2018-19 FALL-WINTER SEASON

The 2018-19 Fall-Winter Season is announced and brings the best in jazz, folk, pop and world music.  The season features such exceptional jazz artists as Kenny Barron and Stacey Kent, as well as folk artists as Livingston Taylor, Kathy Mattea and The Lone Bellow. World music brings Celtic sensation Hanneke Cassel and guitarist Ottmar Liebert.  Learn about all the wonderful concerts coming this season in the list below. 

Thank you to our 2018-19 Jazz, Folk, Pop Corporate Partners!

Saturday, December 8, 8 PM

Stacey Kent

A Grammy-nominated jazz singer with a sophisticated, cosmopolitan sensibility and an intimately warm voice, Stacey Kent will be making her Rockport debut on the heels of her new orchestral album I Know I Know. Learn more

Wednesday, December 12, 4 & 8 PM

Brian O’Donovan’s
A Christmas Celtic Sojourn

Brian O’Donovan’s A Celtic Sojourn has entertained and enlightened radio audiences since 1986. Now celebrating a decade and a half of holiday performances, the Christmas-time live version of the show draws on Celtic, Pagan, and Christian traditions to celebrate the music of the season. A Christmas Celtic Sojourn reflects the compelling and diverse offerings of the weekly national radio program plus the excitement of a live show featuring the Celtic world’s best performers. Learn more

Friday, December 14, 8 PM

Parsonsfield

Parsonsfield, folk rock favorites known for their rich harmonies, vibrant songwriting and energetic live performances, take to the road this December with their Holiday Acoustic Tour. The quintet will perform stripped down, intimate shows, breathing Americana rock into their favorite holiday tunes and sprinkling their own songs with holiday flair. Learn more

Sunday, December 16, 3 PM

Christmas with the Back Bay Ringers

Back Bay Ringers (BBR) is an advanced, auditioned, handbell ensemble. Under the direction of Griff Gall, BBR has quickly developed a reputation for excellence, regularly performing at Boston-area landmarks such as Faneuil Hall, Symphony Hall, the Boston Children’s Museum, and the Prudential Center.  Learn more

Friday, January 11, 8 PM

Marc Cohn

After winning a Grammy for his soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” Marc Cohn solidified his place as one of this generation’s most compelling singer-songwriters, combining the precision of a brilliant tunesmith with the passion of a great soul man. Learn more

Wednesday, January 23, 7 PM

Beantown Swing Orchestra

The 18-piece Beantown Swing Orchestra specializes in performing big band music from the Swing Era, one of the most popular and sophisticated forms of American music ever created.  With most of its musicians in their twenties, the orchestra is a true representation of the young and energetic big bands of the 1930s.  Learn more

Saturday, January 26, 8 PM

Upstairs on Main
Pier Ave

Pier Ave is an upbeat, soulful reggae-inspired band out of Gloucester, MA that encompasses good grooves, great tunes and even better vibes.  Their inclusive energy and infectious tunes create a lively environment that’s both a concert and a house party where all your best friends are invited. Learn more

Friday, February 15, 8 PM

Upstairs on Main
Carlos Menezes Jr. & the CABB4

As founder and leader of the beloved Cape Ann Big Band, Carlos Menezes Jr knows a thing or two about jazz and swing. Playing tenor sax, Carlos strives to bring the big tenor sounds of his main influences, Illinois Jacquet, Lester Young, and Sonny Rollins to the stage.  For this night, Carlos brings his stripped down small combo version of the band. Learn more 

Saturday, March 9, 8 PM

Danú

One of Ireland’s most cherished Irish folk bands and among the leaders of the new traditionalist movement in Celtic music, Danú has been thrilling audiences with their instrumental virtuosity and powerfully emotive ballads for close to 20 years.  Learn more

Sunday, March 10, 8 PM

Cyrille Aimée

Winner of the Montreux and Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competitions, the dynamic young Cyrille brings an exotic, highly rhythmic-based approach to jazz singing, incorporating a Gallic gypsy swing with hints of salsa and samba into well-worn standards and original compositions.  Learn more

Friday, March 15, 8 PM

Upstairs on Main
St. Patrick’s Ceilidh with Matt & Shannon Heaton

With engaging stage presence and masterfully-crafted music, Boston-based Matt and Shannon Heaton offer well-travelled Irish music from the heart. Steeped in sessions in County Clare and brewed in the acoustic music scenes of Chicago and Boston, their flute/guitar/bouzouki instrumentals and sweet husband-and-wife harmony singing draw deeply from the Irish tradition. Learn more

Saturday, March 23, 8 PM

Marc Broussard

A Louisiana soul singer and guitarist with a killer swamp pop pedigree, Marc Broussard has created a sound that borrows liberally from blues, rock, pop, gospel and R&B to form an infectious hybrid of deep Southern roots music.  Learn more

Saturday, April 6, 8 PM

JD Souther

A songwriting legend and country rock pioneer, JD Souther returns to Rockport armed with a veritable treasure trove of classics, including several made famous by The Eagles (“Heartache Tonight,” “Best of My Love”) and Linda Ronstadt (“Faithless Love”). His infectious pop sensibility and effortless croon have led to a near 50 year career.   Learn more

Saturday, April 20, 8 PM

Kenny Barron

Honored by The National Endowment for the Arts as a 2010 Jazz Master, pianist Kenny Barron has an unmatched ability to mesmerize audiences with his elegant playing, sensitive melodies and infectious rhythms. He returns to Rockport on the heels of his Blue Note Records debut Concentric Circles. Learn more

Sunday, May 5, 7 PM                                      

Mari Black Trio

A genre-crossing fiddling sensation, Boston-based Mari Black has created a devoted following founded on the strength of her remarkable playing, infectious compositions and stylistic shapeshifting that covers everything from Scottish reels to jazz to klezmer to American string band music. Learn more

Saturday, May 18, 8 PM

Johnny A

One of the most revered guitarists working the scene today, Boston’s own Johnny A. has created a decade-spanning career built on his virtuosic playing, compositional fortitude and distinctive style. On top of putting out his acclaimed new record, Driven, Johnny was just recently asked to play lead guitar in the legendary blues rock supergroup of The Yardbirds.  Learn more

Saturday, June 1, 8 PM       

Glenn Crytzer and the Savoy Seven

Glenn Crytzer and the Savoy Seven bring their “vintage American jazz” to Rockport for their Shalin Liu Performance Center debut! Their superlative musicianship and unbridled swing is fueled by each musician’s genuine love for playing pre-war jazz, bringing to life the music of this bygone age with stunning authenticity. Learn more

Friday, June 7, 8 PM       

Christian McBride & Tip City

One of the most exciting jazz artists of the modern era, bassist Christian McBride has redefined both his instrument and the perceived boundaries of jazz itself. Unafraid to dip his toes into R&B, funk, pop, fusion or big band, McBride’s massive technical and compositional skills have launched him into the rarified air of bonafide jazz masters. Learn more