Celebrate Valentine’s Day with music, the food of love
Tom Nutile | February 5, 2016
Because Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, there are twice as many options when it comes to stepping out to celebrate that most romantic of days with your sweetheart. You can canoodle on the actual day, or you can choose a Saturday night celebration on Feb. 13. If you’re truly romantic, you could even stretch it into a three-day affair by adding in Friday, Feb. 12.
And what better way to stoke the flames of passion than by hearing some music? After all, as Shakespeare wrote, “If music be the food of love, play on…” Here are some great ways to satisfy your appetite for the food of love in and around Boston.
Rebecca Parris at the Regent Theatre in Arlington
Known as Boston’s First Lady of Song, Rebecca Parris is back at the Regent Theatre in Arlington for her traditional Valentine’s Day concert of love songs, “In Love with Parris.” This is the 25th year she has serenaded lovers on Valentine’s Day, and the second at the Regent. This strong-voiced torch singer is also quite capable of bringing out the nuance in the standards of the Great American Songbook. Backed by Brad Hatfield on piano, Peter Kontrimas on bass and Jim Lattini on drums. Matinee only at 3 p.m. www.regenttheatre.com. 7 Medford St., Arlington. 781-646-4849.
Jimmy 2 Suits Capone at the Bull Run
It’s showcase time at the Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley when Jimmy “2 Suits” Capone takes the stage. Mr. 2 Suits, a tenor sax player with a big broad tone and a larger than life stage presence, is a local guy who learned his craft working in Las Vegas with the likes of Sam Butera, Sammy Davis Jr. and the Temptations. Jimmy, who formerly played with Bellevue Cadillac, will hold a round robin of an event, sharing the spotlight with Eddie Scheer (the Love Dogs), Big Jack Ward (Luther “Guitar Jr.” Johnson), Johnny Juxo (Racky Thomas Band), Johnny “Blue Horn” Moriconi (JBH & The Caretakers and the Chicken Slacks), Sven Larson (Toni Lynn Washington, James Montgomery and John Axis) and Bobby “The Breeze” Holfelder (Knickerbocker All-Stars and Bellevue Cadillac). Each musician will get a shot at the microphone. As Jimmy puts it, “Members of the band never know who is going to be called next to do a tune and none of the musicians know what song they will be called to play. Even the audience gets involved in this fast-paced event as they pick their favorite musician to perform!”
Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner and seating. Show begins at 8 p.m. www.bullrunrestaurant.com, 215 Great Road, Shirley, 978-425-4311.
The New York Voices or Cyrille Aimée at Scullers
The New York Voices will sing the songs of Paul Simon the two nights before Valentine’s Day, on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 12 and 13, at Scullers Jazz Club, on the shores of the Charles River in Boston.
Although rooted in jazz – think Lambert, Hendricks and Ross – this is a versatile vocal group that can move from jazz to Brazilian, R&B, pop or even classical. Shows are 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Vocalist Cyrille Aimée performs two shows, at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., at Scullers on Feb. 14. Aimee, whose father was French and mother Dominican, grew up listening to music at gypsy encampments outside her home in Samois-sur-Seine in France. She developed her style singing on street corners with friends while traveling across Europe, and gained international acclaim when she won first prize in the vocal competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Scullers Jazz Club is in the Doubletree Suites by Hilton Boston-Cambridge, 400 Soldiers Field Road, Boston. For tickets: 866-777-8932. Email: [email protected].
The Gretchen Parlato & Alan Hampton Duo at the Regattabar
Gretchen Parlato uses space and texture to put songs across. She uses subtlety to make her point, but at the same time, sings with great energy. Parlato is joined at the Regattabar in Cambridge by singer/songwriter/bassist Alan Hampton, with whom she regularly tours and who collaborated with her on her album “The Lost and Found.” Friday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m., and at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. The Regattabar at the Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St., Cambridge. For tickets: 617-395-7757.
