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DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240817T181611Z
UID:10000583-1725112800-1725123600@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \n  \nCANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER: Saturday\, August 3\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern Trio: Peggy Stern\, Maryann McSweeney\, and Conor Meehan \n  \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 10\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Charlie Tokarz and Paul Arslanian \nCharlie Tokarz plays saxophone\, flute\, and clarinet. He has worked as an accompanist for modern dance at the Institute For Contemporary in Boston\, Contact Improvisation in New England\, and for The American Tap Dance Foundation in New York directly as a result of being introduced to the group by Paul Arslanian. He has played in the pit band for musicals for local theatre groups\, high schools\, the Colonial Theatre\, and Arena Stage in Washington\, DC. He continues to freelance with various jazz groups and teaches primarily at Hotchkiss School. \nPaul Arslanian has been playing professionally since 1970\, first in the San Francisco Bay Area as a freelance jazz pianist\, bandleader\, composer and dance accompanist and then\, since 1984\, in New England where he now resides. \nPaul was a Senior Lecturer in Dance at UMass\, Amherst from 1999-2018 until retiring\, teaching “Music for Dancers” and accompanying classes in ballet\, modern and tap dance. From 2010 to the present\, Paul has been pianist with the Green Street Trio and coordinator of the Northampton Jazz Workshop\, a weekly concert and jam session series. He has been a producer for the Northampton Jazz Festival\, in Northampton\, MA\, since 2015. \nThroughout his long career\, Paul has had the opportunity to play with\, and learn from\, many great jazz artists such as Pharoah Sanders\, Houston Person\, Freddie Hubbard and Gary Smulyan and with many vocalists including Karrin Allyson\, Rebecca Parris\, and Giacomo Gates. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 17\, 2 to 5 pm: Katherine Winston in Persip Park \nFrom the rolling hills of New England\, Katherine Winston is a Singer/Songwriter whose music is a blend of country\, folk/rock\, and pop. Inspired by musical icons like Stevie Nicks\, Brandi Carlile\, and Dolly Parton\, Katherine’s powerhouse vocals and raw emotional power have captivated audiences all over the country and beyond. \nKatherine’s deeply relatable songwriting explores the intricate layers of human emotion and experience. Her live shows are a testament to her ability to connect with audiences on a profound level\, leaving fans spellbound with each heartfelt lyric and impassioned melody. https://katherinewinston.com \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 24\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with The Lucky 3 \nThe Lucky 3 is a slimmed down version of the quintet ’The Lucky 5’.  While a smaller outfit than their mainstay band\, the trio has more room to explore the music all the while maintaining their signature swing. Consisting of Jonathan Talbott on violin\, Matt Downing on bass\, and Kip Beacco on guitar\, The Lucky 3 plays everything from old hot jazz and swing to Parisian gypsy jazz and eastern European styles. The trio runs the gamut of the sounds their quintet is known for in the region and beyond. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 31\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Luke Franco \nGuitarist Luke Franco purveys the rich tradition of jazz guitar by gleaning from the masters\, both past and present. Formative years spent with John Abercrombie—his main influence and one of the great guitar innovators—led Franco to develop his own style and compositional voice. While pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Miami\, he was Teachers Assistant in John Hart’s talented and ambitious guitar studio\, and performed as a featured soloist with the award winning Concert Jazz Band led by Grammy winner Jon Daversa alongside guest artists including Gonzalo Rubalacaba and Alan Ferber. He was featured as lead guitarist at the world premiere of Michael Tilson Thomas’s “Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind” along with the New World Symphony in 2016. Presently\, Franco has been performing in the Berkshires\, Hudson Valley\, and NY Capital Region presenting his own music both as a leader and as an in-demand sideman\, notably in trio with Tarik Shah and Jimmy Madison. As a counterpoint to his musical career\, he and his wife founded Tiny Hearts Farm in Copake\, NY in 2011 and manage the 35-acre farm with their two young boys\, growing cut flowers and playing music at the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, September 7\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern – piano\nPaul Ostermayer – sax\nDave Christopolis – bass \nPeggy Stern has composed\, played\, recorded\, and toured in a wide variety of situations: from solos to octets to jazz choruses. Her compositions range from highly original pieces to reharmonized jazz standards. “Everything she writes wants to dance\,” says Ken Dais of Jazziz. \nPeggy’s background would account for her varied musical tastes. She began playing classical piano at an early age\, continuing her studies at the Eastman School of Music\, and finishing a master’s degree\, still in Classical music\, at the New England Conservatory. And then she began to improvise. While living in San Francisco\, she played in salsa bands\, notably Azteca and Supercombo with Benny Vallarde. She did a stint in an R&B band (called Cat’s Cradle) with singer Linda Tillery and was “instructed” by Paul Jackson (bass) and Mike Clark (drums) of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunter band. \nSubsequently\, Peggy moved to New York\, absorbing the piano stylings of the greats\, such as Jimmy Rowles and Tommy Flanagan. Peggy has worked and toured with many wonderful musicians: Lee Konitz\, Diane Schuur\, David “Fathead” Newman\, Jay Clayton\, Gary Peacock\, Gene Bertoncini\, Bud Shank\, Red Holloway\, Thomas Chapin\, Machito\, Puck Fair\, Bobby Shew\, Stanley Turrentine\, Gerry Mulligan\, Eddie Henderson\, and Emily Remler\, to name a few. \nPeggy has toured throughout Europe\, the US\, Canada\, Australia\, and Japan. In addition\, Peggy has worked as an educator for the past 20 years\, at colleges in the US. She has given workshops throughout Europe (Switzerland\, Sweden\, Denmark\, Italy)\, and the US. peggystern.com \n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free-2/2024-08-31/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240830T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240830T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240805T141409Z
UID:10000573-1725037200-1725048000@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:The Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \nFriday\, July 26\, 5 to 8 pm: Moe Greene in Persip Park \nMoe Greene is a singer songwriter from the Upper Hudson Valley who performs original material along with tasteful interpretation of blues\, Americana\, and rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 2\, 5 to 8 pm: First Fridays at Five in Persip Park with the Wandering Dance Society: Swing Dance with Rushelle Bowie and Step & Dance with Youth Alive \nPersip Park\, 175 North Street\, will feature interactive performances presented by the Wandering Dance Society as part of the August 2 First Fridays at Five and the free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series. Dancers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate throughout the evening. \nEast Coast Swing Lesson with Rushelle Bowie: 5 to 6:15 pm\nStep\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive: 6:30 to 8 pm\nFeaturing guests: R.O.P.E. member Abby Percy and James Ryan \nRushelle Bowie will be teaching a basic lesson in East Coast Swing from 5 to 6:15 pm. East Coast Swing is a fun\, upbeat dance guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. The lesson will be followed by a short demo and open dancing. \nRushelle has been sharing her passion for dancing for over 15 years\, offering group and private lessons in East Coast Swing\, Rumba\, Cha-Cha\, Foxtrot\, and Waltz. She also provides personalized dance instruction for weddings\, parties\, and other special events. Her dance studio is located in Dalton\, MA\, where it is always ‘Time to Dance’. \nThere will be a performance of Step\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive from 6:30 to 8 pm. Youth Alive\, Inc. (YA) is a multi-cultural\, community-based organization founded in 1995 by two teenagers\, Akilah Edgerton and Erica Young\, in Pittsfield\, MA. The purpose of YA is to teach life skills to youth aged six to eighteen using performance arts as the teaching vehicle. YA performs at major cultural institutions such as Jacob’s Pillow\, MASS MoCA\, and Williams College\, and YA has performed and been recognized at the Massachusetts State House for their impact. YA has impacted hundreds of young people’s lives in the Berkshires\, who are now contributing adult citizens – some in key leadership positions locally and beyond. The New Era of YA steppers\, dancers\, and drummers are being coached by YA phenomenal alumnus: Step Coach Chyenne VanBramer\, Dance Coach Serina Saunders\, and Musical Director\, Percussionist and Spoken Word Artist Jerome Edgerton Jr. \nIn the case of inclement weather\, the Wandering Dance Society performances will be at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts\, 28 Renne Avenue. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 9\, 5 to 8 pm: Dave Brown in Persip Park \nPittsfield native Dave Brown has been performing for decades\, both backing up and leading bands of all different types in the Berkshires and beyond. He’ll be performing his solo set at Persip Park consisting of primarily classic rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 16\, 5 to 8 pm: The Whinin’ Boys in Persip Park \nThe Whinin’ Boys\, featuring Jeff Gonzales and Mike Mercier\, are a finger picking blues based acoustic duo who perform The Music of Hot Tuna along with blues\, folk and rock covers from the 60’s and 70’s. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 23\, 5 to 8 pm: DJ Young Champ in Persip Park \nNew Jersey born and raised in Pittsfield\, Massachusetts\, DJ Champ has been lighting up the dance floor since 2008 – doing everything from celebrity events to the smallest of venues. He is the founder of Young Champ Foundation which helps the community with back-to-school supplies and Christmas gifts as well as providing mentoring for our youth. There’s nothing DJ Champ hasn’t touched in Berkshire County. One thing you can be sure of is that when he is around the vibe with be great! \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 30\, 5 to 8 pm: Christine Bilé with full band in Persip Park \nChristine Bilé is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Pittsfield\, MA\, known for her acoustic pop-folk original music and covers. Influenced by artists like John Mayer\, Tracy Chapman\, and Beyoncé\, Christine’s performances are captivating and emotionally engaging\, featuring her wide vocal range and skills on guitar and ukulele. Her music is designed to empower\, make you smile\, laugh\, groove\, and maybe even cry. Christine will be playing at the Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on August 30th with a full band including Tony Berkley (Guitar)\, Zen Reinhardt (Bass)\, and John Harris (Drums). \n  \n  \nFriday\, September 6\, 5 to 8 pm: Housie Shakers in Persip Park (First Fridays at Five) \n\nWhile the Housie Shakers are a new band on the Berkshire music scene\, its members have deep local roots and have been playing music in the area for decades. All four members grew up in the Berkshires\, and after various adventures living around the country and the world\, returned here to raise their families. Having played together informally for various short-term projects in recent years\, they decided the time was ripe to solidify the lineup and start playing out more. \nThe Housie Shakers bring a variety of styles to the mix\, with wide-ranging covers and original music spanning rock\, blues\, pop\, bluegrass\, reggae\, Americana\, and improvisational groove. They don’t take themselves too seriously and have no ambitions to go on the road (as if the 12 kids they have collectively would make that possible anyway)… they’re just out to play local gigs and give people a chance to hang out\, let loose\, dance\, and have a good time! The band’s name is a nod to their home community and the people and places that have shaped their musical journeys. \nThe Housie Shakers are Simeon Bittman (drums & vocals)\, Noah Cook-Dubin (guitar\, cavaquinho & vocals)\, Jonathan Denmark (guitar & vocals)\, and Colin Ovitsky (bass). \n\n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free/2024-08-30/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240829T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240829T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T161909Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240719T161909Z
UID:10000597-1724950800-1724961600@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Jazz Duo in Persip Park: JoAnne Redding with Benny Kohn on keys
DESCRIPTION:JoAnne Redding is an emotive singer who has performed on stages from New Orleans to New England\, sharing the bill with major acts including The Mavericks\, Asleep at the Wheel\, and many others along the way. She’s written songs that have aired on TV\, in film\, and on the radio\, and stream worldwide. \nBenny “Fingers” Kohn is undeniably the most sought-after piano player in the Berkshires and beyond. His impressive skills on the black and whites\, his keen musical sensibilities\, and his occasional comic shenanigans make for non-stop entertainment. \nJoining forces\, JoAnne Redding and Benny Kohn will present a diverse and plentiful mix of swingin’ jazz with a touch of smokey blues and soul-infused retro-pop! \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather.
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/jazz-duo-in-persip-park-joanne-redding-with-benny-kohn-on-keys/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/8-29-Jazz-Duo-in-Persip-Park-JoAnne-Redding-and-Benny-Kohn-Downtown-Pittsfield-Summer-Music-Series.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240824T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240824T170000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240817T181611Z
UID:10000582-1724508000-1724518800@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \n  \nCANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER: Saturday\, August 3\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern Trio: Peggy Stern\, Maryann McSweeney\, and Conor Meehan \n  \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 10\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Charlie Tokarz and Paul Arslanian \nCharlie Tokarz plays saxophone\, flute\, and clarinet. He has worked as an accompanist for modern dance at the Institute For Contemporary in Boston\, Contact Improvisation in New England\, and for The American Tap Dance Foundation in New York directly as a result of being introduced to the group by Paul Arslanian. He has played in the pit band for musicals for local theatre groups\, high schools\, the Colonial Theatre\, and Arena Stage in Washington\, DC. He continues to freelance with various jazz groups and teaches primarily at Hotchkiss School. \nPaul Arslanian has been playing professionally since 1970\, first in the San Francisco Bay Area as a freelance jazz pianist\, bandleader\, composer and dance accompanist and then\, since 1984\, in New England where he now resides. \nPaul was a Senior Lecturer in Dance at UMass\, Amherst from 1999-2018 until retiring\, teaching “Music for Dancers” and accompanying classes in ballet\, modern and tap dance. From 2010 to the present\, Paul has been pianist with the Green Street Trio and coordinator of the Northampton Jazz Workshop\, a weekly concert and jam session series. He has been a producer for the Northampton Jazz Festival\, in Northampton\, MA\, since 2015. \nThroughout his long career\, Paul has had the opportunity to play with\, and learn from\, many great jazz artists such as Pharoah Sanders\, Houston Person\, Freddie Hubbard and Gary Smulyan and with many vocalists including Karrin Allyson\, Rebecca Parris\, and Giacomo Gates. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 17\, 2 to 5 pm: Katherine Winston in Persip Park \nFrom the rolling hills of New England\, Katherine Winston is a Singer/Songwriter whose music is a blend of country\, folk/rock\, and pop. Inspired by musical icons like Stevie Nicks\, Brandi Carlile\, and Dolly Parton\, Katherine’s powerhouse vocals and raw emotional power have captivated audiences all over the country and beyond. \nKatherine’s deeply relatable songwriting explores the intricate layers of human emotion and experience. Her live shows are a testament to her ability to connect with audiences on a profound level\, leaving fans spellbound with each heartfelt lyric and impassioned melody. https://katherinewinston.com \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 24\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with The Lucky 3 \nThe Lucky 3 is a slimmed down version of the quintet ’The Lucky 5’.  While a smaller outfit than their mainstay band\, the trio has more room to explore the music all the while maintaining their signature swing. Consisting of Jonathan Talbott on violin\, Matt Downing on bass\, and Kip Beacco on guitar\, The Lucky 3 plays everything from old hot jazz and swing to Parisian gypsy jazz and eastern European styles. The trio runs the gamut of the sounds their quintet is known for in the region and beyond. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 31\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Luke Franco \nGuitarist Luke Franco purveys the rich tradition of jazz guitar by gleaning from the masters\, both past and present. Formative years spent with John Abercrombie—his main influence and one of the great guitar innovators—led Franco to develop his own style and compositional voice. While pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Miami\, he was Teachers Assistant in John Hart’s talented and ambitious guitar studio\, and performed as a featured soloist with the award winning Concert Jazz Band led by Grammy winner Jon Daversa alongside guest artists including Gonzalo Rubalacaba and Alan Ferber. He was featured as lead guitarist at the world premiere of Michael Tilson Thomas’s “Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind” along with the New World Symphony in 2016. Presently\, Franco has been performing in the Berkshires\, Hudson Valley\, and NY Capital Region presenting his own music both as a leader and as an in-demand sideman\, notably in trio with Tarik Shah and Jimmy Madison. As a counterpoint to his musical career\, he and his wife founded Tiny Hearts Farm in Copake\, NY in 2011 and manage the 35-acre farm with their two young boys\, growing cut flowers and playing music at the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, September 7\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern – piano\nPaul Ostermayer – sax\nDave Christopolis – bass \nPeggy Stern has composed\, played\, recorded\, and toured in a wide variety of situations: from solos to octets to jazz choruses. Her compositions range from highly original pieces to reharmonized jazz standards. “Everything she writes wants to dance\,” says Ken Dais of Jazziz. \nPeggy’s background would account for her varied musical tastes. She began playing classical piano at an early age\, continuing her studies at the Eastman School of Music\, and finishing a master’s degree\, still in Classical music\, at the New England Conservatory. And then she began to improvise. While living in San Francisco\, she played in salsa bands\, notably Azteca and Supercombo with Benny Vallarde. She did a stint in an R&B band (called Cat’s Cradle) with singer Linda Tillery and was “instructed” by Paul Jackson (bass) and Mike Clark (drums) of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunter band. \nSubsequently\, Peggy moved to New York\, absorbing the piano stylings of the greats\, such as Jimmy Rowles and Tommy Flanagan. Peggy has worked and toured with many wonderful musicians: Lee Konitz\, Diane Schuur\, David “Fathead” Newman\, Jay Clayton\, Gary Peacock\, Gene Bertoncini\, Bud Shank\, Red Holloway\, Thomas Chapin\, Machito\, Puck Fair\, Bobby Shew\, Stanley Turrentine\, Gerry Mulligan\, Eddie Henderson\, and Emily Remler\, to name a few. \nPeggy has toured throughout Europe\, the US\, Canada\, Australia\, and Japan. In addition\, Peggy has worked as an educator for the past 20 years\, at colleges in the US. She has given workshops throughout Europe (Switzerland\, Sweden\, Denmark\, Italy)\, and the US. peggystern.com \n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free-2/2024-08-24/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240823T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240823T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240805T141409Z
UID:10000572-1724432400-1724443200@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:The Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \nFriday\, July 26\, 5 to 8 pm: Moe Greene in Persip Park \nMoe Greene is a singer songwriter from the Upper Hudson Valley who performs original material along with tasteful interpretation of blues\, Americana\, and rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 2\, 5 to 8 pm: First Fridays at Five in Persip Park with the Wandering Dance Society: Swing Dance with Rushelle Bowie and Step & Dance with Youth Alive \nPersip Park\, 175 North Street\, will feature interactive performances presented by the Wandering Dance Society as part of the August 2 First Fridays at Five and the free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series. Dancers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate throughout the evening. \nEast Coast Swing Lesson with Rushelle Bowie: 5 to 6:15 pm\nStep\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive: 6:30 to 8 pm\nFeaturing guests: R.O.P.E. member Abby Percy and James Ryan \nRushelle Bowie will be teaching a basic lesson in East Coast Swing from 5 to 6:15 pm. East Coast Swing is a fun\, upbeat dance guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. The lesson will be followed by a short demo and open dancing. \nRushelle has been sharing her passion for dancing for over 15 years\, offering group and private lessons in East Coast Swing\, Rumba\, Cha-Cha\, Foxtrot\, and Waltz. She also provides personalized dance instruction for weddings\, parties\, and other special events. Her dance studio is located in Dalton\, MA\, where it is always ‘Time to Dance’. \nThere will be a performance of Step\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive from 6:30 to 8 pm. Youth Alive\, Inc. (YA) is a multi-cultural\, community-based organization founded in 1995 by two teenagers\, Akilah Edgerton and Erica Young\, in Pittsfield\, MA. The purpose of YA is to teach life skills to youth aged six to eighteen using performance arts as the teaching vehicle. YA performs at major cultural institutions such as Jacob’s Pillow\, MASS MoCA\, and Williams College\, and YA has performed and been recognized at the Massachusetts State House for their impact. YA has impacted hundreds of young people’s lives in the Berkshires\, who are now contributing adult citizens – some in key leadership positions locally and beyond. The New Era of YA steppers\, dancers\, and drummers are being coached by YA phenomenal alumnus: Step Coach Chyenne VanBramer\, Dance Coach Serina Saunders\, and Musical Director\, Percussionist and Spoken Word Artist Jerome Edgerton Jr. \nIn the case of inclement weather\, the Wandering Dance Society performances will be at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts\, 28 Renne Avenue. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 9\, 5 to 8 pm: Dave Brown in Persip Park \nPittsfield native Dave Brown has been performing for decades\, both backing up and leading bands of all different types in the Berkshires and beyond. He’ll be performing his solo set at Persip Park consisting of primarily classic rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 16\, 5 to 8 pm: The Whinin’ Boys in Persip Park \nThe Whinin’ Boys\, featuring Jeff Gonzales and Mike Mercier\, are a finger picking blues based acoustic duo who perform The Music of Hot Tuna along with blues\, folk and rock covers from the 60’s and 70’s. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 23\, 5 to 8 pm: DJ Young Champ in Persip Park \nNew Jersey born and raised in Pittsfield\, Massachusetts\, DJ Champ has been lighting up the dance floor since 2008 – doing everything from celebrity events to the smallest of venues. He is the founder of Young Champ Foundation which helps the community with back-to-school supplies and Christmas gifts as well as providing mentoring for our youth. There’s nothing DJ Champ hasn’t touched in Berkshire County. One thing you can be sure of is that when he is around the vibe with be great! \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 30\, 5 to 8 pm: Christine Bilé with full band in Persip Park \nChristine Bilé is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Pittsfield\, MA\, known for her acoustic pop-folk original music and covers. Influenced by artists like John Mayer\, Tracy Chapman\, and Beyoncé\, Christine’s performances are captivating and emotionally engaging\, featuring her wide vocal range and skills on guitar and ukulele. Her music is designed to empower\, make you smile\, laugh\, groove\, and maybe even cry. Christine will be playing at the Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on August 30th with a full band including Tony Berkley (Guitar)\, Zen Reinhardt (Bass)\, and John Harris (Drums). \n  \n  \nFriday\, September 6\, 5 to 8 pm: Housie Shakers in Persip Park (First Fridays at Five) \n\nWhile the Housie Shakers are a new band on the Berkshire music scene\, its members have deep local roots and have been playing music in the area for decades. All four members grew up in the Berkshires\, and after various adventures living around the country and the world\, returned here to raise their families. Having played together informally for various short-term projects in recent years\, they decided the time was ripe to solidify the lineup and start playing out more. \nThe Housie Shakers bring a variety of styles to the mix\, with wide-ranging covers and original music spanning rock\, blues\, pop\, bluegrass\, reggae\, Americana\, and improvisational groove. They don’t take themselves too seriously and have no ambitions to go on the road (as if the 12 kids they have collectively would make that possible anyway)… they’re just out to play local gigs and give people a chance to hang out\, let loose\, dance\, and have a good time! The band’s name is a nod to their home community and the people and places that have shaped their musical journeys. \nThe Housie Shakers are Simeon Bittman (drums & vocals)\, Noah Cook-Dubin (guitar\, cavaquinho & vocals)\, Jonathan Denmark (guitar & vocals)\, and Colin Ovitsky (bass). \n\n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free/2024-08-23/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240817T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240817T170000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240817T181611Z
UID:10000581-1723903200-1723914000@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \n  \nCANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER: Saturday\, August 3\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern Trio: Peggy Stern\, Maryann McSweeney\, and Conor Meehan \n  \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 10\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Charlie Tokarz and Paul Arslanian \nCharlie Tokarz plays saxophone\, flute\, and clarinet. He has worked as an accompanist for modern dance at the Institute For Contemporary in Boston\, Contact Improvisation in New England\, and for The American Tap Dance Foundation in New York directly as a result of being introduced to the group by Paul Arslanian. He has played in the pit band for musicals for local theatre groups\, high schools\, the Colonial Theatre\, and Arena Stage in Washington\, DC. He continues to freelance with various jazz groups and teaches primarily at Hotchkiss School. \nPaul Arslanian has been playing professionally since 1970\, first in the San Francisco Bay Area as a freelance jazz pianist\, bandleader\, composer and dance accompanist and then\, since 1984\, in New England where he now resides. \nPaul was a Senior Lecturer in Dance at UMass\, Amherst from 1999-2018 until retiring\, teaching “Music for Dancers” and accompanying classes in ballet\, modern and tap dance. From 2010 to the present\, Paul has been pianist with the Green Street Trio and coordinator of the Northampton Jazz Workshop\, a weekly concert and jam session series. He has been a producer for the Northampton Jazz Festival\, in Northampton\, MA\, since 2015. \nThroughout his long career\, Paul has had the opportunity to play with\, and learn from\, many great jazz artists such as Pharoah Sanders\, Houston Person\, Freddie Hubbard and Gary Smulyan and with many vocalists including Karrin Allyson\, Rebecca Parris\, and Giacomo Gates. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 17\, 2 to 5 pm: Katherine Winston in Persip Park \nFrom the rolling hills of New England\, Katherine Winston is a Singer/Songwriter whose music is a blend of country\, folk/rock\, and pop. Inspired by musical icons like Stevie Nicks\, Brandi Carlile\, and Dolly Parton\, Katherine’s powerhouse vocals and raw emotional power have captivated audiences all over the country and beyond. \nKatherine’s deeply relatable songwriting explores the intricate layers of human emotion and experience. Her live shows are a testament to her ability to connect with audiences on a profound level\, leaving fans spellbound with each heartfelt lyric and impassioned melody. https://katherinewinston.com \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 24\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with The Lucky 3 \nThe Lucky 3 is a slimmed down version of the quintet ’The Lucky 5’.  While a smaller outfit than their mainstay band\, the trio has more room to explore the music all the while maintaining their signature swing. Consisting of Jonathan Talbott on violin\, Matt Downing on bass\, and Kip Beacco on guitar\, The Lucky 3 plays everything from old hot jazz and swing to Parisian gypsy jazz and eastern European styles. The trio runs the gamut of the sounds their quintet is known for in the region and beyond. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 31\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Luke Franco \nGuitarist Luke Franco purveys the rich tradition of jazz guitar by gleaning from the masters\, both past and present. Formative years spent with John Abercrombie—his main influence and one of the great guitar innovators—led Franco to develop his own style and compositional voice. While pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Miami\, he was Teachers Assistant in John Hart’s talented and ambitious guitar studio\, and performed as a featured soloist with the award winning Concert Jazz Band led by Grammy winner Jon Daversa alongside guest artists including Gonzalo Rubalacaba and Alan Ferber. He was featured as lead guitarist at the world premiere of Michael Tilson Thomas’s “Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind” along with the New World Symphony in 2016. Presently\, Franco has been performing in the Berkshires\, Hudson Valley\, and NY Capital Region presenting his own music both as a leader and as an in-demand sideman\, notably in trio with Tarik Shah and Jimmy Madison. As a counterpoint to his musical career\, he and his wife founded Tiny Hearts Farm in Copake\, NY in 2011 and manage the 35-acre farm with their two young boys\, growing cut flowers and playing music at the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, September 7\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern – piano\nPaul Ostermayer – sax\nDave Christopolis – bass \nPeggy Stern has composed\, played\, recorded\, and toured in a wide variety of situations: from solos to octets to jazz choruses. Her compositions range from highly original pieces to reharmonized jazz standards. “Everything she writes wants to dance\,” says Ken Dais of Jazziz. \nPeggy’s background would account for her varied musical tastes. She began playing classical piano at an early age\, continuing her studies at the Eastman School of Music\, and finishing a master’s degree\, still in Classical music\, at the New England Conservatory. And then she began to improvise. While living in San Francisco\, she played in salsa bands\, notably Azteca and Supercombo with Benny Vallarde. She did a stint in an R&B band (called Cat’s Cradle) with singer Linda Tillery and was “instructed” by Paul Jackson (bass) and Mike Clark (drums) of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunter band. \nSubsequently\, Peggy moved to New York\, absorbing the piano stylings of the greats\, such as Jimmy Rowles and Tommy Flanagan. Peggy has worked and toured with many wonderful musicians: Lee Konitz\, Diane Schuur\, David “Fathead” Newman\, Jay Clayton\, Gary Peacock\, Gene Bertoncini\, Bud Shank\, Red Holloway\, Thomas Chapin\, Machito\, Puck Fair\, Bobby Shew\, Stanley Turrentine\, Gerry Mulligan\, Eddie Henderson\, and Emily Remler\, to name a few. \nPeggy has toured throughout Europe\, the US\, Canada\, Australia\, and Japan. In addition\, Peggy has worked as an educator for the past 20 years\, at colleges in the US. She has given workshops throughout Europe (Switzerland\, Sweden\, Denmark\, Italy)\, and the US. peggystern.com \n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free-2/2024-08-17/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240816T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240816T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240805T141409Z
UID:10000571-1723827600-1723838400@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:The Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \nFriday\, July 26\, 5 to 8 pm: Moe Greene in Persip Park \nMoe Greene is a singer songwriter from the Upper Hudson Valley who performs original material along with tasteful interpretation of blues\, Americana\, and rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 2\, 5 to 8 pm: First Fridays at Five in Persip Park with the Wandering Dance Society: Swing Dance with Rushelle Bowie and Step & Dance with Youth Alive \nPersip Park\, 175 North Street\, will feature interactive performances presented by the Wandering Dance Society as part of the August 2 First Fridays at Five and the free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series. Dancers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate throughout the evening. \nEast Coast Swing Lesson with Rushelle Bowie: 5 to 6:15 pm\nStep\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive: 6:30 to 8 pm\nFeaturing guests: R.O.P.E. member Abby Percy and James Ryan \nRushelle Bowie will be teaching a basic lesson in East Coast Swing from 5 to 6:15 pm. East Coast Swing is a fun\, upbeat dance guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. The lesson will be followed by a short demo and open dancing. \nRushelle has been sharing her passion for dancing for over 15 years\, offering group and private lessons in East Coast Swing\, Rumba\, Cha-Cha\, Foxtrot\, and Waltz. She also provides personalized dance instruction for weddings\, parties\, and other special events. Her dance studio is located in Dalton\, MA\, where it is always ‘Time to Dance’. \nThere will be a performance of Step\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive from 6:30 to 8 pm. Youth Alive\, Inc. (YA) is a multi-cultural\, community-based organization founded in 1995 by two teenagers\, Akilah Edgerton and Erica Young\, in Pittsfield\, MA. The purpose of YA is to teach life skills to youth aged six to eighteen using performance arts as the teaching vehicle. YA performs at major cultural institutions such as Jacob’s Pillow\, MASS MoCA\, and Williams College\, and YA has performed and been recognized at the Massachusetts State House for their impact. YA has impacted hundreds of young people’s lives in the Berkshires\, who are now contributing adult citizens – some in key leadership positions locally and beyond. The New Era of YA steppers\, dancers\, and drummers are being coached by YA phenomenal alumnus: Step Coach Chyenne VanBramer\, Dance Coach Serina Saunders\, and Musical Director\, Percussionist and Spoken Word Artist Jerome Edgerton Jr. \nIn the case of inclement weather\, the Wandering Dance Society performances will be at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts\, 28 Renne Avenue. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 9\, 5 to 8 pm: Dave Brown in Persip Park \nPittsfield native Dave Brown has been performing for decades\, both backing up and leading bands of all different types in the Berkshires and beyond. He’ll be performing his solo set at Persip Park consisting of primarily classic rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 16\, 5 to 8 pm: The Whinin’ Boys in Persip Park \nThe Whinin’ Boys\, featuring Jeff Gonzales and Mike Mercier\, are a finger picking blues based acoustic duo who perform The Music of Hot Tuna along with blues\, folk and rock covers from the 60’s and 70’s. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 23\, 5 to 8 pm: DJ Young Champ in Persip Park \nNew Jersey born and raised in Pittsfield\, Massachusetts\, DJ Champ has been lighting up the dance floor since 2008 – doing everything from celebrity events to the smallest of venues. He is the founder of Young Champ Foundation which helps the community with back-to-school supplies and Christmas gifts as well as providing mentoring for our youth. There’s nothing DJ Champ hasn’t touched in Berkshire County. One thing you can be sure of is that when he is around the vibe with be great! \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 30\, 5 to 8 pm: Christine Bilé with full band in Persip Park \nChristine Bilé is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Pittsfield\, MA\, known for her acoustic pop-folk original music and covers. Influenced by artists like John Mayer\, Tracy Chapman\, and Beyoncé\, Christine’s performances are captivating and emotionally engaging\, featuring her wide vocal range and skills on guitar and ukulele. Her music is designed to empower\, make you smile\, laugh\, groove\, and maybe even cry. Christine will be playing at the Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on August 30th with a full band including Tony Berkley (Guitar)\, Zen Reinhardt (Bass)\, and John Harris (Drums). \n  \n  \nFriday\, September 6\, 5 to 8 pm: Housie Shakers in Persip Park (First Fridays at Five) \n\nWhile the Housie Shakers are a new band on the Berkshire music scene\, its members have deep local roots and have been playing music in the area for decades. All four members grew up in the Berkshires\, and after various adventures living around the country and the world\, returned here to raise their families. Having played together informally for various short-term projects in recent years\, they decided the time was ripe to solidify the lineup and start playing out more. \nThe Housie Shakers bring a variety of styles to the mix\, with wide-ranging covers and original music spanning rock\, blues\, pop\, bluegrass\, reggae\, Americana\, and improvisational groove. They don’t take themselves too seriously and have no ambitions to go on the road (as if the 12 kids they have collectively would make that possible anyway)… they’re just out to play local gigs and give people a chance to hang out\, let loose\, dance\, and have a good time! The band’s name is a nod to their home community and the people and places that have shaped their musical journeys. \nThe Housie Shakers are Simeon Bittman (drums & vocals)\, Noah Cook-Dubin (guitar\, cavaquinho & vocals)\, Jonathan Denmark (guitar & vocals)\, and Colin Ovitsky (bass). \n\n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free/2024-08-16/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240815T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240815T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240812T020927Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240812T020927Z
UID:10001194-1723741200-1723752000@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Dave Brown in Persip Park
DESCRIPTION:Pittsfield native Dave Brown has been performing for decades\, both backing up and leading bands of all different types in the Berkshires and beyond. He’ll be performing his solo set at Persip Park consisting of primarily classic rock covers. \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather.
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/dave-brown-in-persip-park/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Dave-Brown-Summer-Music-Series.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240810T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240810T170000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240817T181611Z
UID:10000580-1723298400-1723309200@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \n  \nCANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER: Saturday\, August 3\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern Trio: Peggy Stern\, Maryann McSweeney\, and Conor Meehan \n  \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 10\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Charlie Tokarz and Paul Arslanian \nCharlie Tokarz plays saxophone\, flute\, and clarinet. He has worked as an accompanist for modern dance at the Institute For Contemporary in Boston\, Contact Improvisation in New England\, and for The American Tap Dance Foundation in New York directly as a result of being introduced to the group by Paul Arslanian. He has played in the pit band for musicals for local theatre groups\, high schools\, the Colonial Theatre\, and Arena Stage in Washington\, DC. He continues to freelance with various jazz groups and teaches primarily at Hotchkiss School. \nPaul Arslanian has been playing professionally since 1970\, first in the San Francisco Bay Area as a freelance jazz pianist\, bandleader\, composer and dance accompanist and then\, since 1984\, in New England where he now resides. \nPaul was a Senior Lecturer in Dance at UMass\, Amherst from 1999-2018 until retiring\, teaching “Music for Dancers” and accompanying classes in ballet\, modern and tap dance. From 2010 to the present\, Paul has been pianist with the Green Street Trio and coordinator of the Northampton Jazz Workshop\, a weekly concert and jam session series. He has been a producer for the Northampton Jazz Festival\, in Northampton\, MA\, since 2015. \nThroughout his long career\, Paul has had the opportunity to play with\, and learn from\, many great jazz artists such as Pharoah Sanders\, Houston Person\, Freddie Hubbard and Gary Smulyan and with many vocalists including Karrin Allyson\, Rebecca Parris\, and Giacomo Gates. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 17\, 2 to 5 pm: Katherine Winston in Persip Park \nFrom the rolling hills of New England\, Katherine Winston is a Singer/Songwriter whose music is a blend of country\, folk/rock\, and pop. Inspired by musical icons like Stevie Nicks\, Brandi Carlile\, and Dolly Parton\, Katherine’s powerhouse vocals and raw emotional power have captivated audiences all over the country and beyond. \nKatherine’s deeply relatable songwriting explores the intricate layers of human emotion and experience. Her live shows are a testament to her ability to connect with audiences on a profound level\, leaving fans spellbound with each heartfelt lyric and impassioned melody. https://katherinewinston.com \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 24\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with The Lucky 3 \nThe Lucky 3 is a slimmed down version of the quintet ’The Lucky 5’.  While a smaller outfit than their mainstay band\, the trio has more room to explore the music all the while maintaining their signature swing. Consisting of Jonathan Talbott on violin\, Matt Downing on bass\, and Kip Beacco on guitar\, The Lucky 3 plays everything from old hot jazz and swing to Parisian gypsy jazz and eastern European styles. The trio runs the gamut of the sounds their quintet is known for in the region and beyond. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 31\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Luke Franco \nGuitarist Luke Franco purveys the rich tradition of jazz guitar by gleaning from the masters\, both past and present. Formative years spent with John Abercrombie—his main influence and one of the great guitar innovators—led Franco to develop his own style and compositional voice. While pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Miami\, he was Teachers Assistant in John Hart’s talented and ambitious guitar studio\, and performed as a featured soloist with the award winning Concert Jazz Band led by Grammy winner Jon Daversa alongside guest artists including Gonzalo Rubalacaba and Alan Ferber. He was featured as lead guitarist at the world premiere of Michael Tilson Thomas’s “Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind” along with the New World Symphony in 2016. Presently\, Franco has been performing in the Berkshires\, Hudson Valley\, and NY Capital Region presenting his own music both as a leader and as an in-demand sideman\, notably in trio with Tarik Shah and Jimmy Madison. As a counterpoint to his musical career\, he and his wife founded Tiny Hearts Farm in Copake\, NY in 2011 and manage the 35-acre farm with their two young boys\, growing cut flowers and playing music at the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, September 7\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern – piano\nPaul Ostermayer – sax\nDave Christopolis – bass \nPeggy Stern has composed\, played\, recorded\, and toured in a wide variety of situations: from solos to octets to jazz choruses. Her compositions range from highly original pieces to reharmonized jazz standards. “Everything she writes wants to dance\,” says Ken Dais of Jazziz. \nPeggy’s background would account for her varied musical tastes. She began playing classical piano at an early age\, continuing her studies at the Eastman School of Music\, and finishing a master’s degree\, still in Classical music\, at the New England Conservatory. And then she began to improvise. While living in San Francisco\, she played in salsa bands\, notably Azteca and Supercombo with Benny Vallarde. She did a stint in an R&B band (called Cat’s Cradle) with singer Linda Tillery and was “instructed” by Paul Jackson (bass) and Mike Clark (drums) of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunter band. \nSubsequently\, Peggy moved to New York\, absorbing the piano stylings of the greats\, such as Jimmy Rowles and Tommy Flanagan. Peggy has worked and toured with many wonderful musicians: Lee Konitz\, Diane Schuur\, David “Fathead” Newman\, Jay Clayton\, Gary Peacock\, Gene Bertoncini\, Bud Shank\, Red Holloway\, Thomas Chapin\, Machito\, Puck Fair\, Bobby Shew\, Stanley Turrentine\, Gerry Mulligan\, Eddie Henderson\, and Emily Remler\, to name a few. \nPeggy has toured throughout Europe\, the US\, Canada\, Australia\, and Japan. In addition\, Peggy has worked as an educator for the past 20 years\, at colleges in the US. She has given workshops throughout Europe (Switzerland\, Sweden\, Denmark\, Italy)\, and the US. peggystern.com \n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free-2/2024-08-10/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240809T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240809T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240805T141409Z
UID:10000570-1723222800-1723233600@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:The Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \nFriday\, July 26\, 5 to 8 pm: Moe Greene in Persip Park \nMoe Greene is a singer songwriter from the Upper Hudson Valley who performs original material along with tasteful interpretation of blues\, Americana\, and rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 2\, 5 to 8 pm: First Fridays at Five in Persip Park with the Wandering Dance Society: Swing Dance with Rushelle Bowie and Step & Dance with Youth Alive \nPersip Park\, 175 North Street\, will feature interactive performances presented by the Wandering Dance Society as part of the August 2 First Fridays at Five and the free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series. Dancers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate throughout the evening. \nEast Coast Swing Lesson with Rushelle Bowie: 5 to 6:15 pm\nStep\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive: 6:30 to 8 pm\nFeaturing guests: R.O.P.E. member Abby Percy and James Ryan \nRushelle Bowie will be teaching a basic lesson in East Coast Swing from 5 to 6:15 pm. East Coast Swing is a fun\, upbeat dance guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. The lesson will be followed by a short demo and open dancing. \nRushelle has been sharing her passion for dancing for over 15 years\, offering group and private lessons in East Coast Swing\, Rumba\, Cha-Cha\, Foxtrot\, and Waltz. She also provides personalized dance instruction for weddings\, parties\, and other special events. Her dance studio is located in Dalton\, MA\, where it is always ‘Time to Dance’. \nThere will be a performance of Step\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive from 6:30 to 8 pm. Youth Alive\, Inc. (YA) is a multi-cultural\, community-based organization founded in 1995 by two teenagers\, Akilah Edgerton and Erica Young\, in Pittsfield\, MA. The purpose of YA is to teach life skills to youth aged six to eighteen using performance arts as the teaching vehicle. YA performs at major cultural institutions such as Jacob’s Pillow\, MASS MoCA\, and Williams College\, and YA has performed and been recognized at the Massachusetts State House for their impact. YA has impacted hundreds of young people’s lives in the Berkshires\, who are now contributing adult citizens – some in key leadership positions locally and beyond. The New Era of YA steppers\, dancers\, and drummers are being coached by YA phenomenal alumnus: Step Coach Chyenne VanBramer\, Dance Coach Serina Saunders\, and Musical Director\, Percussionist and Spoken Word Artist Jerome Edgerton Jr. \nIn the case of inclement weather\, the Wandering Dance Society performances will be at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts\, 28 Renne Avenue. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 9\, 5 to 8 pm: Dave Brown in Persip Park \nPittsfield native Dave Brown has been performing for decades\, both backing up and leading bands of all different types in the Berkshires and beyond. He’ll be performing his solo set at Persip Park consisting of primarily classic rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 16\, 5 to 8 pm: The Whinin’ Boys in Persip Park \nThe Whinin’ Boys\, featuring Jeff Gonzales and Mike Mercier\, are a finger picking blues based acoustic duo who perform The Music of Hot Tuna along with blues\, folk and rock covers from the 60’s and 70’s. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 23\, 5 to 8 pm: DJ Young Champ in Persip Park \nNew Jersey born and raised in Pittsfield\, Massachusetts\, DJ Champ has been lighting up the dance floor since 2008 – doing everything from celebrity events to the smallest of venues. He is the founder of Young Champ Foundation which helps the community with back-to-school supplies and Christmas gifts as well as providing mentoring for our youth. There’s nothing DJ Champ hasn’t touched in Berkshire County. One thing you can be sure of is that when he is around the vibe with be great! \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 30\, 5 to 8 pm: Christine Bilé with full band in Persip Park \nChristine Bilé is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Pittsfield\, MA\, known for her acoustic pop-folk original music and covers. Influenced by artists like John Mayer\, Tracy Chapman\, and Beyoncé\, Christine’s performances are captivating and emotionally engaging\, featuring her wide vocal range and skills on guitar and ukulele. Her music is designed to empower\, make you smile\, laugh\, groove\, and maybe even cry. Christine will be playing at the Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on August 30th with a full band including Tony Berkley (Guitar)\, Zen Reinhardt (Bass)\, and John Harris (Drums). \n  \n  \nFriday\, September 6\, 5 to 8 pm: Housie Shakers in Persip Park (First Fridays at Five) \n\nWhile the Housie Shakers are a new band on the Berkshire music scene\, its members have deep local roots and have been playing music in the area for decades. All four members grew up in the Berkshires\, and after various adventures living around the country and the world\, returned here to raise their families. Having played together informally for various short-term projects in recent years\, they decided the time was ripe to solidify the lineup and start playing out more. \nThe Housie Shakers bring a variety of styles to the mix\, with wide-ranging covers and original music spanning rock\, blues\, pop\, bluegrass\, reggae\, Americana\, and improvisational groove. They don’t take themselves too seriously and have no ambitions to go on the road (as if the 12 kids they have collectively would make that possible anyway)… they’re just out to play local gigs and give people a chance to hang out\, let loose\, dance\, and have a good time! The band’s name is a nod to their home community and the people and places that have shaped their musical journeys. \nThe Housie Shakers are Simeon Bittman (drums & vocals)\, Noah Cook-Dubin (guitar\, cavaquinho & vocals)\, Jonathan Denmark (guitar & vocals)\, and Colin Ovitsky (bass). \n\n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free/2024-08-09/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240808T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240808T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240729T172252Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240729T172252Z
UID:10001189-1723136400-1723147200@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Jazz in Persip Park with the Matt Steckler Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Matthew Steckler\, aka Matty Stecks\, performs and composes in several musical settings internationally. Primarily a saxophonist/woodwind specialist\, he also performs on vocals\, keyboards\, percussion and electronic media\, bringing a dynamic\, holistic approach to the live musical experience. As an artist\, Matthew has appeared at prominent festivals and concert series\, including: The Blue Note and Lincoln Center (NYC)\, the Kennedy Center (DC)\, Winnipeg Art Gallery\, Operetta Teatrul (Bucharest)\, House of Blues & Jazz (Shanghai)\, and the Tri-C\, Key Maine\, New Haven\, Discover and Flint Jazz Festivals. He has received commissions from Chamber Music America\, Meet the Composer\, American Music Center and American Composers Forum; has recordings on Ropeadope\, Cuneiform and Innova labels; and has made Best CD lists in Downbeat and Jazz Times. Over the course of his career\, Matthew has also performed alongside Lonnie Plaxico\, Gary Smulyan\, Lee Konitz\, Anthony Braxton\, Roswell Rudd\, George Russell\, Joe Lovano\, Wynton Marsalis\, Bobby Sanabria\, Gunther Schuller\, Tony Lewis\, Alex Blake\, Jon Hendricks\, and many others. Matthew has written for concert music\, theatre\, film and game audio settings\, and continues his own foundational work in electroacoustics and multimedia that began with his 2013 research-based\, extended work Eco Beat Heresy. Matthew holds a Ph.D. in Composition (NYU) and M.M. in Jazz Performance (New England Conservatory)\, and a B.A. in Music (Wesleyan University). \nMatt Steckler Quartet:\nMatt Steckler – saxophones and flute\nMark Kleinhaut – guitar\nSylvain Castellano – bass\nGeorge Schuller – drums
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/jazz-in-persip-park-with-the-matt-steckler-quartet/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Matthew-Steckler-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240803T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240803T170000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240817T181611Z
UID:10000579-1722693600-1722704400@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \n  \nCANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER: Saturday\, August 3\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern Trio: Peggy Stern\, Maryann McSweeney\, and Conor Meehan \n  \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 10\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Charlie Tokarz and Paul Arslanian \nCharlie Tokarz plays saxophone\, flute\, and clarinet. He has worked as an accompanist for modern dance at the Institute For Contemporary in Boston\, Contact Improvisation in New England\, and for The American Tap Dance Foundation in New York directly as a result of being introduced to the group by Paul Arslanian. He has played in the pit band for musicals for local theatre groups\, high schools\, the Colonial Theatre\, and Arena Stage in Washington\, DC. He continues to freelance with various jazz groups and teaches primarily at Hotchkiss School. \nPaul Arslanian has been playing professionally since 1970\, first in the San Francisco Bay Area as a freelance jazz pianist\, bandleader\, composer and dance accompanist and then\, since 1984\, in New England where he now resides. \nPaul was a Senior Lecturer in Dance at UMass\, Amherst from 1999-2018 until retiring\, teaching “Music for Dancers” and accompanying classes in ballet\, modern and tap dance. From 2010 to the present\, Paul has been pianist with the Green Street Trio and coordinator of the Northampton Jazz Workshop\, a weekly concert and jam session series. He has been a producer for the Northampton Jazz Festival\, in Northampton\, MA\, since 2015. \nThroughout his long career\, Paul has had the opportunity to play with\, and learn from\, many great jazz artists such as Pharoah Sanders\, Houston Person\, Freddie Hubbard and Gary Smulyan and with many vocalists including Karrin Allyson\, Rebecca Parris\, and Giacomo Gates. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 17\, 2 to 5 pm: Katherine Winston in Persip Park \nFrom the rolling hills of New England\, Katherine Winston is a Singer/Songwriter whose music is a blend of country\, folk/rock\, and pop. Inspired by musical icons like Stevie Nicks\, Brandi Carlile\, and Dolly Parton\, Katherine’s powerhouse vocals and raw emotional power have captivated audiences all over the country and beyond. \nKatherine’s deeply relatable songwriting explores the intricate layers of human emotion and experience. Her live shows are a testament to her ability to connect with audiences on a profound level\, leaving fans spellbound with each heartfelt lyric and impassioned melody. https://katherinewinston.com \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 24\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with The Lucky 3 \nThe Lucky 3 is a slimmed down version of the quintet ’The Lucky 5’.  While a smaller outfit than their mainstay band\, the trio has more room to explore the music all the while maintaining their signature swing. Consisting of Jonathan Talbott on violin\, Matt Downing on bass\, and Kip Beacco on guitar\, The Lucky 3 plays everything from old hot jazz and swing to Parisian gypsy jazz and eastern European styles. The trio runs the gamut of the sounds their quintet is known for in the region and beyond. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 31\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Luke Franco \nGuitarist Luke Franco purveys the rich tradition of jazz guitar by gleaning from the masters\, both past and present. Formative years spent with John Abercrombie—his main influence and one of the great guitar innovators—led Franco to develop his own style and compositional voice. While pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Miami\, he was Teachers Assistant in John Hart’s talented and ambitious guitar studio\, and performed as a featured soloist with the award winning Concert Jazz Band led by Grammy winner Jon Daversa alongside guest artists including Gonzalo Rubalacaba and Alan Ferber. He was featured as lead guitarist at the world premiere of Michael Tilson Thomas’s “Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind” along with the New World Symphony in 2016. Presently\, Franco has been performing in the Berkshires\, Hudson Valley\, and NY Capital Region presenting his own music both as a leader and as an in-demand sideman\, notably in trio with Tarik Shah and Jimmy Madison. As a counterpoint to his musical career\, he and his wife founded Tiny Hearts Farm in Copake\, NY in 2011 and manage the 35-acre farm with their two young boys\, growing cut flowers and playing music at the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, September 7\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern – piano\nPaul Ostermayer – sax\nDave Christopolis – bass \nPeggy Stern has composed\, played\, recorded\, and toured in a wide variety of situations: from solos to octets to jazz choruses. Her compositions range from highly original pieces to reharmonized jazz standards. “Everything she writes wants to dance\,” says Ken Dais of Jazziz. \nPeggy’s background would account for her varied musical tastes. She began playing classical piano at an early age\, continuing her studies at the Eastman School of Music\, and finishing a master’s degree\, still in Classical music\, at the New England Conservatory. And then she began to improvise. While living in San Francisco\, she played in salsa bands\, notably Azteca and Supercombo with Benny Vallarde. She did a stint in an R&B band (called Cat’s Cradle) with singer Linda Tillery and was “instructed” by Paul Jackson (bass) and Mike Clark (drums) of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunter band. \nSubsequently\, Peggy moved to New York\, absorbing the piano stylings of the greats\, such as Jimmy Rowles and Tommy Flanagan. Peggy has worked and toured with many wonderful musicians: Lee Konitz\, Diane Schuur\, David “Fathead” Newman\, Jay Clayton\, Gary Peacock\, Gene Bertoncini\, Bud Shank\, Red Holloway\, Thomas Chapin\, Machito\, Puck Fair\, Bobby Shew\, Stanley Turrentine\, Gerry Mulligan\, Eddie Henderson\, and Emily Remler\, to name a few. \nPeggy has toured throughout Europe\, the US\, Canada\, Australia\, and Japan. In addition\, Peggy has worked as an educator for the past 20 years\, at colleges in the US. She has given workshops throughout Europe (Switzerland\, Sweden\, Denmark\, Italy)\, and the US. peggystern.com \n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free-2/2024-08-03/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240802T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240802T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240720T163143Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240726T191328Z
UID:10001171-1722618000-1722628800@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Wandering Dance Society at Persip Park
DESCRIPTION:Wandering Dance Society at Persip Park: Friday\, August 2\, 5 to 8 pm \nPersip Park\, 175 North Street\, will feature interactive performances presented by the Wandering Dance Society as part of the August 2 First Fridays at Five and the free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series. Dancers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate throughout the evening. \nEast Coast Swing Lesson with Rushelle Bowie: 5 to 6:15 pm\nStep\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive: 6:30 to 8 pm\nFeaturing guests: R.O.P.E. member Abby Percy and James Ryan \nRushelle Bowie will be teaching a basic lesson in East Coast Swing from 5 to 6:15 pm. East Coast Swing is a fun\, upbeat dance guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. The lesson will be followed by a short demo and open dancing. \nRushelle has been sharing her passion for dancing for over 15 years\, offering group and private lessons in East Coast Swing\, Rumba\, Cha-Cha\, Foxtrot\, and Waltz. She also provides personalized dance instruction for weddings\, parties\, and other special events. Her dance studio is located in Dalton\, MA\, where it is always ‘Time to Dance’. \nThere will be a performance of Step\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive from 6:30 to 8 pm. Youth Alive\, Inc. (YA) is a multi-cultural\, community-based organization founded in 1995 by two teenagers\, Akilah Edgerton and Erica Young\, in Pittsfield\, MA. The purpose of YA is to teach life skills to youth aged six to eighteen using performance arts as the teaching vehicle. YA performs at major cultural institutions such as Jacob’s Pillow\, MASS MoCA\, and Williams College\, and YA has performed and been recognized at the Massachusetts State House for their impact. YA has impacted hundreds of young people’s lives in the Berkshires\, who are now contributing adult citizens – some in key leadership positions locally and beyond. The New Era of YA steppers\, dancers\, and drummers are being coached by YA phenomenal alumnus: Step Coach Chyenne VanBramer\, Dance Coach Serina Saunders\, and Musical Director\, Percussionist and Spoken Word Artist Jerome Edgerton Jr. \nIn the case of inclement weather\, the Wandering Dance Society performances will be at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts\, 28 Renne Avenue.
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/wandering-dance-society-at-persip-park/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Dance,First Fridays at Five,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FINAL-Youth-Alive-and-Swing-at-August-First-Fridays-at-Five-Square.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240802T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240802T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240805T141409Z
UID:10000569-1722618000-1722628800@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:The Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \nFriday\, July 26\, 5 to 8 pm: Moe Greene in Persip Park \nMoe Greene is a singer songwriter from the Upper Hudson Valley who performs original material along with tasteful interpretation of blues\, Americana\, and rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 2\, 5 to 8 pm: First Fridays at Five in Persip Park with the Wandering Dance Society: Swing Dance with Rushelle Bowie and Step & Dance with Youth Alive \nPersip Park\, 175 North Street\, will feature interactive performances presented by the Wandering Dance Society as part of the August 2 First Fridays at Five and the free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series. Dancers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate throughout the evening. \nEast Coast Swing Lesson with Rushelle Bowie: 5 to 6:15 pm\nStep\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive: 6:30 to 8 pm\nFeaturing guests: R.O.P.E. member Abby Percy and James Ryan \nRushelle Bowie will be teaching a basic lesson in East Coast Swing from 5 to 6:15 pm. East Coast Swing is a fun\, upbeat dance guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. The lesson will be followed by a short demo and open dancing. \nRushelle has been sharing her passion for dancing for over 15 years\, offering group and private lessons in East Coast Swing\, Rumba\, Cha-Cha\, Foxtrot\, and Waltz. She also provides personalized dance instruction for weddings\, parties\, and other special events. Her dance studio is located in Dalton\, MA\, where it is always ‘Time to Dance’. \nThere will be a performance of Step\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive from 6:30 to 8 pm. Youth Alive\, Inc. (YA) is a multi-cultural\, community-based organization founded in 1995 by two teenagers\, Akilah Edgerton and Erica Young\, in Pittsfield\, MA. The purpose of YA is to teach life skills to youth aged six to eighteen using performance arts as the teaching vehicle. YA performs at major cultural institutions such as Jacob’s Pillow\, MASS MoCA\, and Williams College\, and YA has performed and been recognized at the Massachusetts State House for their impact. YA has impacted hundreds of young people’s lives in the Berkshires\, who are now contributing adult citizens – some in key leadership positions locally and beyond. The New Era of YA steppers\, dancers\, and drummers are being coached by YA phenomenal alumnus: Step Coach Chyenne VanBramer\, Dance Coach Serina Saunders\, and Musical Director\, Percussionist and Spoken Word Artist Jerome Edgerton Jr. \nIn the case of inclement weather\, the Wandering Dance Society performances will be at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts\, 28 Renne Avenue. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 9\, 5 to 8 pm: Dave Brown in Persip Park \nPittsfield native Dave Brown has been performing for decades\, both backing up and leading bands of all different types in the Berkshires and beyond. He’ll be performing his solo set at Persip Park consisting of primarily classic rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 16\, 5 to 8 pm: The Whinin’ Boys in Persip Park \nThe Whinin’ Boys\, featuring Jeff Gonzales and Mike Mercier\, are a finger picking blues based acoustic duo who perform The Music of Hot Tuna along with blues\, folk and rock covers from the 60’s and 70’s. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 23\, 5 to 8 pm: DJ Young Champ in Persip Park \nNew Jersey born and raised in Pittsfield\, Massachusetts\, DJ Champ has been lighting up the dance floor since 2008 – doing everything from celebrity events to the smallest of venues. He is the founder of Young Champ Foundation which helps the community with back-to-school supplies and Christmas gifts as well as providing mentoring for our youth. There’s nothing DJ Champ hasn’t touched in Berkshire County. One thing you can be sure of is that when he is around the vibe with be great! \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 30\, 5 to 8 pm: Christine Bilé with full band in Persip Park \nChristine Bilé is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Pittsfield\, MA\, known for her acoustic pop-folk original music and covers. Influenced by artists like John Mayer\, Tracy Chapman\, and Beyoncé\, Christine’s performances are captivating and emotionally engaging\, featuring her wide vocal range and skills on guitar and ukulele. Her music is designed to empower\, make you smile\, laugh\, groove\, and maybe even cry. Christine will be playing at the Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on August 30th with a full band including Tony Berkley (Guitar)\, Zen Reinhardt (Bass)\, and John Harris (Drums). \n  \n  \nFriday\, September 6\, 5 to 8 pm: Housie Shakers in Persip Park (First Fridays at Five) \n\nWhile the Housie Shakers are a new band on the Berkshire music scene\, its members have deep local roots and have been playing music in the area for decades. All four members grew up in the Berkshires\, and after various adventures living around the country and the world\, returned here to raise their families. Having played together informally for various short-term projects in recent years\, they decided the time was ripe to solidify the lineup and start playing out more. \nThe Housie Shakers bring a variety of styles to the mix\, with wide-ranging covers and original music spanning rock\, blues\, pop\, bluegrass\, reggae\, Americana\, and improvisational groove. They don’t take themselves too seriously and have no ambitions to go on the road (as if the 12 kids they have collectively would make that possible anyway)… they’re just out to play local gigs and give people a chance to hang out\, let loose\, dance\, and have a good time! The band’s name is a nod to their home community and the people and places that have shaped their musical journeys. \nThe Housie Shakers are Simeon Bittman (drums & vocals)\, Noah Cook-Dubin (guitar\, cavaquinho & vocals)\, Jonathan Denmark (guitar & vocals)\, and Colin Ovitsky (bass). \n\n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free/2024-08-02/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240801T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240801T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T161629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240719T161629Z
UID:10000594-1722531600-1722542400@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Jazz in Persip Park with Rees Shad and The Conversations
DESCRIPTION:Rees Shad made a name for himself as a wordsmith troubadour traveling the country and the world sharing his particular blend of Americana gothic storytelling. Over the years\, Rees has recorded over 30 albums with compositions often influenced by classic American songbook writers such as Hoagy Carmichael\, Willie Dixon\, Robert Johnson\, and Cole Porter. In 2019\, Rees began to perform with a band he dubbed “The Conversations”. Together with longtime collaborator/drummer\, Bobby Kay\, and bassist Jeff Link\, Rees seeks to make the audience smile\, tap their feet\, and enjoy the many stories he loves to share and sing. This music is nothing short of joyful and swinging. It “cruises like a convertible” (Americana Highway). www.ReesShadMusic.com \nRees Shad & The Conversations featuring: \nJeff Link (bass) \nMarcus Benoit (Sax) \nRob “Bobby Kay” Kovacs (drums) \nRees Shad (guitar/voice) \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather.
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/jazz-in-persip-park-with-rees-shad-and-the-conversations/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Rees-Shad-The-Conversations.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240727T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240727T170000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240817T181611Z
UID:10000578-1722088800-1722099600@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \n  \nCANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER: Saturday\, August 3\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern Trio: Peggy Stern\, Maryann McSweeney\, and Conor Meehan \n  \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 10\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Charlie Tokarz and Paul Arslanian \nCharlie Tokarz plays saxophone\, flute\, and clarinet. He has worked as an accompanist for modern dance at the Institute For Contemporary in Boston\, Contact Improvisation in New England\, and for The American Tap Dance Foundation in New York directly as a result of being introduced to the group by Paul Arslanian. He has played in the pit band for musicals for local theatre groups\, high schools\, the Colonial Theatre\, and Arena Stage in Washington\, DC. He continues to freelance with various jazz groups and teaches primarily at Hotchkiss School. \nPaul Arslanian has been playing professionally since 1970\, first in the San Francisco Bay Area as a freelance jazz pianist\, bandleader\, composer and dance accompanist and then\, since 1984\, in New England where he now resides. \nPaul was a Senior Lecturer in Dance at UMass\, Amherst from 1999-2018 until retiring\, teaching “Music for Dancers” and accompanying classes in ballet\, modern and tap dance. From 2010 to the present\, Paul has been pianist with the Green Street Trio and coordinator of the Northampton Jazz Workshop\, a weekly concert and jam session series. He has been a producer for the Northampton Jazz Festival\, in Northampton\, MA\, since 2015. \nThroughout his long career\, Paul has had the opportunity to play with\, and learn from\, many great jazz artists such as Pharoah Sanders\, Houston Person\, Freddie Hubbard and Gary Smulyan and with many vocalists including Karrin Allyson\, Rebecca Parris\, and Giacomo Gates. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 17\, 2 to 5 pm: Katherine Winston in Persip Park \nFrom the rolling hills of New England\, Katherine Winston is a Singer/Songwriter whose music is a blend of country\, folk/rock\, and pop. Inspired by musical icons like Stevie Nicks\, Brandi Carlile\, and Dolly Parton\, Katherine’s powerhouse vocals and raw emotional power have captivated audiences all over the country and beyond. \nKatherine’s deeply relatable songwriting explores the intricate layers of human emotion and experience. Her live shows are a testament to her ability to connect with audiences on a profound level\, leaving fans spellbound with each heartfelt lyric and impassioned melody. https://katherinewinston.com \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 24\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with The Lucky 3 \nThe Lucky 3 is a slimmed down version of the quintet ’The Lucky 5’.  While a smaller outfit than their mainstay band\, the trio has more room to explore the music all the while maintaining their signature swing. Consisting of Jonathan Talbott on violin\, Matt Downing on bass\, and Kip Beacco on guitar\, The Lucky 3 plays everything from old hot jazz and swing to Parisian gypsy jazz and eastern European styles. The trio runs the gamut of the sounds their quintet is known for in the region and beyond. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 31\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Luke Franco \nGuitarist Luke Franco purveys the rich tradition of jazz guitar by gleaning from the masters\, both past and present. Formative years spent with John Abercrombie—his main influence and one of the great guitar innovators—led Franco to develop his own style and compositional voice. While pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Miami\, he was Teachers Assistant in John Hart’s talented and ambitious guitar studio\, and performed as a featured soloist with the award winning Concert Jazz Band led by Grammy winner Jon Daversa alongside guest artists including Gonzalo Rubalacaba and Alan Ferber. He was featured as lead guitarist at the world premiere of Michael Tilson Thomas’s “Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind” along with the New World Symphony in 2016. Presently\, Franco has been performing in the Berkshires\, Hudson Valley\, and NY Capital Region presenting his own music both as a leader and as an in-demand sideman\, notably in trio with Tarik Shah and Jimmy Madison. As a counterpoint to his musical career\, he and his wife founded Tiny Hearts Farm in Copake\, NY in 2011 and manage the 35-acre farm with their two young boys\, growing cut flowers and playing music at the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, September 7\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern – piano\nPaul Ostermayer – sax\nDave Christopolis – bass \nPeggy Stern has composed\, played\, recorded\, and toured in a wide variety of situations: from solos to octets to jazz choruses. Her compositions range from highly original pieces to reharmonized jazz standards. “Everything she writes wants to dance\,” says Ken Dais of Jazziz. \nPeggy’s background would account for her varied musical tastes. She began playing classical piano at an early age\, continuing her studies at the Eastman School of Music\, and finishing a master’s degree\, still in Classical music\, at the New England Conservatory. And then she began to improvise. While living in San Francisco\, she played in salsa bands\, notably Azteca and Supercombo with Benny Vallarde. She did a stint in an R&B band (called Cat’s Cradle) with singer Linda Tillery and was “instructed” by Paul Jackson (bass) and Mike Clark (drums) of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunter band. \nSubsequently\, Peggy moved to New York\, absorbing the piano stylings of the greats\, such as Jimmy Rowles and Tommy Flanagan. Peggy has worked and toured with many wonderful musicians: Lee Konitz\, Diane Schuur\, David “Fathead” Newman\, Jay Clayton\, Gary Peacock\, Gene Bertoncini\, Bud Shank\, Red Holloway\, Thomas Chapin\, Machito\, Puck Fair\, Bobby Shew\, Stanley Turrentine\, Gerry Mulligan\, Eddie Henderson\, and Emily Remler\, to name a few. \nPeggy has toured throughout Europe\, the US\, Canada\, Australia\, and Japan. In addition\, Peggy has worked as an educator for the past 20 years\, at colleges in the US. She has given workshops throughout Europe (Switzerland\, Sweden\, Denmark\, Italy)\, and the US. peggystern.com \n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free-2/2024-07-27/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240726T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240726T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240805T141409Z
UID:10000568-1722013200-1722024000@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:The Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \nFriday\, July 26\, 5 to 8 pm: Moe Greene in Persip Park \nMoe Greene is a singer songwriter from the Upper Hudson Valley who performs original material along with tasteful interpretation of blues\, Americana\, and rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 2\, 5 to 8 pm: First Fridays at Five in Persip Park with the Wandering Dance Society: Swing Dance with Rushelle Bowie and Step & Dance with Youth Alive \nPersip Park\, 175 North Street\, will feature interactive performances presented by the Wandering Dance Society as part of the August 2 First Fridays at Five and the free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series. Dancers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate throughout the evening. \nEast Coast Swing Lesson with Rushelle Bowie: 5 to 6:15 pm\nStep\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive: 6:30 to 8 pm\nFeaturing guests: R.O.P.E. member Abby Percy and James Ryan \nRushelle Bowie will be teaching a basic lesson in East Coast Swing from 5 to 6:15 pm. East Coast Swing is a fun\, upbeat dance guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. The lesson will be followed by a short demo and open dancing. \nRushelle has been sharing her passion for dancing for over 15 years\, offering group and private lessons in East Coast Swing\, Rumba\, Cha-Cha\, Foxtrot\, and Waltz. She also provides personalized dance instruction for weddings\, parties\, and other special events. Her dance studio is located in Dalton\, MA\, where it is always ‘Time to Dance’. \nThere will be a performance of Step\, Dance\, and Drumline with Youth Alive from 6:30 to 8 pm. Youth Alive\, Inc. (YA) is a multi-cultural\, community-based organization founded in 1995 by two teenagers\, Akilah Edgerton and Erica Young\, in Pittsfield\, MA. The purpose of YA is to teach life skills to youth aged six to eighteen using performance arts as the teaching vehicle. YA performs at major cultural institutions such as Jacob’s Pillow\, MASS MoCA\, and Williams College\, and YA has performed and been recognized at the Massachusetts State House for their impact. YA has impacted hundreds of young people’s lives in the Berkshires\, who are now contributing adult citizens – some in key leadership positions locally and beyond. The New Era of YA steppers\, dancers\, and drummers are being coached by YA phenomenal alumnus: Step Coach Chyenne VanBramer\, Dance Coach Serina Saunders\, and Musical Director\, Percussionist and Spoken Word Artist Jerome Edgerton Jr. \nIn the case of inclement weather\, the Wandering Dance Society performances will be at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts\, 28 Renne Avenue. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 9\, 5 to 8 pm: Dave Brown in Persip Park \nPittsfield native Dave Brown has been performing for decades\, both backing up and leading bands of all different types in the Berkshires and beyond. He’ll be performing his solo set at Persip Park consisting of primarily classic rock covers. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 16\, 5 to 8 pm: The Whinin’ Boys in Persip Park \nThe Whinin’ Boys\, featuring Jeff Gonzales and Mike Mercier\, are a finger picking blues based acoustic duo who perform The Music of Hot Tuna along with blues\, folk and rock covers from the 60’s and 70’s. \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 23\, 5 to 8 pm: DJ Young Champ in Persip Park \nNew Jersey born and raised in Pittsfield\, Massachusetts\, DJ Champ has been lighting up the dance floor since 2008 – doing everything from celebrity events to the smallest of venues. He is the founder of Young Champ Foundation which helps the community with back-to-school supplies and Christmas gifts as well as providing mentoring for our youth. There’s nothing DJ Champ hasn’t touched in Berkshire County. One thing you can be sure of is that when he is around the vibe with be great! \n  \n  \nFriday\, August 30\, 5 to 8 pm: Christine Bilé with full band in Persip Park \nChristine Bilé is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Pittsfield\, MA\, known for her acoustic pop-folk original music and covers. Influenced by artists like John Mayer\, Tracy Chapman\, and Beyoncé\, Christine’s performances are captivating and emotionally engaging\, featuring her wide vocal range and skills on guitar and ukulele. Her music is designed to empower\, make you smile\, laugh\, groove\, and maybe even cry. Christine will be playing at the Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on August 30th with a full band including Tony Berkley (Guitar)\, Zen Reinhardt (Bass)\, and John Harris (Drums). \n  \n  \nFriday\, September 6\, 5 to 8 pm: Housie Shakers in Persip Park (First Fridays at Five) \n\nWhile the Housie Shakers are a new band on the Berkshire music scene\, its members have deep local roots and have been playing music in the area for decades. All four members grew up in the Berkshires\, and after various adventures living around the country and the world\, returned here to raise their families. Having played together informally for various short-term projects in recent years\, they decided the time was ripe to solidify the lineup and start playing out more. \nThe Housie Shakers bring a variety of styles to the mix\, with wide-ranging covers and original music spanning rock\, blues\, pop\, bluegrass\, reggae\, Americana\, and improvisational groove. They don’t take themselves too seriously and have no ambitions to go on the road (as if the 12 kids they have collectively would make that possible anyway)… they’re just out to play local gigs and give people a chance to hang out\, let loose\, dance\, and have a good time! The band’s name is a nod to their home community and the people and places that have shaped their musical journeys. \nThe Housie Shakers are Simeon Bittman (drums & vocals)\, Noah Cook-Dubin (guitar\, cavaquinho & vocals)\, Jonathan Denmark (guitar & vocals)\, and Colin Ovitsky (bass). \n\n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free/2024-07-26/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240720T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240720T170000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240719T160742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240817T181611Z
UID:10000577-1721484000-1721494800@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series - Free!
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association\, with partners the City of Pittsfield\, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)\, and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. (DPI)\, are presenting a free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series on Fridays\, Saturdays\, and Sundays (and select Thursdays) through early September. \n  \nFridays will feature a variety of local musicians and performers live at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, from 5 to 8 pm. Saturdays will feature live Jazz in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz from 2 to 5 pm at Persip Park; and Sundays will feature Latin Dance Instruction in Dunham Mall\, 100 North Street\, from 5 to 7 pm. \n  \n  \n  \nCANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER: Saturday\, August 3\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern Trio: Peggy Stern\, Maryann McSweeney\, and Conor Meehan \n  \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 10\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Charlie Tokarz and Paul Arslanian \nCharlie Tokarz plays saxophone\, flute\, and clarinet. He has worked as an accompanist for modern dance at the Institute For Contemporary in Boston\, Contact Improvisation in New England\, and for The American Tap Dance Foundation in New York directly as a result of being introduced to the group by Paul Arslanian. He has played in the pit band for musicals for local theatre groups\, high schools\, the Colonial Theatre\, and Arena Stage in Washington\, DC. He continues to freelance with various jazz groups and teaches primarily at Hotchkiss School. \nPaul Arslanian has been playing professionally since 1970\, first in the San Francisco Bay Area as a freelance jazz pianist\, bandleader\, composer and dance accompanist and then\, since 1984\, in New England where he now resides. \nPaul was a Senior Lecturer in Dance at UMass\, Amherst from 1999-2018 until retiring\, teaching “Music for Dancers” and accompanying classes in ballet\, modern and tap dance. From 2010 to the present\, Paul has been pianist with the Green Street Trio and coordinator of the Northampton Jazz Workshop\, a weekly concert and jam session series. He has been a producer for the Northampton Jazz Festival\, in Northampton\, MA\, since 2015. \nThroughout his long career\, Paul has had the opportunity to play with\, and learn from\, many great jazz artists such as Pharoah Sanders\, Houston Person\, Freddie Hubbard and Gary Smulyan and with many vocalists including Karrin Allyson\, Rebecca Parris\, and Giacomo Gates. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 17\, 2 to 5 pm: Katherine Winston in Persip Park \nFrom the rolling hills of New England\, Katherine Winston is a Singer/Songwriter whose music is a blend of country\, folk/rock\, and pop. Inspired by musical icons like Stevie Nicks\, Brandi Carlile\, and Dolly Parton\, Katherine’s powerhouse vocals and raw emotional power have captivated audiences all over the country and beyond. \nKatherine’s deeply relatable songwriting explores the intricate layers of human emotion and experience. Her live shows are a testament to her ability to connect with audiences on a profound level\, leaving fans spellbound with each heartfelt lyric and impassioned melody. https://katherinewinston.com \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 24\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with The Lucky 3 \nThe Lucky 3 is a slimmed down version of the quintet ’The Lucky 5’.  While a smaller outfit than their mainstay band\, the trio has more room to explore the music all the while maintaining their signature swing. Consisting of Jonathan Talbott on violin\, Matt Downing on bass\, and Kip Beacco on guitar\, The Lucky 3 plays everything from old hot jazz and swing to Parisian gypsy jazz and eastern European styles. The trio runs the gamut of the sounds their quintet is known for in the region and beyond. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, August 31\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with Luke Franco \nGuitarist Luke Franco purveys the rich tradition of jazz guitar by gleaning from the masters\, both past and present. Formative years spent with John Abercrombie—his main influence and one of the great guitar innovators—led Franco to develop his own style and compositional voice. While pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Miami\, he was Teachers Assistant in John Hart’s talented and ambitious guitar studio\, and performed as a featured soloist with the award winning Concert Jazz Band led by Grammy winner Jon Daversa alongside guest artists including Gonzalo Rubalacaba and Alan Ferber. He was featured as lead guitarist at the world premiere of Michael Tilson Thomas’s “Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind” along with the New World Symphony in 2016. Presently\, Franco has been performing in the Berkshires\, Hudson Valley\, and NY Capital Region presenting his own music both as a leader and as an in-demand sideman\, notably in trio with Tarik Shah and Jimmy Madison. As a counterpoint to his musical career\, he and his wife founded Tiny Hearts Farm in Copake\, NY in 2011 and manage the 35-acre farm with their two young boys\, growing cut flowers and playing music at the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. \n  \n  \nSaturday\, September 7\, 2 to 5 pm: Jazz in Persip Park with the Peggy Stern Trio \nPeggy Stern – piano\nPaul Ostermayer – sax\nDave Christopolis – bass \nPeggy Stern has composed\, played\, recorded\, and toured in a wide variety of situations: from solos to octets to jazz choruses. Her compositions range from highly original pieces to reharmonized jazz standards. “Everything she writes wants to dance\,” says Ken Dais of Jazziz. \nPeggy’s background would account for her varied musical tastes. She began playing classical piano at an early age\, continuing her studies at the Eastman School of Music\, and finishing a master’s degree\, still in Classical music\, at the New England Conservatory. And then she began to improvise. While living in San Francisco\, she played in salsa bands\, notably Azteca and Supercombo with Benny Vallarde. She did a stint in an R&B band (called Cat’s Cradle) with singer Linda Tillery and was “instructed” by Paul Jackson (bass) and Mike Clark (drums) of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunter band. \nSubsequently\, Peggy moved to New York\, absorbing the piano stylings of the greats\, such as Jimmy Rowles and Tommy Flanagan. Peggy has worked and toured with many wonderful musicians: Lee Konitz\, Diane Schuur\, David “Fathead” Newman\, Jay Clayton\, Gary Peacock\, Gene Bertoncini\, Bud Shank\, Red Holloway\, Thomas Chapin\, Machito\, Puck Fair\, Bobby Shew\, Stanley Turrentine\, Gerry Mulligan\, Eddie Henderson\, and Emily Remler\, to name a few. \nPeggy has toured throughout Europe\, the US\, Canada\, Australia\, and Japan. In addition\, Peggy has worked as an educator for the past 20 years\, at colleges in the US. She has given workshops throughout Europe (Switzerland\, Sweden\, Denmark\, Italy)\, and the US. peggystern.com \n  \n  \nFollow along with @downtownpittsfield on Facebook for updates including cancellations due to weather. \n 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-summer-music-series-free-2/2024-07-20/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SummerMusicSeriesBlogHeader.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240705T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240705T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240623T215906Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240623T215906Z
UID:10001150-1720198800-1720209600@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Wandering Dance Society Presents! 
DESCRIPTION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, will feature a variety of interactive performances presented by the Wandering Dance Society as part of the July 5 First Fridays at Five and the free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series. Performances will be 30-45 minutes each. At 5 pm\, enjoy an African Dance Lesson with Noel Staples-Freeman. At 5:45 pm\, Olawale “Wale” Oladehin will lead a Salsa lesson. From 6:30 to 7:15 pm\, the Berkshire Rhythm Keepers will perform led by Aimee Gelinas; and the night will conclude with more Salsa dancing from 7:15 to 8 pm. Dancers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate throughout the evening.Noel Staples-Freeman is a resident of Pittsfield and a graduate of Emerson College\, holding a B.S. in Children’s Theatre/Performing Arts and Dance. Noel has dedicated over five decades to teaching and the performing arts\, both locally and internationally. Her formal training started at age 11 at The Billie Pope School of Dance in Roxbury followed by The Boston Conservatory of Music\, The Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts\, The Art of Black Dance and Music\, and Koumpo West African Dance Company. Noel’s illustrious career includes notable performances such as Nelson Mandela’s visit to Boston in 1990\, participation in Dance Africa at the Brooklyn Academy of Music\, and appearances at Jacob’s Pillow. As the Founder and Director of Uprising Dance Theatre since 1983\, Noel leads an intergenerational group celebrating the African Diaspora’s traditional and contemporary dance\, music\, and theater.Olawale “Wale” Oladehin trained in Salsa and Afro Cuban dance with several Boston companies\, including Salsa Y Control\, MetaMovements\, and Masacote. After several years of training\, Wale joined Masacote as an instructor and performer in their professional Salsa company. Masacote’s emphasis on musicality and culture helped Wale better appreciate the interconnectedness of music and dance. With Masacote\, Wale has had the opportunity to perform in Canada\, London\, Istanbul\, and across the US.The Berkshire Rhythm Keepers are an intergenerational\, multi-level community drum and song group founded and led by Aimee Gelinas M.Ed\, Director of the Tamarack Hollow Nature and Cultural Center and co-founder of Gaia Roots and Trio Candela. BRK participants attend Aimee’s weekly Monday evening drum and song classes at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts in Pittsfield\, which is open to beginners and advanced drummers. The group performs traditional music on folkloric instruments from West Africa and the Caribbean\, as well as on original creations. Members of BRK have been studying and performing together for 15+ years.The BRK performance on July 5th will feature stories and the cultural context of the rhythms\, audience participation\, and may include guest dancers!
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/wandering-dance-society-presents/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Dance,First Fridays at Five,Music,Performance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/JULY-Wandering-Dance-Society-First-Fridays-at-Five-Square.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240607T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240607T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240531T211958Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240602T160636Z
UID:10000550-1717779600-1717790400@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:The Pug and John Show at Persip Park
DESCRIPTION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, will feature The Pug and John Show from 5 to 8 pm as part of the free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series! \nPug Demary and John Temple Zarvis have been a part of the Berkshire County music scene since their bands the Quarrymen\, the Zarvis Allen band and Blind Date. The universe brought them together out of their love for great guitar and vocals. Covering classics from every genre\, they live up to the their catch phrase: Music from everywhere.
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/the-pug-and-john-show-at-persip-park/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:First Fridays at Five,Free,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PugAndJohnFirstFridaysSummerMusic.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240503T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240503T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20240426T005211Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240426T005211Z
UID:10001132-1714755600-1714766400@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Fire Dancing with Opal Raven Cirque!
DESCRIPTION:Opal Raven Cirque will be doing fire dancing at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, to kick-off the First Fridays at Five 2024 season! \nOpal Raven Cirque is a circus and sideshow performer based in the mountains of Western MA. She’s known across New England and the Tri-State area for her “Danger Dame of the Flame” variety show. Also known as the “Sword Queen of Gypsy Layne”\, Opal showcases masterful sword spinning\, daring prop tricks\, and some say she can even speak to snakes. Opal Raven’s one-woman circus is a unique performance that won’t soon be forgotten. \n  \nCheck out all of the May 3rd First Fridays at Five events at lovepittsfield.com/first-fridays \nFirst Fridays at Five is a brand-new event led by the City of Pittsfield and Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. taking place in downtown Pittsfield from May-September. A portion of North Street and School Street will be closed during the event. \nSeason partners and sponsors include the Feigenbaum Foundation\, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America\, Mill Town Foundation\, MountainOne\, and the Pittsfield Cultural Council.
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/fire-dancing-with-opal-raven-cirque/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:First Fridays at Five,Outdoors,Performance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Opal-Raven-First-Fridays-at-Five-Square.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231006T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231006T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20230922T193937Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230922T193937Z
UID:10001101-1696611600-1696622400@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Fannie Pack plays Persip Park!
DESCRIPTION:Fannie Pack will take the stage at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, on Friday\, October 6\, from 5 to 8 pm\, as part of the First Fridays Artswalk. \nFannie Pack is a band that will make you smile and compel you to dance. Melissa Brinton sings lead and plays guitar\, Elaine Morel holds the foundation on bass and sings backup\, Eileen Markland adds a touch of class with her blue violin and penny whistle\, and Paul Armstrong keeps the rhythm going on the drums. 
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/fannie-pack-plays-persip-park/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Artswalk,Free,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/fanny-pack-may-2023.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230602T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230602T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20230518T001158Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230518T001158Z
UID:10001079-1685725200-1685736000@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Sample the Cat at Persip Park
DESCRIPTION:Soulful rock band\, Sample the Cat\, will perform on June 2\, 5 to 8 pm\, at Persip Park located at 175 North Street. \nSample the Cat is a rising soulful rock band from Berkshire County\, MA. Their original music captures audiences with a fusion of familiar sounds from blues\, funk\, and soul while producing a fresh rock vibe that grooves. If you were to “put the cat in the box\,” their sound could be described as if Alicia Keys sang for Foo Fighters.
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/sample-the-cat-at-persip-park/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Artswalk,Free,Music,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://downtownpittsfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/SampleTheCat1200FFA.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220701T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220701T200000
DTSTAMP:20260506T165545
CREATED:20220608T030222Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220621T042203Z
UID:10000979-1656694800-1656705600@downtownpittsfield.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. and Indoors Out! present Indepen-DANCE by Boxxa Vine!
DESCRIPTION:Join Boxxa Vine for a pop-up dance party at Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, as she DJs and performs hourly\, moving and grooving to start the Fourth of July weekend! \nThere will be giveaways\, performances\, music\, and more! \n  \nHourly schedule: \n00:00-00:30 Dance party and meet and greet with Boxxa Vine \n00:30-00:45 Mini show with games and giveaways \n00:45-00:00 Boxxa is on break\, BRB! \n  \nBio: Boxxa Vine is a Pittsfield-based drag queen and costume creator with a flair for the dramatic and theatrical. A self-taught seamstress who has worked on pieces that have appeared locally\, across the country\, and on shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race\, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars\, and The View\, she is also a six-time pageant title holder (Miss Gay: Western MA\, Boston\, Central NY\, Camp Capital NY\, Werrrk.com\, and Berkshire). She spends most of her free time trying to get new and exciting drag events going around the Berkshires through her business Out of the Boxxa Productions. \nBoxxa Vine devotes her time to giving back to the community by serving as a board member for Berkshire Stonewall Community Coalition and as the director of entertainment for Berkshire Pride\, as well as trying to support and foster safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people to explore drag as a way of self-expression. You can see what she’s up to next on BoxxaVine.com or follow her on her social media through Facebook or Instagram (@BoxxaVine). \n  \n  \nAll Indoors Out! Programming is presented by Downtown Pittsfield\, Inc. and funding has been provided by the Commonwealth Places Program created by MassDevelopment. These events are presented in partnership with First Fridays Artswalk.
URL:https://downtownpittsfield.com/event/downtown-pittsfield-inc-and-indoors-out-presents-boxxa-vine/
LOCATION:Persip Park\, 175 North Street\, Pittsfield\, MA\, 01201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Artswalk,Family Fun,Free,Performance
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