11:00 a.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]The program is intended to introduce young children to a variety of musical activities essential to a well-rounded music education. These include singing and sound exploration, moving, playing rhythm instruments, creating, listening, and responding to music, as well as learning about a variety of musical concepts and instruments.
To register for this session, email kidsjam@berklee.edu.
-
Snarky Puppy / Funky Knuckles
Monday, February 27, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Snarky PuppyWith the release of their last two live CD/DVDs, Snarky Puppy has gone from an underground secret to one of the most internationally respected names in instrumental music. The three-time Dallas Observer Music Award winning group (Best Jazz Act 2008, 2009, 2010) fuses a deep knowledge and respect for musical tradition with sonic and conceptual innovation in a way that is able to reach the most critical or carefree audience.
Made up of Dallas's finest improvisers and pocket players, the Funky Knuckles bring greasy funk and rich jazz harmony together in their own unique way. They are the newest addition to freshly formed GroundUP Music's artist roster, and are releasing their debut album, As Of Lately, in early 2012.
$12, general admission -
B.I.T.R. Tuesdays
Tuesday, February 28, 2012, 7:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Berkee-in-the-Round Tuesdays is a free acoustic performance showcasing Berklee students, faculty, and alumni, plus special guests. Inspired by the world-famous Bluebird Café rounds in Nashville, B.I.T.R. Tuesdays are held on the last Tuesday of each month during the semester. The writers are seated in the center of the room and perform their original songs round-robin fashion, creating an intimate listening-room vibe, as if the audience were joining the writers in their living rooms.
This B.I.T.R. event features Sarah Brindell, Marnie Proudfit, Matthew Politoski, Corbin VanderZalm, and a special guest.
This series is free to all students and faculty, and all B.I.T.R. shows run from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.).
Other B.I.T.R. Tuesday dates include:November 29
December 13
January 31
February 28
March 27
April 24Free -
The Milk Carton Kids / Trevor Menear
Wednesday, February 29, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
The Milk Carton KidsA performance by the Milk Carton Kids is a quiet and intricate affair. Kenneth Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan have enjoyed intent audiences across the country and abroad in their respective solo careers, but an even greater sense of attention is palpable now that they've come together as the Milk Carton Kids. Their songs are written together, but you wouldn't know there is more than one author. Their history together spans only one short year, but you wouldn't know that either. They stand close together when they play, facing each other and using microphones instead of plugging their guitars in. And if they looked more alike, you'd think they were brothers.
Trevor Menear dropped out of the sky in 2007 making his first appearance on Yoko Ono and Warner Bros. Records joint effort Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. Along side 50 other artists which included Willie Nelson, Ben Harper, Regina Spektor, Jakob Dylan, The Cure, Jackson Brown, and U2. This raw introduction was more than enough to set him apart from the rest of the cast.
His debut Introducing Trevor Menear released under indie label Shangri-La, reveals an accessible blues-pop hybrid. His expressive voice bolstered by his plangent, nuanced guitar work, immediately conjures up images of Duane Allman and Jimi Hendrix. Following with the independently released EP Boots For Alice, Menears music continues to span an eclectic gamut that gains him notoriety among heritage jam fans, art-loft acidheads, and many others in between.
$12 advance, $15 day of show -
The Daily Pravda/St. Helena/The Grown Up Noise
Saturday, March 3, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
The Grownup NoiseSince releasing their self-titled debut in 2007, Boston's the Grownup Noise have evolved into a rousing indie-pop outfit, bridging the gap between Americana and indie. They've shared stages with everyone from comedian Patton Oswalt to fellow avant-baroque musicians like Dresden Doll Amanda Palmer, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down(Kill Rock Stars), and acclaimed Canadian barnstormers Rock Plaza Central. Fast forward several years and various enriching personal pursuits, and the band is finally gearing up for its playful, poignant new LP, This Time with Feeling. Described by the Portland Press Herald (ME) as a combination of "smart lyrics with keen vocals," adding that "its songs are doses of melodic sunshine," the Grownup Noise has maintained and built on its fanbase during the intervening years through a savvy combination of eccentric pop songs, natural talent, and determination.
St. Helena features founder and primary writer Patrick Teahan on guitar and vocals, Magen Tracy on keyboards and vocals, Mike Ward on guitar, Keith Wales on bass and vocals, and James Willetts on drums.
Originally founded in hopes of "doing to Ziggy Stardust what Oasis did to the Beatles," The Daily Pravda have since added surf rock and new wave stylings to the mix, while never quite ditching the Bowie.
$10 advance, $12 day of event -
KidsJam: Wearin' of the Green
Monday, March 5, 2012, 11:00 a.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]The program is intended to introduce young children to a variety of musical activities essential to a well-rounded music education. These include singing and sound exploration, moving, playing rhythm instruments, creating, listening, and responding to music, as well as learning about a variety of musical concepts and instruments.
To register for this session, email kidsjam@berklee.edu.
-
Women of the World
Tuesday, March 6, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Women of the WorldWomen of the World is an ensemble of exceptional women from all over the world. Hailing from Japan, India, Italy, and the United States, the four core singers and their diverse band create rich tapestries of culture and sound as they perform both original and traditional songs.
Women of the World has performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Agganis Arena, and TEDxBoston (TED Conferences). These Berklee alumnae have also shared the stage with Angelique Kidjo, received accolades from Bobby McFerrin, and have supported various causes including aid relief for the victims of natural disasters in Haiti, Pakistan, and Japan. Women of the World hopes to spread the message of unity and peace through the power of music.
$10, general admission -
The Checkout - Live at Berklee: Kendrick Scott Oracle
Thursday, March 8, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Kendrick ScottKendrick Scott is an artist of incredible depth, talent, and determination. He has been featured in Terence Blanchard's band for the last six years and has appeared on the Grammy Award–winning and –nominated recordings A Tale of God's Will and Flow. Since arriving in New York in 2003, Scott has appeared on more than 30 records and on the soundtracks to seven feature films. In 2007, Scott launched his own label, World Culture Music, with the release of Kendrick Scott Oracle and began his career as a solo artist.
Famed New York area NPR jazz station WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM and Berklee College of Music are teaming up to present the first-ever NPR concert series showcasing Berklee alumni. The Checkout - Live at Berklee, broadcast live from Berklee's Cafe 939, will bring critically acclaimed, New York-based performers back to Berklee for performances broadcast live in New York to WBGO's 350,000 listeners and streamed worldwide on NPRmusic.org. The shows will also be audio podcast from Checkoutjazz.org and from NPRmusic.org.
Kendrick Scott Oracle plans to release Conviction in the spring of 2012. This album, which blends Scott's incredible intensity and sensitivity, is a demonstration of Scott's strength as a drummer, composer, and a leader. Conviction carries the Oracle's own unique and magnetic sound, offering the audience a complete record from beginning to end. Representing KSO on this album is Taylor Eigsti, Joe Sanders, John Ellis, Mike Moreno, and Kendrick Scott. This album was coproduced by Derrick Hodge along with Scott and features two guest appearances by singer-songwriter Alan Hampton.
Kendrick Scott is one of the bright stars in an amazingly talented group of young musicians on the scene today. He remains a first-call player for major artists and maintains a thriving solo career because his humanity and compassion extends into the notes and phrases he chooses to play. Scott is present and in the moment, and brings to the table the wisdom of a veteran musician and the adventurousness of a perpetually curious young artist.
$10, general admission, $5 with Berklee ID -
Club D’Elf
Friday, March 9, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Club d'Elf is an ever-shifting group of musicians who are fiercely dedicated to "the groove." The group revolves around bassist and leader Mike Rivard and consists of some of the most sought-after players from the jazz, DJ, rock, and world music scenes of Boston and New York.
Guitars, turntables, Fender Rhodes, laptops, horns, tablas, and all manner of exotic instruments flow in and out of the mix, along with guests such as John Medeski and Billy Martin, DJ Logic, Marc Ribot, Skerik, and Marco Benevento, creating a unique experience for every performance. Informed as much by sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick's ideas of shifting reality and parallel universes as by Miles Davis and Fela Kuti, the band draws inspiration from many sources, including neo-psychedelic avatar Terence McKenna and avant comedy show Mr. Show.
$10 in advance, $12 day of show -
The Planet MicroJam Institute featuring David Fiuczynski
Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 7:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
David FiuczynskiThe Planet MicroJam Institute, under the direction of David Fiuczynski, collides sonic aesthetics from our increasingly shrinking global village to create music that sounds like a Gauguin painting—a raw, powerful, and extremely colorful mix of eastern and western elements. These basic ingredients are a preview of what will be the makeup of "Flam! Pan-Asian MicroJam for JDilla and Olivier Messiaen," the fall 2012 premiere of David Fiuczynski's 2011 Guggenheim Fellowship composition.
Musicians include:
David Fiuczynski: fretless and one quarter tone guitars
Utar Artun: microtonal keyboards
Justin Schornstein: fretless bass
Alex 'BisQuit' Bailey: drums
FREE -
Eisley / Marksmen / Christie Dupree / Say Chance
Tuesday, March 20, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
EisleyEisley is a family band that was formed in 1997 after the youngest sibling, Stacy, wrote their first song at age 8. With inspiring songs and great press from music critics in the burgeoning Dallas scene, the young indie-pop group released their debut EP on Record Collection, signed with Warner Bros., jumped on Coldplay's Rush of Blood tour and began carving out a national following. Eisley is hitting its stride and continues to write beautiful, lush, melody-charged pop songs. Eisley is nearing completion on an exciting, brutally honest, catchy-as-hell third LP to be released this year.
Marksmen is a fresh, four-piece band that fuses hard roots and dark Southern rock. Their inaugural recording, a solid 25-minute work, is marked by resounding rhythms and a vocalist whose wails are heavy with raw longing. The southern folk-rock foursome is sure rev up the night with their rocking tunes.
Christie DuPree is a singer-songwriter from Texas known for her angelic voice. She is the younger sister of Chauntelle, Sherri, Stacy, and Weston DuPree and the cousin of Garron DuPree—all of whom are members of the band Eisley. DuPree is currently working on her own solo projects. She made various appearances on stage during Eisley's Combinations tour. She has previously worked with Wesley Jensen on both of his EPs and can be seen in the music video for "Think I Wanna Die" by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin.
Say Chance is a trio of lovely and talented young ladies that will instantly touch your heart with their acoustic melodies. Kelly Rosenthal is the trio's 19-year-old guitarist who enjoys recreating classic rock riffs, like the solo from "Stairway to Heaven" or Carlos Santana tunes. The three managed to capture the essence and energy of the originals they cover, while injecting some acoustic flavor thanks to Kelly's cool, arpeggiated guitar arrangement, and to the great vocal performances by Maddie and Taylor, which fall somewhere between rock, blues and soul.
$15 -
KidsJam: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Monday, March 26, 2012, 11:00 a.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]The program is intended to introduce young children to a variety of musical activities essential to a well-rounded music education. These include singing and sound exploration, moving, playing rhythm instruments, creating, listening, and responding to music, as well as learning about a variety of musical concepts and instruments.
To register for this session, email kidsjam@berklee.edu.
-
Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan
Monday, March 26, 2012, 2:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]Sitarist Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan-one of the leading exponents of the Etawah gharana, a musical tradition from India-will present a master class.
-
B.I.T.R. Tuesdays
Tuesday, March 27, 2012, 7:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Berkee-in-the-Round Tuesdays is a free acoustic performance showcasing Berklee students, faculty, and alumni, plus special guests. Inspired by the world-famous Bluebird Café rounds in Nashville, B.I.T.R. Tuesdays are held on the last Tuesday of each month during the semester. The writers are seated in the center of the room and perform their original songs round-robin fashion, creating an intimate listening-room vibe, as if the audience were joining the writers in their living rooms.
This B.I.T.R. event features Sarah Brindell, Marnie Proudfit, Matthew Politoski, Corbin VanderZalm, and a special guest.
This series is free to all students and faculty, and all B.I.T.R. shows run from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.).
Other B.I.T.R. Tuesday dates include:November 29
December 13
January 31
February 28
March 27
April 24Free -
David Choi
Wednesday, March 28, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
David ChoiDavid Yong Choi is a Korean American musician and YouTube video producer living in Los Angeles. On YouTube, he has over 900,000 subscribers, 102,000,000 total video views, and more than 13 million channel views. As of November 2011 he is YouTube's 15th most subscribed musician and 62nd most subscribed user overall.
He performs a mix of original songs and covers of pop hits. Choi released his debut album, Only You, in October 2008. His second album, By My Side, was released on May 19, 2010. His songs and tracks have been heard on NBC, FOX, VH1, MTV, A&E, E!, Travel Channel, Style, PBS, Food Network, and Disney, as well as in commercials internationally.
His humorous song "YouTube, A Love Song" has received over 2.6 million views. The music videos for his singles Won't Even Start and That Girl, which are posted on both his and producers Wong Fu Productions' YouTube channels, have received a total of over 5 million views. He also posts nonmusic videos such as vlogs on his second channel. Choi often appears in online videos with fellow YouTube personalities, mostly playing a humorous character with a very straight face (his prominent trait). Some YouTube personalities, like Shane Dawson and Wong Fu Productions, use Choi's music in their videos.$15 -
Noam Pikelny Clinic
Thursday, March 29, 2012, 1:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]Though Beat the Devil and Carry a Rail is banjo player Noam Pikelny's second solo disc, it represents something of a new beginning. Even more revelatory than his 2004 debut In the Maze, it captures an artist as he unveils a developed and assured voice as musician and composer. In 2010, actor, banjo player, and author Steve Martin awarded Pikelny the first Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, calling Pikelny, "a player of unlimited range and astonishing precision."
Beat the Devil is virtuosic in execution but is warm, amiable, and approachable in feel. Pikelny is backed by an all-star band of old friends and longtime heroes, including fellow Punch Brothers Gabe Witcher and Chris Eldridge, bassist Mark Schatz, fiddle player Stuart Duncan, vocalist-mandolinist Tim O'Brien, and dobro player Jerry Douglas, all of whom boast impressive credentials along with Grammy nominations and other accolades in the worlds of bluegrass, folk, and country. Guest stars include Punch Brothers founder and mandolinist Chris Thile, guitarist Bryan Sutton, violin prodigy Alex Hargreaves, and fellow banjo player Steve Martin, who befriended Pikelny through the New York music scene and invited Punch Brothers to open his 2010 summer tour.
-
Q-Brew: You're Not the Boss of Me. . . or Are You?
Friday, March 30, 2012, 1:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Q-Brew: Information about the Music Industry That You Need to Know 101
You're Not the Boss of Me. . . or Are You? and Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself—We talk about managers, agents, publicists and other folks that should make up your team, as well as contracts, riders, and other legal documents to know what’s yours, what’s realistic, and who gets paid.
The Red Room @ Cafe 939 and the Professional Music Department bring you a monthly series about the reality of branding, booking, touring, and producing your band in the now. It’s called the Q-Brew series because you have questions and we have answers.
Whether you’re a band, solo/duo artist, or a future business and industry person, please come and join us and our speakers from various fields in the industry for a heartfelt conversation. (Bring your lunch.) We will keep it concise and honest. Come with questions or email them ahead of time to 939booking@berklee.edu with the subject line "Q-Brew questions."
-
Rosie Thomas
Friday, March 30, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Rosie ThomasRosie Thomas will release her sixth full-length album on February 14 via Sing-A-Long Records. The new record, With Love, was recorded by David Bazan with contributions from Sam Beam (Iron and Wine) and members of Sufjan Stevens's band. Most recently, Thomas could be seen as part of the Iron and Wine touring band.
"With Love features the same qualities that introduced Thomas to her fans: strong vocals, intelligent observations, and tempting hooks.”—Paste
$10 advanced, $12 day of event -
Communion Presents
The Communion Tour: Ben Howard
Saturday, March 31, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Communion TourThe Communion Tour travels from Austin to Boston featuring performances by Ben Howard, The Staves, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Bear’s Den.
Ben Howard is a highly praised British singer-songwriter poised for breakthrough in the United States. His impressive live shows have lead to sellout tours across the U.K. and throughout Europe. Howard and his band have created a huge word-of-mouth buzz. He has recently received plenty of attention from the British press and the influential BBC Radio1, and with upcoming features in Nylon and spins on KCRW, his fortunes look set to continue across the pond. His debut album Every Kingdom (Communion Records) reached #7 in the U.K. charts. This tour will serve as Howard’s first American headline visit to coincide with the U.S. release of the album on April 3.
The Staves are English sisters Emily, Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor, whose unique vocal harmonies and haunting melodies have already seen them tipped for success by The Guardian, iTunes, Time Out, and The Independent to name but a few. Known for their jaw-dropping live performances, The Staves recently supported The Civil Wars across the American South, and will be touring with Michael Kiwanuka across the UK in February before heading out to SXSW. The latter part of 2012 will see the release of their much anticipated debut LP, the first record on which father and son producers Glyn and Ethan Johns - whose combined credits include The Rolling Stones, Ryan Adams, The Eagles, Ray LaMontagne, Kings of Leon - have shared production duties.
Nathaniel Rateliff has played multiple dates with some of the most popular names in music including Mumford & Sons, the Fray, Bon Iver, Laura Marling, Tallest Man on Earth, Low Anthem, Delta Spirit, and Jessica Lea Mayfield to name a few. Rateliff is currently working on his sophomore record which is expected to be released in Spring 2012.
$12 advance, $15 day of event -
KidsJam: What's the Weather?
Monday, April 2, 2012, 11:00 a.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]The program is intended to introduce young children to a variety of musical activities essential to a well-rounded music education. These include singing and sound exploration, moving, playing rhythm instruments, creating, listening, and responding to music, as well as learning about a variety of musical concepts and instruments.
To register for this session, email kidsjam@berklee.edu.
-
Alan Munde Banjo Clinic
Thursday, April 5, 2012, 1:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]Alan Munde needs no introduction to longtime bluegrass fans. From his early creative work with Sam Bush in Poor Richard's Almanac to his traditional bluegrass apprenticeship with Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys, to his 21-year stint anchoring the landmark Country Gazette, Munde has blazed a trail as one of the most innovative and influential banjo players of all time. Along the way, Munde also recorded and contributed to numerous instrumental recordings, including the 2001 IBMA Instrumental Album of the Year, Knee Deep in Bluegrass. Munde has supplemented his recorded work with several instructional publications for the banjo, and, since 1986, Munde has taught bluegrass and country music at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, a program which has produced many professional musicians nationwide. In recent years, Munde has performed and recorded as a duo with his South Plains faculty colleague (and former Gazette-mate) Joe Carr. Munde's extensive body of recorded work, his instructional materials, and his work at South Plains (including the annual Camp Bluegrass) has solidified his status as one of the true "gurus" of the five-string. Munde currently serves on the board of Directors of the International Bluegrass Music Association. He was profiled in the June 2005 issue of Bluegrass Now magazine.
-
Nery Kim: Her Story
Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 1:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]Pianist Nery Kim will play everything that she has learned from Berklee. It should be fun!
Free -
The Checkout - Live at Berklee: Ingrid Jensen Quintet
Thursday, April 12, 2012, 8:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Ingrid JensenFamed New York area NPR jazz station WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM/wbgo.org and Berklee College of Music are teaming up to present the first ever NPR concert series showcasing Berklee alumni. The Checkout - Live at Berklee, broadcast live from Berklee's Red Room @ Cafe 939, will bring critically acclaimed, New York-based performers back to Berklee for performances broadcast live in New York to WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM/wbgo.org's 350,000 listeners and streamed worldwide on NPRmusic.org. The shows will also be audio podcast from Checkoutjazz.org and from NPRmusic.org.
Trumpeter Ingrid Jensen is a regular voice in the Grammy Award–winning Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra and the Grammy-nominated Darcy James Argue Secret Society big band and recently performed on the newly Grammy-nominated album Mosaic Project, led by Terri Lyne Carrington. Jensen's trumpet has taken her all over the world as both a leader and sideperson, as well as an educator and guest artist at prestigious colleges and universities. Jensen hails from Canada's west coast and has settled in New York with her family. She brings to Cafe 939 and WBGO her longstanding trio from her highly regarded ArtisShare release, At Sea.
Jensen will be performing with Lage Lund on guitar, Gary Versace on piano, Matt Clohesy on bass, and Jon Wikan on drums.
$10, general admission, $5 with Berklee ID -
Jess Wilkes's Senior Recital
Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 1:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]Jess Wilkes will present a collection of pieces—ranging from contemporary classical to jazz, soul, and blues—on flute, voice, and EWI with her quartet and other wonderful instrumentalists.
Free -
KidsJam: Spring is Here!
Monday, April 23, 2012, 11:00 a.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]The program is intended to introduce young children to a variety of musical activities essential to a well-rounded music education. These include singing and sound exploration, moving, playing rhythm instruments, creating, listening, and responding to music, as well as learning about a variety of musical concepts and instruments.
To register for this session, email kidsjam@berklee.edu.
-
B.I.T.R. Tuesdays
Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 7:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Berkee-in-the-Round Tuesdays is a free acoustic performance showcasing Berklee students, faculty, and alumni, plus special guests. Inspired by the world-famous Bluebird Café rounds in Nashville, B.I.T.R. Tuesdays are held on the last Tuesday of each month during the semester. The writers are seated in the center of the room and perform their original songs round-robin fashion, creating an intimate listening-room vibe, as if the audience were joining the writers in their living rooms.
This B.I.T.R. event features Sarah Brindell, Marnie Proudfit, Matthew Politoski, Corbin VanderZalm, and a special guest.
This series is free to all students and faculty, and all B.I.T.R. shows run from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.).
Other B.I.T.R. Tuesday dates include:November 29
December 13
January 31
February 28
March 27
April 24Free -
Tamara Rodriguez
Thursday, April 26, 2012, 1:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]Vocalist Tamara Rodriguez presents a tribute to the songs and artists that inspired her world and musical life in this senior recital.
Free -
Q-Brew: Put It in Writing
Friday, April 27, 2012, 1:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Q-Brew: Information about the Music Industry That You Need to Know 101
Put It in Writing—The Berklee alumni office and special guests talk about resumés, cover letters, and emails: who, how, and what to say to make yourself known.
The Red Room @ Cafe 939 and the Professional Music Department bring you a monthly series about the reality of branding, booking, touring, and producing your band in the now. It’s called the Q-Brew series because you have questions and we have answers.
Whether you’re a band, solo/duo artist, or a future business and industry person, please come and join us and our speakers from various fields in the industry for a heartfelt conversation. (Bring your lunch.) We will keep it concise and honest. Come with questions or email them ahead of time to 939booking@berklee.edu with the subject line "Q-Brew questions."
-
Samer Hamade Senior Recital
Tuesday, May 1, 2012, 1:00 p.m.Cafe 939939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]Samer Hamade's recital will include both originals and covers by the likes of Guthrie Govan, Joe Satriani, Dream Theater, and Pink Floyd. Styles will vary from rock to metal, with a four-part band including guitars, keyboards, drums, and bass, and the occasional additional backup guitarist. All originals are composed and arranged by Samer Hamade.
Free