Swingin' in Mothers Rest Concert Series July 12, 2006

The Back Bay Fens will swing on three Wednesday evenings in July when Berklee College of Music, Park Arts, and the Fenway Civic Association present the popular Swingin’ in Mothers Rest free outdoor concert series. An exciting lineup of noted Berklee students, professors and alumni will perform for Boston area residents and families in the Mothers Rest Playground.

Concerts take place on three consecutive Wednesday nights – July 12, 19, and 26 – from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. For updated information, visit www.Berklee.edu, or call 617-747-2447. Folding chairs, blankets, and picnics are encouraged. The eighth annual series is co-sponsored by Bank of America, the Mission Hill/Fenway Neighborhood Trust, and Piano Forte.

Wednesday, July 12 - Robin McKelle and Friends
Jazz, blues, and soul singer Robin McKelle will perform songs from her debut CD, Introducing Robin McKelle, and selections from the Great American Songbook. McKelle’s presence is growing in the retro-swing movement with music rooted in vintage 1940s-era jazz and a sassy, modern edge vocal style. A recent profile in the Christian Science Monitor declares “[McKelle] sings with the ease and grace of Ella Fitzgerald and the soul of Sarah Vaughan.”

Wednesday, July 19 - The Igmar Thomas Band
Twenty-four year-old trumpet player and a recent Berklee graduate, Igmar Thomas has already been a member of the Lionel Hampton Big Band, and has performed with Clark Terry, Roy Hargrove, Joe Lovano, and Avery Sharp, among others. Thomas has an active performing schedule as the leader of a weekly session at Wally’s Jazz Café, and keeps his style fluid sitting in with local hip-hop, Latin, funk, and reggae bands. Joining Thomas will be tenor saxophonist Stacy Dillard, Berklee student pianist Lawrence Fields, Berklee alumni bassist Luques Curtis, and Berklee professor and world-renowned drummer Ralph Peterson.

Wednesday, July 26 - Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop directed by Terri Lynne Carrington
The Berklee Jazz Workshop is comprised of the best high school jazz players from around the country who are studying under acclaimed drummer and GRAMMY-Award nominee Terri Lyne Carrington, Artistic Director of the Summer Jazz Workshop during the Five-Week Summer Performance Program. Co-directing the ensemble is saxophonist Rick DiMuzio, Assistant Professor of Ear Training. Expect to hear standards, jazz arrangements of popular songs, and original student compositions.

Official Website: http://www.berklee.edu