Concerts in the Common

Soca Fusion is a dance and wellness company founded in 2017 to increase the visibility of Soca dance and Caribbean cultural expression within the Cambridge and Greater Boston dance communities. Created to expand access to culturally affirming dance spaces for Black and Brown youth of the African Diaspora, the company offers community classes, workshops, performances, and wellness-centered programming that help participants reconnect with their bodies while celebrating Caribbean culture.

Featuring: Ella Wechsler-Matthaei, Owin Farrell, Hemwattie Ramcharran, Kelise, and Safiyah NauMckenzie.

Ball in the House is an R&B/Soul/Pop a cappella group based out of Boston, MA, whose high energy shows have audiences singing, dancing, even beatboxing along! With their extensive tour schedule (averaging 200 shows a year), Ball in the House has performed everywhere - from theaters to performing arts centers, fairs & festivals, to opening for some of the biggest acts in the world, such as The Beach Boys, The Jonas Brothers, The Temptations, KC & The Sunshine Band, and numerous others. They headlined the 2018 & 2016 China International Chorus Festival in Beijing, won the 2016 Boston Harmony Sweepstakes, and were voted 2014 APCA Band of the Year, and have appeared on America’s Got Talent and The TODAY Show.

Featuring: Wallace Thomas (tenor), Tyler Nordin (tenor), Oscar Hall (baritone), Dylan Melville (vocal bass), Jon Ryan (beatbox)

West End House is a vital community anchor based in Allston, dedicated to inspiring and empowering young people to realize their full potential. They believe in the arts as a powerful path for youth expression and growth. In the Music Clubhouse, young musicians connect, create, rehearse, and perform, finding their voice and building community through music.. They believe in the arts as a powerful path for youth expression and growth. In the Music Clubhouse, young musicians connect, create, rehearse, and perform, finding their voice and building community through music.

Los Mambiseros is a Boston-based Traditional Cuban Music and Fusion project led by Cuban-American artist Christopher Carlos Montejo. The project’s mission is to share and celebrate Cuba’s folkloric culture, music, and dance. The group is a flexible trio-to-septet ensemble that focuses on traditional Cuban music, including Son, Rumba, Bolero, Changüí, Danzón, Cha-Cha-Cha, as well as experimental jazz and salsa. “Mambiseros” is a playful spelling of “mambíses,” the revolutionary guerrilla fighters from the Cuban Wars of Independence. The mambíses were a grassroots, freedom-fighting force represented and led by Caribbeans of diverse racial and social backgrounds. The project spans time and aligns with the decolonial, international, and rebellious spirit of being “mambí.”

Featuring: Christopher Carlos Montejo-Congas/Vocals, Lex Behr-Percussion, John Glennon-Trumpet, Bryan Medina-Saxophone, Sebastian Franjou-Guitar, Solomon Caldwell-Bass

Korean-born, Thailand-raised guitarist Matthew Ryu meets German bassist Jan Portisch for an exciting duo performance. Rooted in jazz, this duo performs original compositions and selections from the jazz repertoire in an engaging and conversational approach. They strive to push the limits of improvisation with these two instruments and use music as a means of communicating not only with each other but with the audiences in a deeper level.

Featuring: Matthew Ryu (Guitar), Jan Portisch (Bass)

Ivanna Cuesta is a music group centered around a talented Dominican drummer, known for its vibrant energy and tight, rhythmic sound. The group brings together diverse perspectives and talents, and blends many contemporary styles, creating a unique and engaging sound take on jazz an fusion.

Featuring: Ivanna Cuesta - Drums, Jose Soto - Piano/Tentative, Youngchae Jeong - Bass/tentative

Corinna is a singer-songwriter who finds inspiration in the everyday. Writing songs for the past 10 years and playing gigs in their hometowns of New York and Boston, Corinna's music focuses on everyday feelings and encounters; connecting words and music to moments both mundane and grand. Corinna’s music touches on love, loss, growth, change, and their own identity, using music to reflect on the ever-changing world around them. Outside of their creative applications of music, Corinna studies the impact that music has on the brain at the Music, Imaging, and Neural Dynamics (MIND) Lab at Northeastern University. Looking at therapeutic and holistic applications of music to improve wellbeing, Corinna’s practice is rooted in the connective and healing power of music.

Featuring: Corinna Parrish - vocalist & guitarist

Nora Meier is a Boston-based singer-songwriter who takes as much inspiration from Randy Newman and Nina Simone as she does from Feist and Wilco. As a live performer, her music showcases what Spectrum Culture calls, “A gently percolating but still laid-back brand of folk-pop.

Featuring: Nora Burkhartsmeier-voice,piano,guitar, Steven Manwaring-guitar/tentative, Adam Gurczak-bass/tentative, Ben Andrade-drums/tentative

The Jug Nuts are a loosely connected group of zany musicians playing and leading jams of jug band music, early blues and jazz. In true jug band fashion the instruments include jugs and kazoos, and many of the other instruments are actually homemade. Bring your acoustic instruments and join us!

Featuring: Michael Buonaiuto (mandolin, kazoo, washboard, slide wistle), Tom Stewart (guitar and vocals), Dan Holabaugh (guitar and vocals) & Jasmine Moran (trash can bass, suitcase drum set, flute, and vocals)

Fly By Brass Band is a 10-15 piece brass ensemble hailing from the greater Boston Area who enjoys playing interesting and approachable music. Born of the local community HONK! Festival scene they focus on bringing live horn harmonies to the people. Their tastes are eclectic, performing everything from second-line inspired jazz to upbeat rock. The main theme is: "Does this make us feel good and would it delight others?"