Right Now In The 8495: HONK!, Hope and More
Somerville’s activist brass festival, Springfield’s new venue highlight the latest
Brass bands from all over the country, including Chicago’s Clamor and Lace Noise Brigade, will make the streets of Somerville, MA a party with a purpose at the 20th HONK! festival, Thursday through Sunday (photo courtesy HONK!)
I look at the political headlines and it ain’t pretty. As Bobby Zimmerman told us so succinctly many years ago, though, you don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. The stokers of the engines of division and disdain think they have the upper hand right about now; well, we’ll see about that, eventually.
On the other hand, the music of protest and the music of solidarity have always had a way of creating a joyous mass, do they not? And one of the hallmark events of the progressive street band movement, the annual HONK! Festival, is coming to the Boston metro Thursday through next Sunday – and this year marks the festival’s 20th iteration.
Thirty-one bands from all over the country will be coming in to make the streets and squares of Somerville and Cambridge a danceable feast of “activist brass.”
The festival starts Thursday with the HONK! U conference: “Twenty years ago, the first HONK! Festival was held in Davis Square in Somerville, as a celebratory public dissent,” festival organizers said in announcing the program. “Today, street music, as practiced by brass bands to promote community-building, art, and activism, is more important than ever. The 2025 HONK! U Conference will include presentations, panel discussions, conversations, and workshops addressing the development and expansion of HONK! as a world-wide grassroots phenomenon.”
Then, Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons, there’s music all over, art, a parade from Davis Square in Somerville to Harvard Square – wow. The festival web site is really comprehensive and you should have no trouble figuring out when and where stuff is happening.
It’s all free and open to the public. If you’re nearby, try to go. And then try to tell me you won’t come away from it feeling a little better about things, if even for a little while.
Hope Springs in Springfield
Speaking of building community, The Hope Center for the Arts is Springfield, MA’s new creative campus, intended to serve the city’s youth with arts instruction and opportunities. Oh, and a 500-seat performance venue that makes the usual “state-of-the-art” sound like a tinny AM car radio – and a very impressive lineup of professional artists coming through. 8495Jazz will have more information on the region’s latest jewel in coming weeks. Tonight’s visit from the venerable BEATrio (Bela Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, and Antonio Sánchez) is this week’s Wild Card Gig of the Week if you’re tired of watching football. Or don’t like football to begin with.
Litchfield Talent Search Reg Is Open!
If you know a talented jazz musician aged 13-17 (or are a talented jazz musician aged 13-17), registration for Litchfield Jazz Camp’s annual talent search is now open.
The search will be held Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the Litchfield Community Center. Open to students ages 13–17 on all instruments and vocals, the competition gives young musicians the chance to win scholarships to Litchfield Jazz Camp 2026 at the Frederick Gunn School in Washington, CT.
The deadline for submitting video audition materials is Jan. 9. Full registration information is available here.
Participation in the Talent Search does not preclude students from applying for additional need-based scholarships to Litchfield Jazz Camp.
Blowcomotion brings some Austin Weird to Somerville, Ma at last year’s HONK! festival. The annual gathering of activist brass bands happens Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 12.
Out and About with 8495Jazz
These listings are a curated sampling of shows in the region. As an independent resource for jazz news, 8495Jazz does not receive any consideration, free tickets, or affiliate fees for these listings. Please confirm events are still happening directly with the venue.
We are slightly tweaking the gigs listings; we’ll now go out to the Sunday following publication. That will give you a full week instead of a couple hours to ponder whether you would like to go listen to some fine music.
8495Jazz Wild Card Gig of the Week
Hope Center for the Arts, Springfield, MA
BEATrio (Bela Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez), today, 7 pm. $70-$110 plus service fee.
8495Jazz Spur of the Moment Gig TODAY
Atlantic Resort/Wyndham Hotel, Newport, RI
Mac Chrupcala Jazz Series feat. Nick Finzer (trombone, combo), 3 pm. Free.
Other Shows This Week
Groton Hill Music Center, Groton, MA
Gregory Groover Quartet (saxophone, combo), Old Knew album release show, Friday, Oct. 10, 8 pm. GA $35-$45 including service fees. The entire 8495Jazz staff traveled to the center for the first time last weekend to see Hiromi’s Sonicwonder. From the southwest edge of the 8495 it’s a bit of a drive (2.5 hours), but it’s well worth the visit. Acoustics to die for and aesthetics that simultaneously inspire and soothe.
VFW Post 399, Westport, CT
Brian Torff Group (bass, guitar, harmonica, combo), Thursday, Oct. 9, 7:30 and 8:35 pm. GA $10.76-$20.76, student/vets $15.76 for 7:30 show.
Firehouse 12, New Haven, CT
nu music (eclectic combo), Friday, Oct. 10, 8:30 and 10 pm. GA $20 for 8:30 show, $15 for 10 pm show.
The Falcon, Marlboro, NY
Analog Jazz Orchestra featuring Ed Neumeister (trombone, combo), today, 7:30 pm. Free ($30 suggested donation).
Jazz Forum Arts, Tarrytown, NY
Cyrus Chesnut Trio (piano, combo), Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11, 7 and 9:30 pm. GA $43, child/student $37.75 including service fee.
The Side Door, Old Lyme, CT
Mike LeDonne’s Groover Quartet (organ, combo), Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11, 8 pm. GA $59.75, students $27.98 including service fee.
The Local at Parkville Market, Hartford, CT
Nat Reeves MNM Trio (bass, combo), Monday, Oct. 6, 6:30 pm. Free. Jam session follows.
Regattabar, Boston, MA
Benny Benack III (trumpet, combo), Friday, Oct. 10, 7:30 pm. GA $41.79, students $30.15 including service fee.
von der mehden Recital Hall, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Eric Reed, (piano), Friday, Oct. 10, 8 pm. $15.
Arch Street Tavern, Hartford, CT
SkyLab/Up On The Downbeat (jazz/funk/fusion), Thursday, Oct. 9, 9 pm. $19.45 including service fee advance, $15 at the door.
Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT
Instantiations (combo improvisation), Sunday, Oct. 12, 2:30 pm. GA $16.50 including service fee.
Jams
Cafe Nine, New Haven CT
New Haven Jazz Underground jam, usually 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month: free admission
(Note: October NHVJU jams will be at The Cannon, 135 Dwight St.)
Saturday jazz jam most Saturdays, 4 pm. Free.
Blackeyed Sally’s, Hartford, CT
Jazz Wednesdays, featured set 7 pm, jam session afterward.
Carmine’s, East Hartford, CT
Paisley’s All Star Memorial Jam, 3rd Tuesday of the month, 7:30 pm. House band set followed by jam. Free.
Mahoney’s, Poughkeepsie, NY
Poughkeepsie Jazz Project, every Tuesday, 7 pm. Free.
Park City Music Hall, Bridgeport, CT (event premiere)
Scott Cushman and Friends followed by jam, first Wednesday of the month.
Jazz Societies and Organizations (great info on events, festivals, and more)
Jazz Society of Fairfield County
Jazz Fridays at Three Sheets New Haven 1st/3rd Fridays from 6-9pm
Jazz Thursdays at The Cannon New Haven every other Thurs from 7-9pm.
8495Jazz takes its name from the two Interstate highways that cross our region, I-84 and I-95. Within short driving distances from either, you can find incredible entertainment, from local jams to world-famous festivals in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. 8495Jazz: From Newburgh to Newport!
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