The Dudley Jazz Festival

07/19/2025

Tomorrow’s the day folks! Saturday, July 19, 12pm-6pm, 621 Dudley St, Dorchester, MA 02125. Check out the interview!!

Jazz guitarist Fred Woodard visits the studio to tell us about the Dudley Jazz Festival. This free festival, now in its 9th year, will feature Donna McElroy, Temidayo Balogun, Fred Woodard, and Kurtis Rivers. It's from 12-6pm at the Mary Hannon Playground, 621 Dudley St, Dorchester. Learn what inspi...

07/19/2025

Tomorrow,Saturday,July 19,12pm-6pm is the day folks! Mary Hannon Playground,621 Dudley St, Dorchester MA. Check out my full interview here

Jazz guitarist Fred Woodard visits the studio to tell us about the Dudley Jazz Festival. This free festival, now in its 9th year, will feature Donna McElroy, Temidayo Balogun, Fred Woodard, and Kurtis Rivers. It's from 12-6pm at the Mary Hannon Playground, 621 Dudley St, Dorchester. Learn what inspi...

07/17/2025

Coming up soon folks!! Photos by Jaxpix Belmer!

At the Dudley Jazz Festival, performers, engaged in the Boston community, bring to life the arts and spirituality of the neighborhood through the power of music.

07/16/2025

Here’s an interview with Fred Woodard promoting the Dudley Jazz Festiva. It’s happeningthis coming Saturday,July 19, 12pm-6pm.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMLfpQPKObu/?igsh=b25ndmZtcmxmc25v

07/15/2025

This free festival, now in its 9th year, will feature Donna McElroy, Temidayo Balogun, Fred Woodard, and Kurtis Rivers. It's on July 19th from 12-6pm at the Mary Hannon Playground, 621 Dudley St, Dorchester.

Learn what inspired Fred to start this festival, and how he works year-round to make jazz more accessible to everyone in Boston. And don't miss the festival this Saturday!

Listen on WBCA 102.9 FM on 7/15 at 9:30PM and 7/17 at 10:00PM, or anytime at wbca.podbean.com.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMJB-UYTRiL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

06/30/2025

Artist Spotlight: FRED WOODARD!

Fred will be performing with his band, The Fred Woodard Collective at The Dudley Jazz Festival, July 19 at 1:30 pm. The festival will take place at the Mary Hannon Playground, Dorchester, MA

Bio for Fred Woodard
Hailed as "....an innovative guitarist who executes in a clear, lyrical way..." by Cadence magazine, Fred Woodard leads the Fred Woodard Collective. Woodard describes the band's music as, "...straight-ahead jazz spiced with sounds from other styles. These sounds are then adapted to a jazz format."

Fred Woodard was born on March 2, 1961 in Kansas City, MO and grew up in Iowa City, IA. After high school he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and received a degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging in 1983. He has also studied Jazz improvisation with Jerry Bergonzi, Charlie Banacos, Ritchie Hart and Rodney Jones.

After graduation from Berklee Woodard performed with a variety of jazz, R&B and reggae bands in the Boston area and performed locally, nationally and internationally with classic R&B artists such as Sam & Dave, William Bell, The Drifters and the Marveletts. In addition to his own band, he has performed with The Pocket Big Band and The AB 5.

Woodard has been leading his own jazz groups since 1988. His groups have performed extensively making appearances at Boston area events such as The Newton Jazz Festival, The DSNI Multi Cultural Festival and The Big Head Community Festival. Outside of Boston his groups have performed at The Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, The Providence Jazz and Blues Festival and The Iowa City Jazz Festival. In 2016 he founded and organized the Dudley Jazz Festival and it has been an annual event since then.

Woodard established his own recording label, Ujam Records in 1997 and has produced four recordings, "Arrival","1715", “Urban Garden” and most recently “Indigo”. These recordings have received positive reviews in several publications such as Cadence Magazine, The Boston Globe, The Boston Phoenix, The Rochester City-News and The Iowa City Press Citizen.

In 2006, The Fred Woodard Trio was named "Best Band Jazz" at the 1st annual New England Urban Music Awards. In 2013 Woodard was awarded the Community Catalyst Award from the Madison Park Development Corporation.

Woodard shares the love of his craft as a teacher at the Roland Hayes School of Music and the Hamilton-Garrett Music and Arts Center in Roxbury, MA. He says, "It gives me the opportunity to re-think my approach to my instrument. I also get a chance to reach people who wouldn't otherwise get a chance to learn how to play an instrument."

Fred Woodard Collective at Arthur's House of Jazz - 11/11/21 - The Sahara ClubThis JUST may be the best two minutes you spend all day! The Fred Woodard Colle...

06/30/2025

Artist Spotlight: KURTIS RIVERS!

Kurtis Rivers will kick off the 9th annual Dudley Jazz Festival on Saturday, July 19 at 12pm. The festival will take place at the Mary Hannon Playground, 621 Dudley st, Dorchester, MA .

Kurtis Rivers (alto saxophone)
has been a consistent and leading force in the Roxbury jazz scene for nearly 40 years, leading bands at various venues in the commu-nity. He began his career playing in rhythm and blues bands in his native South Carolina. He was a core member of Salim Washington's Roxbury Blues Aesthetic, has performed in New York with Ku-umba Frank Lacy's ensem-
bles, and has toured in Europe on baritone saxophone with the Either Orchestra. He taught in the New England Conservatory Woodwind and Brass Program for more than a decade.

Kurtis Rivers Quintet2015-03-15Master McGrath's1152 River StreetHyde Park, MA., USA"Star Eyes"Kurtis Rivers alto saxMichael Maleson trumpetAlai...

06/30/2025

Artist Spotlight: DONNA MCELROY!

Donna will be performing at the Dudley Jazz Festival on Saturday, July 19 at 4:30 pm. The festival will take place at the Mary Hannon Playground,Dorchester MA

Donna McElroy is an Arranger/Background Vocalist on Gold and Platinum CD's
B.M., Fisk University

Arranger/background vocalist on gold and platinum releases "Why Haven't I Heard From You?" by Reba
McIntyre; "We Shall Be Free" by Garth Brooks, "Addictive Love" by BeBe and CeCe Winans, and "House of Love" by Amy Grant
Recipient of Grammy nomination for Bigger World (WB), a Dove Award for Songs from the Loft (Reunion), and a
1993 Best Actress Award for the Circle Players' performance of Sister Mary Regina (Nunsense)
Television appearances include Arsenio Hall, Tonight Show, and Grammy Awards
Missionary with International Christian Artists Reaching the Earth, Ghana
"Usually a person comes to Berklee as a voice student because they want a record deal ... so that's perfect for me because I can speak from experience on that topic. They may want to be a professional singer and go out on the road, or do jingles and session work, and I've done all that."
"I realized that I have a special gift I bring to teaching, which is experience. Most people get out of school and begin to teach. They haven't done 23 years of hacking away at it."
"The students love me because I've gone through all those things and I still have the love to share with them. I'm not bitter, I'm not depressed, and I'm not crazy ... well, I'm crazy, but ... (LAUGHS). But they love the fact that I can still have fun and that I love the music. The music comes first, and then I still have a lot of attention, space, and joy left to share with them. That's what they love. And that's a gift. I don't claim that; I just accept it, maintain it, and manage it because I know that it's a gift from God. I know it is."
Instagram
Facebook Donna McElroy Artist

Performed by Donna McElroy at the Nashville Jazz Workshop, with Lori Mechem (piano), Roger Spencer (bass), Marcus Finnie (drums) and Don Aliquo (sax). Tune c...

06/30/2025

Artist Spotlight: TEMIDAYO BALOGUN

Temidayo will be performing at The Dudley Jazz Festival on Saturday,July 19 at 3pm at the Mary Hannon Playground,621 Dudley St.,Dorchester,MA

Temidayo Balogun is a pan-African musician with a strong background in jazz and contemporary music. He hails from Osun state, Nigeria, and has a diverse skill set that includes playing the saxophone, piano, and talking drum. His musical journey has taken him through a rich education at Peter King College of Music (Lagos, Nigeria), Muson School of Music (Lagos, Nigeria), and later at the Longy School of Music (Cambridge, Massachusetts). Temidayo Balogun with his group, AKÉDE, in recent times has performed at The GBH lounge Thursdays at Boston Public Library, David Chesnut Jazz Festival, and Baby Grand Jazz at Hartford Public Library.

Temidayo has also had the privilege of collaborating with various notable musicians and bands, both in Nigeria and Boston. These collaborations include artists like Yinka Davies, Taye Mayegha, Tosin Aribisala, and groups like The Lagos Jazz Series Quintet, Generayshun, The Native Brains, Ope and the Stereo Choir, Jazz in My Room, and most notably, The Makanda Project in Boston. His involvement in The Makanda Project led by John Kordalewski has allowed him to work alongside jazz legends such as Chico Freeman, Avery Sharpe, Dee Alexander, Ricky Ford, Warren Smith, Bill Lowe, and others, which is a significant achievement in the world of jazz music.

In addition to his live performances and collaborations, Temidayo Balogun recently released his debut studio album titled "Ìbà," which is available on various digital platforms. This album reflects his deep connection to his Yoruba cultural roots and West African musical influences, both rhythmically and harmonically. It's a testament to his skills as a composer and his dedication to exploring and sharing the rich musical traditions of his heritage.

05/30/2025

The official poster for the 2025 Dudley Jazz Festival!