NEPM presents Jesus Aguaje Ramos & His Buena Vista Orchestra
The Academy of Music
Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m.
The Buena Vista Social Orchestra, under the direction of Jesus Aguaje Ramos and featuring key players from throughout the history of The Buena Vista Social Club, continues the legacy of the Buena Vista Social Club with an exciting new stage production featuriing repertoire pulled from the greatest hits (many of which Ramos composed) and deep-dive cuts. Ramos is joined by an all star ensemble including original BVSC members “Betun” Luis Mariano Valiente Marin (Congas, Bongo), Emilio Senon Morales Ruiz (Piano) and Fabían Garcia (Bass).
Primary Trust
Barrington Stage, Pittsfield
Wednesday, Sept. 18 – Sunday, Oct. 13
Kenneth, a 38-year-old bookstore worker, spends his evenings sipping mai tais at the local tiki bar with his best friend Bert. Unexpectedly shaken from his life of routine, Kenneth finally faces challenges he has long avoided—with transformative results. A funny and touching story of new beginnings, new friends, and the courage to see the world for the first time, this play won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for drama.
Art + Music: Voice of the Whale
Bezanson Recital Hall, UMass
Thursday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
Super interesting! A UMass faculty chamber music concert curated by Ayano Kataoka and Steven Beck, inspired by the exhibition "Breach: Logbook 24 | Staccato" by Courtney M. Leonard at the University Museum of Contemporary Art. The program includes music by George Crumb: Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale), Toru Takemitsu: Towards the Sea, Russell Wharton: Phylogenesis, Angelica Negron: Espacios, objetos, sonidos y tiempo and Luigi Nono: ...sofferte onde serene...
Avery Sharpe Celebrates Sojourner Truth
Mechanics Hall, Worcester
Thursday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Celebrated bassist, composer and NEPM Jazz à la Mode host Avery Sharpe will deliver a performance of his music album Sojourner Truth—‘ain’t I a woman,’ inspired by and based on Truth’s incredible life story. Joining Avery Sharpe are Zaccai Curtis on piano, Jonathan Barber on drums, Charles Langford on saxophones, and Haneef Nelson on trumpet. Vocalist Maya Sharpe’s powerful voice is a fitting companion to Truth’s powerful words.
FreshGrass Festival
MASS MoCA, North Adams
Friday, Sept. 20 – Sunday, Sept. 21
FreshGrass features roots music traditionalists and innovators on four stages and platforms throughout MASS MoCA’s 16-acre campus. Festival programming also includes FreshScores, a silent film with original live music; FreshGrass commissions and world premieres; instrument and industry workshops; pop-up performances and retail; and local Berkshire food and spirits vendors. Headliners this year include Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Shakey Graves, and The Devil Makes Three.
Kimaya Diggs with Avery Joi
Iron Horse, Northampton
Friday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.
Kimaya Diggs is a beloved local music, who make soul music with R&B roots and an indie rock backbone. Merry-Go-Round magazine said: "You can call her 12 shades of charismatic and vivacious, and none of them really explain the magical mix of talent, passion, and showmanship that Diggs exemplifies…we should be simply overjoyed that there’s still such magic in the world.” Avery Joi, also a vocalist from western Mass., specializes in jazz, neo-soul, funk, and R&B.
Smith College Department of Theatre presents Tidepools
Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre, Smith College
Friday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Tidepools is the story of one woman’s journey away from the shore and back. The performance takes the audience for a ride in the waves with the story of finding and living love only to be caught in an undertow of loss and grief eventually drifting back onto the shore in a tidepool of realized joy. It is written and performed by Francesca Sobrer, Smith College ’85 and directed by Sue Clement ’79. The play is free and open to the public, no reservations required.
Massachusetts Cheese Festival
High Lawn Farm, Lee
Saturday, Sept. 21 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Award-winning artisan cheesemakers will sample and discuss their products and dozens of pairing partners will showcase culinary products to accompany all that wonderful local cheese. Local chefs and cheesemakers will offer workshops and demonstrations throughout the day. You can taste wines from two of New England's best wineries and learn about the craft of cheesemaking at an educational session with local cheese experts.
Berkshire Bach Society Harpsichord Festival: Peter Sykes
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Stockbridge
Saturday, Sept. 21 at 4 p.m.
Peter Sykes is a core faculty member and principal instructor of harpsichord at the Historical Performance Department at Juilliard, a member of the organ and harpsichord faculty at the University of Michigan, and teaches organ and harpsichord at BU. He performs extensively in recital and has made ten solo recordings of organ, harpsichord and clavichord repertoire. The concert, his first solo harpsichord recital for Berkshire Bach, will include works by Couperin, Sweelinck, J.S. Bach and Nicola Canzano.
Ware It’s At!
Workshop13 Cultural Arts and Learning Center, Ware
Saturday, Sept. 21 – Sunday, Oct. 27
Ware It’s At! is a new exhibition that highlights paintings, drawings, and photographs by area artists that feature the people, places, and events that make Ware, Massachusetts, uniquely itself. These works are paired with a display of art pieces by the late Ware artist and teacher Elizabeth Howe Lincoln.
Fall Folk Traditions: Zikina
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, Hadley
Sunday, Sept. 22 at 3 p.m.
Zikina is a rock jazz fusion group that draws on West African musical traditions and instruments. They combine Ugandan folk music with contemporary influences, weaving together traditional East African vocals and instruments including enanga, adungu, and kalimba to build a sonic landscape that flows seamlessly from intense grooves to joyous dance beats to dreamy textures.
Aaron Tan, organ
Brick Church, Deerfield
Sunday, Sept. 22 at 3 p.m.
The Brick Church Music Series in Deerfield opens its 2024-2025 season this week with a recital on their magnificent organ by Aaron Tan. Winner of the 2021 Canadian International Organ competition, and the 2018 American Guild of Organists National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance, Aaron Tan is one of North America’s leading young artists.
Peter Blanchette with Éilís Kennedy and Charlotte Collins
Bombyx, Florence
Sunday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.
Peter Blanchette, renowned for his innovative 11-string archguitar work, and acclaimed Irish singer Éilís Kennedy create a captivating fusion of sound, matching Blanchette’s unique archguitar arrangements with Kennedy’s traditional Irish “gan tionlacan” (unaccompanied) songs. The duo will be joined by local violinist/violist and BOMBYX regular, Charlotte Collins.
Tell It Slant Poetry Festival 2024
Emily Dickinson Museum, Amherst
Monday, Sept. 23 – Sunday, Sept. 29
The annual Tell It Slant Poetry Festival is an event with international reach that celebrates Emily Dickinson’s poetic legacy from the place she called home. This year's line-up features a garden party and reading with 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Phillips, an online reading with 2022 Pulitzer Prize winner Diane Seuss, a musical performance by the Wilde Irish Women, generative writing workshops, an open mic reading at the Dickinson Homestead, panel discussions and more. The cornerstone of the Festival, is a communal reading of all 1,789 of Emily Dickinson’s poems over the course of 7 days.
Mike’s Maze
Warner Farm, Sunderland
Open Fridays – Sundays and Columbus Day through Nov. 3
An example of how time flies: Mikes Maze has been happening for over 20 years! This year’s a-mazing theme is the circus. The huge cornfield along the banks of the Connecticut River has been transformed into an 8-acre circus-themed corn-ival! In addition to your chance to explore the maze, you can check out the “Camera Obscura,” visit the petting zoo, grab delicious food, and more.