Upcoming Events: June 2012

Lauren Shera is a New York native who grew up surrounded by an eclectic range of performers. Her original songs and soulful voice combine to create a sound that is both powerful and melancholy. David Ramirez is an American multi-instrumentalist proficient at both guitar and drums. He is a former member of the bands Hypnolovewheel and King Missile, and currently performs with Dump. [details]

Jake Hill is a singer-songwriter from Plymouth, Massachusetts, from across the country, and from down the street. He has miles on his voice, blisters on his fingers, and stories to tell. Also featuring Jim Hanfit with Samantha Yonack and Bell & the Bees. [details]

The Berklee Balkan Vocal Ensemble was founded by Christiane Karam in 2011 as a means to explore the choral traditions and folk music adaptations of the Balkans, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and parts of the Mediterranean. It is primarily a women's chorus with some arrangements that incorporate male singers, as well. It includes and welcomes singers from all over the world and serves as a platform for cultural exchange and an opportunity to come together and celebrate the beauty and spirit that connects us all. [details]

Bringing together four seasoned musicians from Finland, Sweden, Palestine, and Spain, the Jussi Reijonen Quartet traverses the boundaries between musical cultures, paying tribute to the traditions of American and Scandinavian jazz and the folk musics of the Middle East and Africa in its search for new sounds and textures. [details]

Led by award-winning vocalist/composer Christiane Karam, the ZilZALA Middle Eastern Ensemble is a Boston-based world music group that draws from several musical cultures to reinterpret classical, traditional, and folk Arabic and Balkan Music. The outcome is a powerful and uplifting blend of Eastern and Western influences that creates a truly unique musical experience. The ZilZALA Ensemble has been playing to packed houses in Boston and New York and is a two-time nominee for Best World Music Act in Boston by the Phoenix Best Music Poll. [details]

Erena Terakubo, from Sapporo, Japan, began playing the alto saxophone at age 9. She immediately began playing in the Sapporo Junior Jazz Orchestra, and taking part in clinics with famous jazz musicians, such as Herbie Hancock. At 15 and 16, Terakubo attended the Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program where she was awarded a full tuition scholarship and selected to be a member of the Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop. In 2010, she recorded her first album, which reached No. 1 on several Japanese jazz charts. Since then, she has performed at the Tokyo Jazz Festival, Sapporo City Jazz Festival, Jazz Week Osaka 2010, Nagoya Jazz Festival, Kitara Hall, and more. In 2011, she recorded a second album, New York Attitude. [details]

Robert Gillies is a folk-popper on a mission, a mission to dig deeper, to write from the heart, and to leave everyone in a 50-mile radius feeling that little bit lighter—and he’s well on his way. With a new record out (Astronaut), opening slots for Andy Grammer, Ryan Star, and Action Item, and an appearance on Ellen Degeneres, Gillies isn't moving mountains—he's moving continents.

Grammy Award-winner Rodney Crowell and New York Times best-selling author Mary Karr in their one-of-a-kind show will treat audiences to an evening filled with music from their forthcoming album KIN, as well as poetry, readings, and storytelling at its finest. This will be the second show of the night. [details]

Grammy Award-winner Rodney Crowell and New York Times best-selling author Mary Karr in their one-of-a-kind show will treat audiences to an evening filled with music from their forthcoming album KIN, as well as poetry, readings, and storytelling at its finest. This will be the second show of the night. [details]

Born in Oslo, Norway, Felix Peikli found his way into music trough the local marching band at the age of 8. They picked out the instrument, which today seems to have been the perfect choice, a clarinet. Two years later, Peikli received a Benny Goodman recording by his grandfather. The motivation came right away after hearing the dazzling and amazing music that a clarinet could produce, and Benny Goodman became the new idol. His first performance was during a jam session at Oslo Jazz Festival in 2002. Too young to enter the bar, Peikli and his mother Une argued their way in. Unaware that celebrities like Joe Lovano were in the audience, Peikli played and was invited back the next day for his first hired gig, playing with a visiting band in the Grand Hotell the Mirror Hall. [details]

Drawing upon the richness of American folk music traditions, the signature power of the Stray Birds' sound lies in outstanding songwriting that soars in three-part harmony. [details]

Guitarist, mandolinist, composer, and arranger Eduardo Mercuri was born in Curitiba, Brazil in 1987. He began playing guitar at age 11 and has studied with Vittor Santos, Osiel Fonseca, Oliver Pellet, Daniel Santiago, Mick Goodrick, Bruce Bartlett, and Steve Rochinski, among others. [details]

JBM (Jesse Marchant) will be the Red Room’s featured artist in residency for the month of June. [details]

Multilingual singer-songwriter Amelia Sophia Ali performs original work and cover music, intending to send a message to the warring nations of the world, to the suffering civilians that hope is alive, and peace is upon us. This young freedom fighter writes and sings to inspire unity and action against common threat: whether it is disaster relief, warfare, poverty, or violence. [details]

Pino Daniele performs in Boston for the first time, while on an international tour of North America. Daniele is an influential Italian jazz-fusion guitarist. He has released 30 studio albums since 1975. [details]

New England Country Music Award winner for Female Vocalist, Entertainer, and Songwriter of the Year, Shannon Selig is becoming known as the country star to watch. Selig’s subtle heartfelt vocals combined with a powerhouse belt have often been compared with artists such as Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood. [details]

Guitarist Emmanuel Bach presents an exciting new Brazilian blend of original music that combines the raw energy of American electric fusion, the deep groove of traditional Brazilian polyrhythms, and the subtle finesse of European harmony.

Pianist/vocalist Donghee Kim will be presenting his original tunes inspired by Robert Glasper and arranged standard songs with piano trio set. Featuring modern jazz, swing, ballad, etc.

Creating quite a buzz around the Twin Cities and across the Upper Midwest, the Pines caught the attention of acclaimed indie label Red House Records and signed with them in 2007. The mysterious sound of the Pines fuses Benson Ramsey’s ethereal, otherworldly, heart-piercing songs with David Huckfelt’s earthy, darkly romantic, and rough-hewn visionary tales. With masterful guitar work, beautiful vocals, and the graceful keyboard and vocal additions of Benson’s brother Alex Ramsey, the core of the Pines’ sound captivates and elevates with rare intimacy. [details]

Pianist Ji Hyun Park and her band will perform a varied selection of music.

Guitarist Minsuo Shin presents Sup's Music Party II. A night of R&B, neo-soul, hip-hop, and jazz.

In the short time they've been together, Me vs. Gravity has been blowing up the Boston scene with its epic pop/rock style. Since its first show a year ago, Me vs. Gravity released a self-produced, self-titled seven-song EP, along with a music video for the EP's lead single, "Walls," which now has over 200,000 views on YouTube. With a strong online presence, a bombastic live show, and a drive like no other, Me vs. Gravity is a force to be reckoned with.

Thinkin' Big is an 18-piece big band formed in October of 2010 by Jonah Francese. Its goal has always been to play original student charts. Already they have gigged all around the Boston area, in places like the Lily Pad, Kendall Square, and many shows at Berklee. The one thing that makes them special is that it is more than just a "rehearsal and occasional gig" band. It is family. [details]

A concert of the Souza Lima Guitar Orchestra performing W.A. Mozart's works.

Pianist and vocalist Eunjin Ahn has her second recital at Berklee. She presents her original compositions and arrangements in various styles of music with her story.

JBM (Jesse Marchant) will be the Red Room's featured artist in residency for the month of June. [details]

Rafael Espinoza is a singer-songwriter and guitarist from Golden, Texas who frequently performs solo acoustic and with his band throughout the year at various venues. Today he will be performing new original music while also giving a nod to the blues.

Drummer Patrick Simard presents a night of eclectic original musical grooves inspired by life with some refreshing players.

English folk musician Laura Marling is touring in support of her 2011 album, A Creature I Don't Know.

Two of New York's most musically innovative acts are joining forces for joint tour of the Eastern U.S. and Canada. [details]

Canary is a band that has quickly grown from a brainchild to a full-fledged rock 'n' roll powerhouse unit. Drawing on influences from the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Fleetwood Mac, Canary plays classic rock with a modern flair. Its music hits you where rock 'n' roll should—straight in the gut. Made up of friends that met at Berklee College of Music, this rock 'n' roll quintet knows how to bring it hard night after night. Canary has been impressing audiences across New England with a live show dressed to kill and songs that will stick with you for a lifetime.

The Luke Mulholland Band was formed in fall 2007 and over the past couple of years has toured extensively alongside rock legends Dickey Betts, Blue Oyster Cult, and Blues Traveler, to name a few. As Berklee graduates, Luke and the band will begin touring full time with an immediate focus on the New England area. Please visit facebook.com/lukemulhollandband or myspace.com/lukemulhollandmusic for more music and tour dates.

Meet Sounds of Venus, an alternative rock band breaking the Boston music scene. Composed of five Berklee musicians, with lush male and female vocal harmonies, surging electric guitar, a solid foundation of bass, and dynamic percussion, its sound is open to limitless possibilities. [details]

Eleven Dollar Bills have spoken with the spirits that live within the soil. They've traded stories with the sand hogs who didn't make it, and they’re riding on the crest of a monumental wave. 'Round Boston way and as far as eyes can see, the Bills have left the stages warm with locomotive passion. They bend the blues in skies above and carry tunes of loss and love. Don't wait to see them pass on by. Come see the Bills lift off and fly.

For the last time at Berklee, drummer Andres Marin presents his Mostacho Experiment. Featuring his compositions and some collaborations with no fear to trespass musical styles. Includes both instrumental and vocal pieces for small group.

The Katie Thiroux Quartet, with Thiroux on bass and vocals, Glenn Zaleski on piano, Mark Zaleski on woodwinds, and Matt Witek on drums. [details]

Founded in 2007 by Colombian singer and bass player Fabio Montenegro, Numasbala was taken to the next level while he was attending Berklee College of Music. There he met Brazilian producer/engineer Pablo Friedman, who both influenced and helped shape Numasbala's vision and music. [details]

Like a palm tree in a Russian winter, the Yesberger Band is bringing their shine to the music scene, inspiring audiences one by one with their jazzy approach to poetry and pop. Their unique musical vision, earthly in its ideals and thick with danceability, has taken them cross-country as well as internationally with opportunities working with acts including Bobby McFerrin, Jamie Cullum, the Temptations, and the Yellowjackets along the way. [details]

The Yesberger Band, an East Coast college band founded in early 2010 at Berklee, is the project of lead singer and pianist Devon Yesberger, backed up by good friends Spencer Stewart (bass) and Gabriel Smith (drums). They are a sensible, groovy, and poetic trio, mixing jazz nuances with catchy original pop. [details]

The Nightmare River Band is coming to your town whether you like it or not. Somebody should probably let the band know that people like it. A lot. Indeed, the group’s signature sound of raucous alt-country is best appreciated at their live shows. [details]

il abanico is an indie/experimental band created in 2010 by Nicolás Losada (guitar) and Juliana Ronderos (voice). They expose their personalities with innovative melodies, an upbeat rhythm section, and unorthodox guitars. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, this duo in the past year has played more 70 shows and toured the U.S. [details]

Jenna Moynihan and Lukas Pool come from completely different musical backgrounds, but when they come together musical magic occurs. Jenna, a native of Lakewood, New York, grew up playing Scottish- and Cape Breton-style fiddle and has made a name for herself as a solo artist, a member of a folk music quartet, and a much-sought-after instructor. Pool grew up in Mountain View, Arkansas playing old-time banjo, folk, and bluegrass while jamming on the town square. He also is in demand as a solo performer, plays regularly in a folk group, and teaches his craft to individuals and at national workshops. Pool is the 2011 National Old-Time Banjo Champion. [details]

Like a palm tree in a Russian winter, the Yesberger Band is bringing their shine to the music scene, inspiring audiences one by one with their jazzy approach to poetry and pop. Their unique musical vision, earthly in its ideals and thick with danceability, has taken them cross-country as well as internationally with opportunities working with acts including Bobby McFerrin, Jamie Cullum, the Temptations, and the Yellowjackets along the way. [details]

The last Wednesday of each month through October, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., the Berklee Farmers Market, sponsored by ARAMARK, will bring local produce, cheese, and baked goods to the nexus of the Back Bay and Fenway neighborhoods. The market is open to the public. [details]

Hailing from Humacao, Puerto Rico, Mario Castro met his bandmates at Berklee. The international group specializes in jazz. [details]

For its 21st album, the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey reaches into the dark annals of its hometown’s history and emerges with a masterwork: The Race Riot Suite. Also featuring Father Figures. [details]

Orchestral textures, haunting vocals, dynamic sound, and charismatic presence are all calling cards for this twisted little rock group. [details]

Berklee College of Music alumni Amanda Addleman and Lee Dynes have joined forces and are embarking on a summer tour of the country. With Addleman's refined vocal and piano stylings and Dynes's acrobatic guitar playing, these two come together to create a performance that is a striking combination of lovely melodies and virtuosic improvisation. They will be drawing on the jazz standards of the Great American Songbook as well as a selection of pop and original music. The audience is promised an evening of music that is fresh, beautiful, and full of passion. [details]

Nick Hakim is a singer/songwriter from Washington D.C. who recently formed a band consisting of his close friends. Playing venues around Boston and New York, Hakim and his band have been cultivating a new sound in preparation [details]

The new teenage pop punk band Emily's Army is influenced by the rich East Bay music scene, Gilman Street, classic power pop, and garage rock. Emily's Army crafts heartfelt teenage anthems dealing in cautionary tales, politics, and the pressures of adolescence. Also performing: Awesome Express. [details]

Jay Nash, East Coast native and rock troubadour, has been blessed with the kind of excruciatingly rustic voice so rarely heard on record. Emerging into the national spotlight from the same Los Angeles music scene that gave rise to Sara Bareilles, Katy Perry, and many other current pop luminaries, Nash has shared the stage with everyone from the Counting Crows and Maroon 5 to Keb Mo and Dave Mason (and Sara and Katy). [details]

Vanessa Collier is of the fastest-rising young stars currently turning heads at Berklee College of Music, following in the footsteps of Diana Krall and Esperanza Spaulding. This refreshing young saxophonist and singer is being hailed for her mesmerizing blend of soul, spirit, and sultriness. The winner of multiple scholarships and honors, she has already performed and recorded with Grammy-winning artists Kathy Mattea and Patrice Rushen, and is captivating new fans with her soaring saxophone style and sensuous vocals, her captivating and confident on-stage presence, and her infectious passion for music. [details]