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Good day jazz fellows.
I will be traveling next month in the area of Boston MA/ Portsmouth NH for 10 days or so, and was wondering where I could listen to some live music (jazz would be a must) and maybe jam.
If you have any tips on this I would greatly appreciate, my trip would be much more interesting!
Thanks in advance
PEG91
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03-17-2026 04:58 PM
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music.jondreyer.com/bostonareajazzjamsessions.html
Jazz Calendar – JazzBoston
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Hello Allan
thx a lot for those links !
Plenty of information there !
I will definitly enjoy my stay there
Any one with some first hand experience in those venues ?
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If you're there Monday night, you have to go to the Lilypad, on Cambridge Street in Cambridge, Inman Square. Jerry Bergonzi is one of the greatest tenor players on the planet. He has a regular Monday night show at 8:30, and then at 10:30 George Garzone and the Fringe have the late show.
Both of these shows are legendary an must-see's.
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outstanding !! Thx a lot Jimmy.
Jerry Bergonzi, like in "a highly-influential saxophonist, referred to by Michael Brecker as "the best tenor player in the world"" ?!
I have one of his method book.
Will definitely book my seat for both shows !
Thx again !
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Bring the book for him to sign! Please share the experience here.
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Excellent idea !!
Will bring the book, hoping he won't be too busy and willing to sign it
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I was visiting Boston a couple years ago and went to the Monday Lilypad show (and even saw Jimmy Blue [not his real name]!) - just Jerry that night, as Garzone was on tour - amazing!! The place is a tiny room, and it was awesome! I was hanging outside at the bar next door when Jerry walked up for the show, and after I stopped kissing his feet, we chatted for a bit. The nicest guy!!
Originally Posted by peg91
Excellent idea !!
Will bring the book, hoping he won't be too busy and willing to sign it
[He said, "Oh, you're the guy who bought my books?!"]
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In Portsmouth NH: Originally Posted by peg91
Listen to touring acts at Jimmy's. As you see they have shows by Charlie Hunter and by Emmett Cohen coming soon, with Lee Ritenour in late April.
Tuesday night jam at The Press Room.
If you want to come up to Portland, Maine -- an hour North of Portsmouth -- then:
Some jazz, including tomorrow's monthly Portland Jazz Orchestra concert (with me on double bass), at One Longfellow Square
Wednesday night jam at Blue
Occasional jazz concerts, and Monday night jam oriented toward 'adults returning to playing,' at the Portland Conservatory of Music
And there's another session or two floating around
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Thanks Marc for sharing this story ! This gives me hope Jerry will sign my book too ! After all I'm the other guy who bought his book
Sam, I'll be hosted in Portsmouth. The Lee Ritenour show seems a perfect way to spent an evening locally ! So does the jam at the press room ! Is it a jazz jam ?
Regarding Portland, why not ? Do you also play next month ? I'll be in the area from april 13th to 22nd. It's a work trip though, I may need to sleep sometime , but if the show's worth it, I can drive an hour !
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There's always room and each show is like a family reunion. He's truly the sweetest guy in the world, and ask him anything-I got a master class every time I talked to him and that was a LOT. Originally Posted by peg91
Excellent idea !!
Will bring the book, hoping he won't be too busy and willing to sign it
Do yourself a huge favour though, stay for THE FRINGE after Jerry. ALL the heavies in New York of the new generation have sought out George and Jerry to study with.
Boston has a world class treasure and it happens every Monday at the Lilypad. Pay at the door and if you're a student, tell them, you can get a student admission.
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Wally's Jazz Café is one of the oldest clubs in the city, stuffed full of Berklee kids seven nights a week. The tenor sax player Noah Preminger has a residency there every Friday/Saturday night with his quartet—he regularly places pretty highly in polls of the best tenor sax players around, regularly plays with some pretty interesting guitar players like Ely Perlman and Max Light doing some modern but very melodic jazz. His most recent album Dark Days is a good picture of what to expect, though when I saw him last year he was playing with piano rather than guitar.
Bergonzi/Garzone are a great show, too, as others have said!
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Find out who's playing at the Regattabar in Harvard Square during your stay. It's the place where bigger name artists on the "Blue Note" circuit play. Get your tickets now if you're attending a show. They sell out.
Same goes for Scullers in Allston, which also books top names but is also reserve seating.
Both of them are hotel based rooms so it gives you some idea of the venues.
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Gotta like it when you go to cool places and cool music awaits! Originally Posted by peg91
Yes indeed! Originally Posted by peg91
Alright then: Originally Posted by peg91
Regarding Portland, why not ? Do you also play next month ? I'll be in the area from april 13th to 22nd. It's a work trip though, I may need to sleep sometime , but if the show's worth it, I can drive an hour !
04/15 9-11:30 Jazz Jam Session at Blue -- It's a nice session, good players in a positive, supportive environment.
I go 1x-2x / month, playing mostly guitar and some double-bass. If I know you're coming I could make it a point to be there.
04/16 8-10pm Portland Jazz Orchestra, One Longfellow Square
PJO is a nice regional band, distinguished by the fact that about half a dozen people associated with PJO are nationally-published composer/arrangers. Tonight we're playing about 35% local or contemporary charts -- maybe less than usual but people will be happy to hear it all.
Is it worth it? Yeah. It's a solid band and a genuinely fun night out. We are not on the level of the Schneider, McBride, Argue or Vanguard bands but listeners leave saying, "That was better than I expected."
Hope to see you!
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Guys, thank you all for taking the time to answer to my request !
It's incredible how many cool stuff are concentrated in the area ! Don't know if I'll be able to attend everything but for sure I will try !
I'll let you know I organize my stay.
Sam, I'll will definitely try to go at Blue for the jam session of the 15th. For sure I will tell you if I'm going, so we can meet !
I'm really looking forward to this trip !!
Thanks again guys for all those suggestions
!
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Hello guys !
Just to give you all a quick feed back on my trip in the area of Boston.
Unfortunatly I could not go all the events you suggested me
Still I'm really pleased to have met Sam at Blue in Portland where we had a good chat. He also lent me his very nice guitar so I could play a couple of tunes at the jam ! Thanks again Sam, it was a treat to meet you there !
I also went to see Lee Ritenour at Jimmy's in Portsmouth. Not what I expected but I was pleased to be there.
I couldn't do it to Cambridge, which I really regret. It will be for the next trip in Boston !
Anyway, thanks again guys for all your tips to listen to great music in that area. It was greatly appreciated !
The best to all of you !
P-E
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P-E it was great to meet you and tremendous to hear you play!
Thank you for taking the time to visit. Safe travels and here's to the next time our paths cross.
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Which show did you see at Jimmy's the early or late? I spend a lot of time there, we were at the early show. Kittery Dance Hall brings in some good talent too. Originally Posted by peg91
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Hi StormyMonday
It was the late show (21h30).
Too bad, we didn't meet ! But when I booked my ticket the early show was full (or remaining sits were too badly positioned).
What were your thought on the show ?
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We went with my duo partner and his wife, I think this was the third time we saw him there. Each show has been very different, lineups and setlists. I think Lee covered a lot of ground in this one and given his career there's a lot to cover. As such the high points probably depend on which point of his career you prefer. I like a lot of the less electric stuff so songs like LA By Bike and the Brasil album hit for me. Some friends next to us liked the more funky playing and loved the new bass player. My duo partner preferred the last few songs played on the Les Paul as he thought that guitar sounded better in that venue. So each of us came away liking something particular and not disliking anything. The last time he was here it was mire archtop and nylon string as I recall and that's more in my wheelhouse, but it was a great night out for an audience with diverse tastes.
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