Brown Bag Concerts | Mechanics Hall

FREE — OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Registration not required

Doors 11:30pm | Show 12:00pm
*Please refer to our Events & Tickets page for performance dates.

The Brown Bag Concert Series, presented by Mechanics Hall and 90.5 FM WICN, has been a beloved tradition in Worcester since 1983. These hour-long concerts by acclaimed regional and national performers are held in the Great Hall on select Wednesdays from noon to 1pm. Bring your own “brown bag” lunch, and enjoy wonderful music while eating your lunch! Cabaret-style seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. All concerts are free, open to the public, and subject to change.

The accessible entrance to Mechanics Hall is located on Waldo Street. Elevators are located in the ground-floor lobby and provide access to the second and third floors. Please note, there is no elevator access to the balcony. All concerts take place in the Great Hall on the third floor. If you need assistance, please contact the Mechanics Hall Ticket Office, Wednesday through Friday from 11:00am-5:00pm, by calling 508-752-0888.

Whenever possible, Brown Bag Concerts are also broadcast live on WICN 90.5FM, and streamed live on WICN.org.

2024 Brown Bag Concert Series Schedule

Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Mechanics Hall & 90.5 FM WICN present
Brown Bag Concert featuring Evening Sky Band
12:00pm

Evening Sky is a Jazz/Roots Quartet featuring Chris Brooks on Pedal Steel Guitar, Joe Potenza on Bass, composer Gino Rosati on Guitars, and producer Eric Hastings on Drums.

The band has a knack for combining the classic elements of American music (jazz, folk, R&B, country) to form a unique, spirited sound. Their rhythmic, smooth, and playful approach has been compared to artists as diverse as Bill Frisell, Bill Withers, Bill Monroe, and Bill Laswell. And that's just the Bills!

Whether on their own original instrumentals, reinterpreting classic songs, or collaborating with guest singers and instrumentalists, Evening Sky has a chameleon-like ability to adapt to whatever the situation calls for.

The band can be seen performing at venues as varied as jazz and blues festivals, quiet listening rooms, and raucous rock clubs. Evening Sky’s approach in the studio is equally as eclectic. They have experimented with old school recording techniques, as evidenced on their One Mic, Two Weekends release. On the opposite end of the spectrum, they have used the studio as a creative, experimental tool: adding layers of sound, overdubs, effects and five different vocalists on their version of Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited.

www.eveningskyband.com/

daniel-bennett-group-photo-by-mp-kuo-2021

Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Mechanics Hall & 90.5 FM WICN present
Brown Bag Concert Featuring the Daniel Bennett Group
12:00pm

New York saxophonist Daniel Bennett has been hailed as one of the most original and unpredictable musical voices of his generation. The Boston Globe described Bennett's music as, "a mix of Jazz, Folk and Minimalism." The Daniel Bennett Group is celebrating the release of their 9th studio album, 'New York Nerve.' Timeout New York called the music, "hypnotic!" Daniel Bennett is joined by master percussionist Koko Bermejo on drums and keyboard. Rounding out the trio is acclaimed six-string bassist Kevin Hailey. Daniel Bennett has been featured in Timeout New York, Baltimore Sun, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, and NPR. The UK Jazz Journal called Bennett "an outspoken voice of hope" during the COVID 19 pandemic. Daniel Bennett Group was recently voted 'Best New Jazz' in Hot House Magazine. The band performs regularly at the Blue Note (NYC), Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club (London) and Zingari Jazz (San Francisco). Daniel Bennett is a touring woodwind clinician and educator at the New York Jazz Academy. Daniel Bennett is also an active woodwind doubler in the New York City theater scene. Bennett orchestrated the music for 'Whitman at the Whitney,' a multimedia theater production at the Whitney Museum. Daniel Bennett played woodwinds in 'Blank! The Musical,' the first fully improvised musical to launch on a national stage. The New York Times called the show, "Witty, Likable and Ludicrous!" Daniel Bennett's genre-bending sound has captivated audiences throughout the world.

https://danielbennett.net/

Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Mechanics Hall & 90.5 FM WICN present Brown Bag Concert
Betty's Bounce
12:00pm

Betty’s Bounce, a jazz trio from Wakefield, MA, performs American and Gypsy Jazz in the spirit of guitarist Django Reinhardt. Jean Reinhardt, known by his Romani nickname Django, was a Romani-Belgian jazz guitarist and composer. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most significant exponents. Betty’s Bounce features Audie Bridges on guitar, Curtis Doo on guitar, and Zach Bridges on double bass.

Brown Bag Concert Series Sponsors

Brown Bag Concert Series Archive

Recognizing the historical significance of nearly 40 years of the Brown Bag Concert Series, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has documented the history of the series in its Jazz History Database. The database includes information from 1989-2008.

"Studio 3," a half-hour music and interview television program featuring some of the best jazz groups in New England and beyond, was taped between 1993 and 2000 before live audiences in the studios of WGMC-TV3 or on location, including Brown Bag concerts at Mechanics Hall. All shows were produced and hosted by jazz vocalist Toni Ballard, with production support from Greater Media Cable, and aired from 1993 to 2003 on WGMC-TV3. The WPI Jazz History Database includes Studio 3 videos.