New England Jazz Hall of Fame

They are saxophonists Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney and Paul Gonsalves of the Duke Ellington band, drummers Alan Dawson and Tony Williams, multi-talented Jaki Byard, cornetist/trumpeter Bobby Hackett, Boston pianist/band leader Sabby Lewis, baritone sax man Serge Chaloff, and Sonny Stitt, who was known for his work on alto and tenor saxophones.

NEJA, in conjunction with the International Society, will be opening a New England Jazz Hall of Fame Exhibit at the Tremont Theater on Monday, April 1. According to NEJA president Brent Banulis, there also will be a concert series throughout April. The first week will include the Herb Pomeroy Quartet (April 1), a tribute to Gonsalves by Andy McGhee and Jimmy Woode (April 2), and a Sonny Stitt tribute featuring saxophonists Dick Johnson and Greg Abate with the Al Vega Trio (April 3). The second week will include “Jaki Byard, Bill Barron and Beyond"’ by the Boston Jazz Repertory Orchestra led by Carl Atkins and Bill Lowe (April 8), a tribute to Bobby Hackett featuring Ruby Braff (April 9), and a celebration of the life and music of Sabby Lewis featuring the Paul Broadnax Quintet (April 10). The exhibit and presentations will involve writers such as Nat Hentoff, Eric Nisenson, Ernie Santosuosso, Tom Reney and Bob Blumenthal and photographers such as Jack Bradley, Nick Puopolo, Ken Franckling, Lee Tanner, Ruth Williams, Vinnie Haynes and Tom Curry. For more information on the exhibit, the concerts and a three-night concert series package for $250 that includes accommodations at the Tremont Boston hotel directly across the street from the theater, call the New England Jazz Alliance at 617-567-6354.

NEJA and the International Society are also pleased to announce that their next monthly concert will be held at the Tremont at 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18 and will feature trombonist Tony Lada and his quartet. Salim Washington, Bobby Ward and the Roxbury Blues Aesthetic will complete the series on Monday, March 18. The Boston Jazz Repertory Orchestra will also perform at the Tremont with a Duke Ellington program on Monday, Feb. 11 and a concert of Latin music on Monday, March 11. For more information, call 617-567-6354, send e-mail to [email protected], or enter NEJA’s web site (www.nejazz.org).