Thursdays, Noon - 2:00 p.m. Through August 31
Kendall Square, 300 Athenaeum St., Cambridge, MA, 02142
For more information please visit www.jrrecords.com or call 617-577-7354, or visit http://www.berklee.edu/news/2006/06/0614.html
Kendall Square Concert Series Schedule:
July 6, Akira Ishiguro
Guitarist Akira Ishiguro was born in Fukushima, Japan, and moved to the U.S. at the age of 10. Ishiguro began lessons in guitar, trumpet, and piano while attending school in Menomonee Falls, WI. In 2002, Ishiguro came to Berklee on a scholarship. While at Berklee he has studied and played with Mick Goodrick, George Garzone, Joe Lovano, and many others. Ishiguro was a member of the Berklee Rainbow Big Band, directed by Phil Wilson, for two years. He has also played in Portugal with the Jeff Davis Quartet at the Valdo Dos Frades Jazz Festival.
July 13, Jeremy Ragsdale
Jeremy Ragsdale began studying piano at age 7 and played professionally by the age of 12. Now a graduate of Berklee, he has studied, performed and/or recorded with musicians such as Patti Austin, Lalah Hathaway, Hiromi, and Susan Tedeschi. Ragsdale is a member of the jazz vocal group Syncopation, which recently released the album Of Blue. The group has toured Japan numerous times, and appeared at various festivals. Ragsdale is working on a solo album that will feature new big-band arrangements by his father, Scott Ragsdale--a Berklee alumnus and former head arranger for the U.S. Navy Band.
July 20, Samantha Sidley
Samantha Sidley is a native of Los Angeles, where she attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and was named a California State Arts Scholar. She performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival as a member of the school's Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and opened for Manhattan Transfer in San Diego. In 2003, DownBeat magazine recognized her as the Top Performing Arts High School Jazz Vocalist. In 2005, while attending Berklee, Sidley won the Algonquin Hotel's Young Artist Award, earning her a two-week gig at the hotel's prestigious Oak Room.
July 27, Maeve Gilchrist
Harpist Maeve Gilchrist was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. She began playing piano at seven and soon picking up the clarsach (Celtic harp). Gilchrist studied at the City of Edinburgh Music School before winning a scholarship to attend Berklee. She has played and recorded with artists including Matt Glaser, Kathy Mattea, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Jamey Haddad. Gilchrist is currently performing with bassist Andres Rotmistrofsky and percussionist Marcelo Woloski, both of Argentina. Blending Scottish roots and jazz influences with Latin American rhythms, the trio creates a unique and multicultural sound.
August 3, Megan Burtt
Megan Burtt's musical career began at an early age. She first began tickling the keys on a hand-me-down piano from her grandparents, and switched to songwriting on the guitar at age 15. Whether covering blues, folk, or pop standards, or performing original music, Burtt draws in her audience with vitality and fun. Performing in venues across the country, her sweet melodies, clever lyrics, and powerful stage presence captivate individuals of all ages. Burtt will soon graduate from Berklee with a bachelor's degree.
August 10, Evan Baughman
Evan Baughman, of Murrysville, PA, started singing at the age of 5. She sang at her local church, in choirs and musicals, and performed the national anthem at sports events. Baughman is currently a music business/management major at Berklee. She is a recipient of the Best Scholarship and the Yo Team Scholarship. She is also a member of the Reverence Gospel Ensemble and the gospel ensemble Overjoyed, directed by Dennis Montgomery, III. She sings a wide variety of music genres, from gospel, jazz, blues, and R&B, to opera, exemplifying versatility, ability, and professionalism.
August 17, Nir Felder
Nir Felder first started playing guitar at the age of 13, inspired by guitar great Jimi Hendrix and jazz guitar master John Scofield. Now a Berklee graduate, Felder resides in New York City, where he is quickly becoming one of the most in-demand guitarists on the scene. He has performed around the world and with artists including Scofield, Joe Lovano, Kenny Barron, Jason Moran, Mark Turner, Ben Allison, and Bob Moses, among many others. He can be heard on Melao, the new album by powerhouse drummer Francisco Mela, on Ayva Records, that also features Lovano and George Garzone.
August 24, Last Trip
Last Trip is an experienced group of professional musicians comprised of Berklee faculty and staff, including guitarist/composer Mark White, professor of guitar; keyboardist/composer Scott DeOgburn, associate professor of ear training; bassist Winston Maccow, assistant professor of ensembles; and saxophonist Greg Badolato, assistant vice president for international programs. The group has released two albums of contemporary jazz, Up With Da' Funk and Born Yesterday. Last Trip also recently toured Japan, giving performances, lectures, and clinics.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
