Jazz in July Week 2 All Star Faculty Concert // THURSDAY, July 19
It’s not truly July until UMass launches the Jazz in July program in Amherst. And The Jazz in July faculty concerts are always showstoppers. Greg Caputo, Steve Davis, Bob Ferrier, Catherine Jensen-Hole, Jeff Holmes, Steve Johns, Genevieve Rose, Felipe Salles, Christian Sands and Shigefumi “Fumi” Tomita are scheduled to take the stage at Bezanson Recital Hall. $20/$15 students and seniors. Fine Arts Center, UMass. 413-545-2511.
Poetic Recovery Festival at The Flywheel Arts Collective // SATURDAY, July 21
For years, spoken word artist Maurice “Soulfighter” Taylor has brought people together through his group Poetic Recovery, which is focused on building a socially conscious community through hip hop and rap music and poetry. Now, on Saturday, July 21, the Poetic Recovery Festival will take place at the Flywheel Arts Collective in Easthampton, which includes artists such as the Hope for Holyoke House band, poet James Maloney, DJ Tony Crush of The Cold Crush Brothers, and Lil Rodney C of Funky Four. Flywheel Arts Collective, 43 Main St., Easthampton. 7 to 10 p.m. $8.
Shakespeare Under the Stars — Othello // THURSDAY-SUNDAY, July 19-22
Outdoor theater is really cool, but can be somewhat rare. That’s not the case, however, with Shakespeare, who has “Shakespeare in the Park” type events dedicated to his plays all over the land. At 7 p.m. at the Massachusetts Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies at 650 East Pleasant Street, Amherst, lovers of the bard can take in Othello on the meadow by the Hampshire Shakespeare Company. $7 – $15. More info at hampshireshakespeare.com. – Dave Eisenstadter
