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5 things to do this weekend, including jazz from the Gregory Groover Quintet and ‘The Art of Burning’ at the Huntington

Last weekend was a long and busy one. The unveiling of a new statue honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King has been the talk around town (and the nation) for the past few days. If you want to continue engaging in Black art this weekend, check out the Dot Jazz music series' opening performance at Peabody Hall with saxophonist Gregory Grover. LaTasha Barnes’ “The Jazz Continuum,” a performance that links Black art from the past to the present, also takes place this weekend. Keep reading to see the rest of our weekend picks.

Dot Jazz: Gregory Groover Quintet

Thursday, Jan. 19

The music series Dot Jazz is a collaboration between Greater Ashmont Main Street, a local nonprofit, and Mandorla Music, an organization that records and produces concerts for jazz musicians. The series will produce five live shows at All Saints Church’s Peabody Hall in Boston. The first Dot Jazz concert will take place this week, featuring tenor saxophonist Gregory Groover. The musician has toured around the world and shared the stage with artists like Terri Lyne Carrington, Patrice Rushen and Danilo Pérez. Groover explores Black religious music traditions. On Thursday, he’ll be joined by Jason Palmer on trumpet, Santiago Bosch on piano, Max Ridley on bass and Tyson Jackson on drums.


LaTasha Barnes' 'The Jazz Continuum'

Thursday, Jan. 19-Saturday, Jan. 21

This performance will explore the importance of dance and jazz in Black America. “The Jazz Continuum” stretches over the last century, linking past and present expressions of Black art. It features a multidisciplinary, intergenerational cast and celebrates art from across the diaspora, including Harlem, Chicago, Cuba, Brazil and more. [Read our winter dance guide for more upcoming performances.]


'The Art of Burning'

Through Sunday, Feb. 12

Boston playwright Kate Snodgrass and director Melia Bensussen present “The Art of Burning,” a tale about love and loss, at The Huntington. The story follows a modernist painter who has recently separated from her partner. She wants full custody of her daughter, Beth. However, her partner wants their daughter to decide. There’s only one problem: Beth has gone missing. This play blends comedy and mystery while exploring parenting in America. [Want more theater recommendations? Check out our winter guide.]


Compagnie Hervé KOUBI

Saturday, Jan. 21

Combining contemporary dance, capoeira and hip-hop, the dance troupe Compagnie Hervé KOUBI will present a powerful show at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre. They pull from Sufi imagery, a mystic religious practice, to create something unique and singular. The dancers come from all over the world, including Algeria, Morocco, Bulgaria, Italy and France. In this performance, part of Global Arts Live’s Winter Dance Fest 2023, they’ll explore their backgrounds, as well as cultures and religions from across the Mediterranean.


'Fairies of the Season'

Saturday, Jan. 21-Sunday, Jan. 29

The Puppet Showplace Theater will show a new performance for children and families this weekend. The puppet play tells the stories of changing seasons, from plant growth to the tree cycle and human behavior. In this story, fairies control the seasons happily until a grumpy gnome intervenes. Handmade fairy puppets are at the center of this show, and participation from the young attendees is encouraged.

Headshot of Lauren Williams

Lauren Williams Arts Editor
Lauren Williams was an editor at WBUR.

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