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Berklee Summer in the City


Presented by Natixis Global Asset Management

As the weather warms up, join Berklee students, alumni, and faculty for a free outdoor music series held in neighborhoods throughout Metro Boston and beyond. The series culminates with the Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival on September 28.


“Summer in the City is one of our very best contributions to the local community – the world’s next great artists performing throughout Boston all summer long. You can be among the first to see their careers take flight,” said Berklee President Roger H. Brown. Past performers have included Esperanza Spalding, Dopapod, and the Stray Birds, to name a few.


Summer in the City concerts bring neighborhoods to life with free programs of pop, rock, jazz, Latin, blues, flamenco, and Celtic music. The Boston-area concerts take place in destinations throughout the city from the Rose Kennedy Greenway, Institute of Contemporary Art, the Boston Harbor Islands, and the Boston Common’s newly renovated Brewer Fountain Plaza to communities with strong cultural identities ranging from Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, East Boston, and the South End.


Click on one of the locations on the left to find a concert near you.

Berklee Gospel and Roots Choir

Newport Folk Festival, 12:00 p.m.Ticketed

A Berklee faculty member leads a student Gospel and Roots choir to perform during the Newport Folk Festival on Saturday, July 27.

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China Fox / Lauren Tenney and the Terribles / Canary

Georges Island, 2:00 p.m.Free

Berklee Music Fest on Georges Island offers a free concert featuring three student groups whose music ranges from rock to blues to soul. These bands have performed at the House of Blues, SXSW, and opened for Jackson Browne.

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Kyumin Shim

Brewer Plaza, 12:00 p.m.Free

Since 2009, Kyumin Shim has been studying at Berklee, and he has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Martha's Vineyard Jazz Festival, and Smalls Jazz Club.

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Daniel Rotem

Regattabar at the Charles Hotel, 6:00 p.m.Free

Jazz saxophonist Daniel Rotem has performed with the Rainbow Big band led by Phil Wilson, with the Concert Jazz Band led by Greg Hopkins (with whom he performed in a concert featuring the great drummer Peter Erskine and at the JEN conference in Kentucky), and as a featured guest at a joint performance of India Arie and Israeli composer-singer Idan Raichel (as well as with the Idan Raichel Project in Israel).

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Kyumin Shim

Brewer Plaza, 12:00 p.m.Free

Since 2009, Kyumin Shim has been studying at Berklee, and he has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Martha's Vineyard Jazz Festival, and Smalls Jazz Club.

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Raven Katz

Prudential Center, 12:00 p.m.Free

Singer-songwriter Raven Katz draws upon painters, fairy tales, and the great songwriters of the past to present songs that are unique in tone and style. She gathers influence from the folk, jazz, and pop genres. 

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Key Party

Recital Hall 1W, 7:00 p.m.Free

Multi-instrumentalist and singer Nigel A. Wilson leads his rock group, Key Party, in a set of originals, including a "secret, special song."

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Aubrey Johnson Sextet

David Friend Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.Free

The Aubrey Johnson Sextet will perform Johnson’s original compositions and arrangements with strong folk, jazz, and Brazilian influences.

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Kyumin Shim

Brewer Plaza, 12:00 p.m.Free

Since 2009, Kyumin Shim has been studying at Berklee, and he has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Martha's Vineyard Jazz Festival, and Smalls Jazz Club.

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Siv Jakobsen

Harvard Longwood Campus, 12:30 p.m.Free

Siv Jakobsen's music is often described as both dark and ethereal, drawing inspiration from her background in traditional Norwegian music and folk artists like Laura Marling, Ane Brun, Joni Mitchell, and Melissa Horn.

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Ali Amr Experiment

Kendall Square, 12:00 p.m.Free

Palestinian-born Ali Amr takes a journey into an exotic blend of original jazz with a modern Middle Eastern vibe, influenced by touches of flamenco to bring a flair for the unexpected. He gives a mesmerizing performance of vocals and qanun, backed by keys, bass, and percussion.

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Kyumin Shim

Brewer Plaza, 12:00 p.m.Free

Since 2009, Kyumin Shim has been studying at Berklee, and he has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Martha's Vineyard Jazz Festival, and Smalls Jazz Club.

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The Jackson FitzGerald Group

Atlantic Wharf, 12:00 p.m.Free

Jazz guitarist Jackson FitzGerald performs weekly at Wally’s Jazz Café in Boston, Massachusetts and is the leader of the Jackson FitzGerald Group, which has performed his original compositions around the Northeast. 

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The Dwells

Club Passim, 1:00 p.m.Free

The Dwells are a neo-Americana, cosmic folk duo that gives a nod to earlier genre-benders like Gram Parsons and Elliott Smith. 

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Juan Pérez Rodríguez

Kendall Square's Cambridge Center Plaza, 5:00 p.m.Free

Juan Pérez Rodríguez learned to sing and play guitar with his father, the flamenco musician, singer, and composer Juan Pérez “Sombra.” Later he studied at the Classical Conservatory of Huelva, and at nine years old started to play piano.

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Kyumin Shim

Brewer Plaza, 5:00 p.m.Free

Since 2009, Kyumin Shim has been studying at Berklee, and he has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Martha's Vineyard Jazz Festival, and Smalls Jazz Club.

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Ali Amr Experiment

Institute of Contemporary Art, 6:00 p.m.Free

Palestinian-born Ali Amr takes a journey into an exotic blend of original jazz with a modern Middle Eastern vibe, influenced by touches of flamenco to bring a flair for the unexpected. He gives a mesmerizing performance of vocals and qanun, backed by keys, bass, and percussion.

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Milad & Eren

Wakefield Library, 6:00 p.m.Free

Milad & Eren is a progressive folk fusion band featuring the collaboration between guitarist/tambour player Milad Zendehnam and pianist/keyboardist Eren Başbuğ. The two explore Persian and Turkish traditional music throughout the contemporary jazz and progressive rock domains. They had their debut concert with Berklee World Strings Ensemble, conducted by Eugene Friesen, at the Berklee Performance Center. They have performed at the Northwest Folklife Festival at Bagley Theater in Seattle, Washington; on Berklee Internet Radio Network; and on KBCS radio.

https://www.facebook.com/miladanderen

 
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Berklee College of Music, Villa Victoria Center for the Arts, City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department

Tito Puente Latin Music Series: Jimmy Bosch

O'Day Park , 7:00 p.m.Free

Jimmy Bosch is known to be a powerful force as a trombonist, composer, entertainer, and producer.

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Kyumin Shim

Brewer Plaza, 12:00 p.m.Free

Since 2009, Kyumin Shim has been studying at Berklee, and he has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Martha's Vineyard Jazz Festival, and Smalls Jazz Club.

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