From full-band recordings to live performances and special events, WICN’s beautiful Studio 50 space is available on an hourly basis. Contact us for details.
As WICN celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15, and recognizes Brazilian Independence Day on September 7th, we honor Flora Purim. Often called “The Queen of Brazilian Jazz,” Purim is a complete singer who comfortably performs many types of American and Latin music. Coming of age in Rio de Janeiro, […]
The WICN Brian Barlow Concert Series, presented by Westboro Toyota, welcomes Yoron Israel & the High Standards on Friday, October 24 at 7:30 pm. at The Robert R. Jay Performing Arts Center, Founders Hall, Saint John’s High School in Shrewsbury. Doors: 6:30 pm Performance: 7:30 pm Cash bar (wine, beer, hard seltzer) available Yoron brings his Boston-based quartet “High […]
Nicole Zuraitis is a two-time Grammy-winning and four-time Grammy-nominated jazz singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and producer. Known for her fluid, soulful sound, sophisticated harmony, and effervescent stage presence, Nicole has become a standout voice in contemporary jazz. A native of Connecticut, Nicole attended Holy Cross High School in Waterbury. Recognizing Nicole’s immense talent, her […]
As you may know, public media stations across the country have recently been hit by significant federal funding cuts. For WICN Public Radio, this means a loss of 18% which is $99,400 each year that we will have to fill. Since 1968, WICN has been a vital voice for arts and culture in Central Massachusetts, connecting […]
David Sanborn (1945–2024) was an iconic American alto saxophonist whose signature sound blended traditional jazz, instrumental pop, and R&B. Widely credited with bringing the saxophone back to Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sanborn carved out a genre-defying space that earned him a place among the most influential musicians of his era. After contracting polio at age […]
When you listen to a jazz vocalist for the first time, whether they have a local, national, or international reputation, chances are that you, as a listener, have both anticipation and expectation. As an avid listener with decades of experience, I know full well that, unlike instrumentalists, jazz vocalists cannot hide musically. Guitarists have block […]
Many exceptional jazz musicians who remain outside of wide commercial success, in some cases, have chosen an independent path to be away from the constant physical, emotional, and commercial demands of a touring lifestyle. One such musician, Shirley Horn, would define herself based on her own brilliant piano accompaniment and a remarkably expressive voice, as […]
Within the civil rights struggle against South Africa’s apartheid (1948-1994), the voice of protest had to take many forms. Musically, in representation of political protest, and bringing worldwide attention to racial and societal injustice, South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer Hugh Masekela has been described as “the father of South African jazz.” […]
Each jazz instrument has its history of legendary players. Think Miles on the trumpet; Coltrane on the sax; Monk at the piano. There are many such superb musicians who are universally revered for their craftsmanship and innovation. When it comes to jazz drummers, as well as a bandleader, Roy Haynes had an oversized reach of […]
Close friendships between jazz musicians don’t always translate to a combination that creates a chemistry and bond, professionally and personally. Yet in the case of David “Fathead” Newman and R&B giant and bandleader Ray Charles, their friendship connected them to a decade-long musical relationship from which the most seminal work of Charles’s career was recorded. Both […]