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	Omar Sosa
	Photo provided by the artist

Saturday's free outdoor concerts will be sandwiched between a tasty Friday night kick-off concert by the McCoy Tyner Septet and the Story of Impulse! Records at the Berklee Performance Center, and, on Sunday, a satisfying Gospel Jazz Brunch at the Colonnade Hotel with Kendrick Oliver and the New Life Jazz Orchestra with special guest vocalist Kevin Mahogany. Tickets for McCoy Tyner are on sale now through Ticketmaster. The brunch will be on sale soon, also at Ticketmaster.

Saturday's program is free, and the music plays from noon until 7:00 p.m. on three stages along Columbus Avenue, starting at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue. The Target Family Area will supply fun for the kids, and more than 50 vendors will offer a variety of food and crafts. On-site donations and proceeds go to the Berklee City Music scholarship fund and Boston Medical Center's Prostate Cancer Screening Initiative.

Among the acts on the Sovereign Stage will be Carmen Lundy, displaying her multi-octave, jazz vocal style that captivates audiences all over the world. Renowned saxophonist Kenny Garrett has performed with Miles Davis, Sting, Peter Gabriel, and Art Blakey, and brings to BeanTown the muscular yet eloquent tone that has earned him a number of Grammy nominations.  Later in the day, the Christian McBride Situation combines jazz, funk, and electronic music into a mind-bending sound with saxophonist Oliver Lake, keyboard player Patrice Rushen, and turntablist DJ Logic, joining bassist McBride. 

In a BeanTown first, Marsalis Music, the Cambridge-based record label created by saxophonist and composer Branford Marsalis, will have a stage dedicated to its acts. Appearing will be legendary drummer and Miles Davis alumnus Jimmy Cobb; guitarist and vocalist Doug Wamble, whose jazz/blues/gospel/country sound follows a thread through American roots music; jazz trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, who will perform with a top Berklee student group; and rarely heard, master drummer Michael Carvin, who has logged time with Motown, Betty Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, and Jackie McLean. Marsalis Music will also present a special pre-festival panel discussion, The Art of the CD Cover, on Thursday, Sept. 28, at Harvard University, at 6:00 p.m., which is free to the public.

The Global Stage will showcase distinct sounds from various corners of the world where music is a celebration and concerts are full of life. Acts include Benin-born guitarist Lionel Loueke, who will perform with his Gilfema Trio, pours all of West Africa from his guitar, evoking lightening with his quick licks and the desert with his dreamy soundscapes. Dynamic Cuban pianist Omar Sosa will keep the masses moving with a unique urban brand of Latin jazz spiced with hip-hop and fusion overtones.

Top Boston-area musicians will also be represented. Among the up-and-comers and mainstays will be the Mike Tucker Quartet, the New England Conservatory Jazz Composers Ensemble, and Hot Like Fire.

BeanTown Jazz Festival Schedule

Thursday, Sept. 28

Marsalis Music presents The Art of the CD Cover panel discussion.

6:00–8:00 p.m.
Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University, 24 Quincy Street, Cambridge.
Free.

With speakers: Arnold Levine, Art Director for Marsalis Music, and former Art Director for Sony/Columbia Records. Lou Jones, acclaimed Boston photographer whose images grace the covers of Michael Carvin and Jimmy Cobb's recent Honor Series CDs.

Moderated by Bob Blumenthal, creative consultant for Marsalis Music, two-time GRAMMY-Award winner for liner notes, and noted jazz critic.

Friday, September 29

The Jazz Journalists Association presents The House that Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records book discussion.

4:00–6:00 p.m.
David Friend Recital Hall, Berklee College of Music Genko Uchida Building, 921 Boylston St.
Free.

Speakers: Ashley Kahn, author of The House That Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records.

Saxophonist Dave Liebman.

Bob Blumenthal, Marsalis Music.

	Press: to inquire about photo availability and usage, please e-mail us.
	Kenny Garrett
	Photo provided by the artist

BeanTown Jazz Festival kick-off concert with the Story of Impulse Records–The McCoy Tyner Septet with Charnett Moffett, Eric Kamau Gravatt, Dave Liebman, Wallace Roney, Steve Turre, and Donald Harrison.

8:15 p.m.
Berklee Performance Center.
Tickets through Ticketmaster.

Saturday, September 30

On Columbus Ave, starting at the corner of Mass. and Columbus Avenues.

Accessible on the T by the Mass. Ave. Orange Line stop, the Symphony stop on the Green Line's E car, the # 1 bus at Mass. and Columbus Aves., and the Silver Line at Washington St. and Mass. Ave.

The Jazz Journalists Association presents The Legendary Recording Session of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue panel discussion.

Noon–1:00 pm 

At the BeanTown Jazz Festival VIP Tent with speakers:

Ashley Kahn, author of Kind of Blue.

Bill Milkowski, jazz critic for JazzTimes and Jazziz, author of Jaco: the Extraordinary & Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorious.

Jimmy Cobb, legendary jazz drummer, the last living member from the historic recording sessions for Kind of Blue.

Christian Scott, trumpet player and Concord Records artist with his debut release Rewind That.

Fred Taylor, Boston's legendary jazz icon, former owner of Paul's Mall and the Jazz Workshop, and friend and colleague of Miles Davis.

Moderator, Joel Brown, freelancer writer, former Executive Arts Editor of the Boston Herald and blogger at HubArts.com. 

Sunday, October 1

Gospel Jazz Brunch with Kendrick Oliver's New Life Orchestra and special guest vocalist Kevin Mahogany. 

11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Westin Copley Place, 10 Huntington Avenue, Boston
Tickets available at Ticketmaster

For editorial information or digital photos, the media may contact:

Allen Bush
Office of Public Information
(617) 747-2658
abush@berklee.edu