The Makanda Project featuring Joe Daley and dancers led by Mickey Davidson

The Makanda Project's "grand 2024 finale" concert will take place in the state-of-the-art auditorium at Roxbury Community College. This will feature the group's "Big Brass Edition" with added trumpets and low brass instruments. The remarkable composer and tuba player Joe Daley will be special guest, and the program will include compositions by him. Also for this concert, the group's longtime collaboration with legendary dancer/choreographer Mickey Davidson will be featured in a Boston performance for the first time in several years - with new choreography of Makanda Ken McIntyre compositions. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Seth Meicht - alto saxophone Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Mike Peipman -trumpet Sarah Uyar - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Sarah Politz - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone, tuba Joe Daley - tuba, euphonium John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums Mickey Davidson - dance Trashina Conner - dance Brian Davis - dance Thiera Ward - dance Adante Power - dance

Roxbury Community College Media Arts Center Auditorium

The Makanda Project featuring Chico Freeman

Boston's Makanda Project jazz orchestra continues its collaboration with renowned saxophonist Chico Freeman, to begin its fall concert series at the Roxbury Library. The program will feature Freeman compositions arranged for the large group by Makanda Project leader John Kordalewski. This will be the ninth time they have performed together, and the music gets stronger each time. There are two shows, at 7:00 and 8:30. The concert is free, but reservations are recommended. To reserve seats, email <a href="mailto:jsnk@verizon.net">jsnjk@verizon.net</a>, and specify which show and how many people. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Seth Meicht - alto saxophone, clarinet Chico Freeman - tenor saxophone Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone, flute Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Haneef Nelson - trumpet Sarah Uyar - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums Bithyah Israel - cello Alexia Martinez - cello Jahsias Rivers - cello Rhea Gibson - cello

Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library

The Makanda Project featuring Dee Alexander

For the third and final concert of their 2024 summer series at First Church in Roxbury, the Makanda Project will feature extraordinary Chicago-based vocalist Dee Alexander. Ms. Alexander has been a regular guest with the group over the past few years. The program will include compositions of hers arranged for the large (13 piece) ensemble; Makanda Ken McIntyre compositions from the group's repertoire, featuring the voice in various ways; and one favorite piece by Chico Freeman that they have performed together on past occasions. The event will also include artistic activities that are open to participation by attendees: a live painting activity sponsored by MassArt's sparc! the ArtMobile, and a poetry open mic at intermission. Dee Alexander - voice Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Seth Meicht - alto saxophone, clarinet, flute Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums

First Church in Roxbury

The Makanda Project at First Church in Roxbury

The Makanda Project, Boston's acclaimed 13-piece jazz orchestra, continues its summer concert series at First Church in Roxbury. For a portion of the concert the group will also be joined by a cello section representing City Strings United. The event will also include a reading by legendary poet Askia Toure, a plant-based cooking demonstration, and additional performances by community youth. The event will take place on the lawn under the shade trees. In case of rain, it will move inside the church. Kurtis Rivers, Seth Meicht, Sean Berry, Temidayo Balogun, Charlie Kohlhase - saxophones Jerry Sabatini, Haneef Nelson - trumpets Alfred Patterson, Richard Harper, Bill Lowe - trombones John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums Bithyah Israel - cello Alexia Martinez - cello Jahsias Rivers - cello Rhea Gibson - cello

The Makanda Project, Boston's acclaimed creative 13-piece jazz ensemble, begins its annual summer concert series on the lawn of First Church in Roxbury, Saturday afternoon July 13. The event will feature 2 sets of music by the Makanda Project as well as performances by the Butterfly Project Children's Chorus and poet Vanessa Silva. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Seth Meicht - alto saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Brian Price - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano John Lockwood - bass Thurman Barker - drums

The Makanda Project featuring Ricky Ford - Concert at the Beach

Following a successful event in 2023, The Makanda Project will again begin its summer season of outdoor concerts with an event at DCR Malibu Beach, Dorchester. The setting of Malibu Beach - an often-overlooked public space in our urban midst - blends together with the music to give the event a unique character and appeal. Renowned saxophonist Ricky Ford will be featured guest, and a large portion of the program will consist of a recent suite of compositions he has written based on poems by Langston Hughes, with various community members reading the poems inside the music. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Sean Berry - alto saxophone Ricky Ford - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet James Zollar - trumpet Sarah Uyar - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Sarah Politz - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Thurman Barker - drums

DCR Malibu Beach

The Makanda Project featuring Craig Harris

Acclaimed trombonist Craig Harris - known for, among other things, his work with bandleaders such as Sun Ra and David Murray, his own extensive list of interdisciplinary multimedia projects, and his recent work on the film score to Judas and the Black Messiah - will join Boston's Makanda Project for a program featuring his compositions along with compositions by Makanda Ken McIntyre. His collaborations with the Makanda Project are especially meaningful, as he was mentored by Dr. McIntyre and is considered the most illustrious among his former students. For this free event there are two shows, at 7:00 and 8:30, and reservations are recommended. For reservations email <a href="mailto:jsnjk@verizon.net" target="_blank">jsnjk@verizon.net</a>, and specify which show and how many people. Seats remain for 8:30 show only. Craig Harris - trombone, conductor Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Seth Meicht - alto saxophone Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums

The Makanda Project at the Roxbury Library

(Seats remain for 8:30 show only. Reservations are recommended; for reservations, email <a href="mailto:jsnjk@verizon.net" target="_blank">jsnjk@verizon.net</a> and specify which show and how many people.) The Makanda Project, a creative big band featuring several of Boston's leading jazz musicians, has been performing free concerts at the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library since 2008. Most of the concerts feature renowned guest artists and highlight the guests' work. Once a year, the group performs at the Library without a guest, featuring solos by the group members and the results of its continued efforts to explore the music of Makanda Ken McIntyre (1931-2001). Makanda Ken McIntyre was a Boston native and a significant yet under-appreciated jazz innovator. In addition to the 75 original compositions that he recorded, he wrote an additional 350, most of which had not been heard in public at the time of his passing. The Makanda Project was formed to explore this music and bring it to public attention. After nearly two decades, the musicians' appreciation for the depth and beauty of Dr. McIntyre's compositions has only grown, and the group continues to add new pieces to the repertoire. The April 6 concert will include two newly-arranged pieces that have never been heard in public, along with others the group has only recently begun playing. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Nick Brust - alto saxophone, flute Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums Bithyah Israel - cello Alexia Martinez - cello Jahsias Rivers - cello Rhea Gibson - cello

The Makanda Project featuring Charles Tolliver

One of the great trumpeters, bandleaders, and composer/arrangers in modern jazz history, Charles Tolliver, will be joining the Makanda Project for their first concert of 2024. The program will include some of his glorious big band compositions and arrangements. Space is limited so reservations are recommended. To make reservations email <a href="mailto:jsnjk@verizon.net" target="_blank">jsnjk@verizon.net</a> and specify which show and how many people. Charles Tolliver - trumpet, conductor Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Lee Odom - alto saxophone, flute, clarinet Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun -tenor saxophone, flute Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Mike Peipman - trumpet Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Sarah Uyar - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Sarah Politz - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums

Back by popular demand, the extraordinary Chicago-based vocalist Dee Alexander returns to Boston to again perform with the Makanda Project at the Roxbury Library. She is a musician who covers a great deal of territory, from delivering songs with lyrics to scat soloing to blending the voice into horn ensemble passages to free improvisation. The concert will feature her original compositions, and she will add her voice to the group's arrangements of pieces by Makanda Ken McIntyre as well. Seats remain for the 8:30 show (second show). Reservations are recommended. For reservations, email <a href="mailto:jsnjk@verizon.net" target="_blank">jsnjk@verizon.net</a> and specify which show and how many people. The Makanda Project is considered one of the leading large jazz ensembles in Boston, and includes several of the area's more renowned jazz musicians. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Lee Odom - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone Dee Alexander - voice John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums City Strings United - cellos

The Makanda Project Multiple Percussion Edition

The Makanda Project begins its fall 2024 series of indoor concerts with a special configuration featuring three master drummer/percussionists: Yoron Israel, Warren Smith, and Thurman Barker. Collectively, they play all forms of percussion along with the drum set, and draw from a wealth of experience, including Mr. Smith's time in the historic percussion ensembles of Max Roach (M'Boom) and Tony Williams (Lifetime). The concert will feature pieces from the Makanda Project's repertoire, rearranged for the three-percussionist lineup. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet James Zollar - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums Warren Smith - drums Thurman Barker - drums

Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building

Boston's acclaimed big band, The Makanda Project, continues its annual series of summer concerts under the shade trees on the lawn of First Church in Roxbury. The group's usual lineup will be augmented by South African vocalist Naledi Masilo, and South African jazz compositions will be included in the repertoire along with compositions by Makanda Ken McIntyre. There will also be poetry reading at intermission. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Henry Cook - alto saxophone, flute Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Sarah Politz - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone Naledi Masilo - voice John Kordalewski - piano Wes Brown - bass Yoron Israel - drums

The Makanda Project summer concert

The Makanda Project's popular series of summer concerts in John Eliot Square, Roxbury, now in its 18th year, kicks off on Saturday, July 15. For this concert, the acclaimed jazz orchestra will include a cello section representing City Strings United, in addition to its usual 13 members. The group will perform several selections from its repertoire of Makanda Ken McIntyre compositions, as well as pieces by Chico Freeman and Ndikho Xaba. Renowned poet Askia Toure will read from his work at intermission. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Lee Odom - alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Seth Meicht - tenor saxophone Allan Chase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Warren Smith - drums Daniel Chouinard - cello Bithyah Israel - cello Alexi Martinez - cello Rhea Gibson - cello Askia Toure - poetry

Free Jazz Concert at DCR Malibu Beach in Boston | The Makanda Project 

The Makanda Project's first 2024 summer jazz concert will take place in a unique location: DCR Malibu Beach in Dorchester. The event will utilize one of Boston's more attractive as well as lesser known public spaces, for an artistic experience enhanced by the environment in which it takes place. The afternoon will also include segments led by Black Cotton Club, a Dorchester-based organization that creates participatory, improvised arts experiences. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Sarah Politz - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums Musicians and poets of Black Cotton Club

Boston's acclaimed 13-piece jazz ensemble, The Makanda Project, presents a program of compositions by Makanda Ken McIntyre (1931-2001), the brilliant, Boston-born multi-instrumentalist for whom the group is named. The program will include two pieces never previously heard in public. There will be two shows, at 7:00 and 8:30 pm. Reservations are recommended: to reserve seats, email <a href="mailto:jsnjk@verizon.net">jsnjk@verizon.net</a>, and indicate which show and how many people. The Makanda Project's free concerts at the Roxbury Library have developed a reputation for both the quality of the music and the community-based atmosphere that adds to the experience. Kurtis Rivers - alto saxophone Sean Berry - tenor saxophone Temidayo Balogun - tenor saxophone Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone Jerry Sabatini - trumpet Haneef Nelson - trumpet Alfred Patterson - trombone Richard Harper - trombone Bill Lowe - bass trombone John Kordalewski - piano Avery Sharpe - bass Yoron Israel - drums

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Best of 💫

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added to Joyraft

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Discover kid-friendly fun in Boston, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas! Enjoy hands-on exhibits at the Boston Children’s Museum, explore the New England Aquarium, and visit the Franklin Park Zoo. Find parks, playgrounds, and seasonal events perfect for families across Massachusetts.

Top 20 kid-friendly things to do in Boston, MA

Kid-friendly things to do in Boston

Kid-friendly events

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.