Jazz, Massachusetts tourism’s new repertoire

Christopher Klien / January 10, 2010

The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) is a partner in the MassJazz initiative, and founder Michael Quinlin believes MOTT is the only state tourism agency in the country to help initiate a marketing campaign devoted to jazz.

Quinlin hopes to make Massachusetts as much a destination for domestic and international jazz fans as New Orleans, Chicago, or New York. Jazz enthusiasts who go to the MassJazz website will find listings for hundreds of performances, festivals, clubs, and educational programs.

“When people say Massachusetts is a cultural center, they’re not necessarily thinking of jazz,’’ says Eric Jackson, host of “Jazz on WGBH with Eric Jackson.’’ Pianist Chick Corea, drummer Roy Haynes, and saxophonist Phil Woods were all born in Massachusetts.

From Pittsfield to Provincetown, there are more than 130 venues with live jazz. The vitality of the jazz scene here surprised even a lifelong aficionado like Quinlin. “I was startled to see how many grass-roots festivals and schools there are across the state,’’ he says.

What makes Massachusetts such a hotbed is that it’s home to some of the finest jazz study programs in the world, including Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory. Jazz legends Diana Krall, Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, Branford Marsalis, Quincy Jones, Cecil Taylor, and John Medeski are among the distinguished musicians who have taught or studied at the schools.

Down on Cape Cod, percussion and horns are as much a part of the summertime sounds as the rolling surf and chirping crickets. “The vibrant jazz scene is actually one of the Cape’s best-kept secrets,’’ says Kristen Mitchell, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce’s vice president of tourism marketing. Mitchell says the Cape’s burgeoning jazz lineup has emerged as another vehicle for drawing visitors. The Provincetown Jazz Festival, JazzFest Falmouth, and the Cape Cod Jazz Festival at Chatham’s Wequassett Resort draw thousands of fans each year. In addition, dozens of Cape restaurants, such as the Nimrod in Falmouth, Grand Cru and the Island Merchant in Hyannis, host live jazz.