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Think summer: Tanglewood Jazz Festival sked announced

The 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival will open Sept. 4, at 8 p.m., with “An Evening with Paquito d’Rivera,” as the clarinetist performs pieces from his Latin jazz and classical repertoires. Also on the bill: Regina Carter, Nnenna Freelon, Kenny Barron, Mulgrew Miller, John Pizzarelli, Jessica Molaskey, Dave Holland, Jon Faddis, and Harolyn Blackwell. All shows will be held in Seiji Ozawa Hall. On September 5, at 2 p.m., Pizzarelli and Molaskey (in her Tanglewood debut) will tape their popular radio program, “Radio Deluxe,” for later broadcast nationwide. Also Saturday, the Regina Carter Quintet will perform along with "Dreaming the Duke" with Nnenna Freelon and Harolyn Blackwell. On September 6, the sked features a Kenny Barron-Mulgrew Miller piano duet, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and a trumpet celebration with the Jon Faddis Quartet playing Louis, Miles and Dizzy. (Faddis, left.)

First House of Blues shows going on sale Saturday

The annual March Madness with the Dropkick Murphys and a double bill of B.B. King and Buddy Guy highlight the first round of shows for the new House of Blues on Lansdowne Street, five years after the original Cambridge HOB closed. I'm guessing there will be at least one Patriot- and Red Sox-studded grand opening party to which you can't buy a ticket, but the public festivities begin Feb. 20 with the Gipsy Kings. This is the 2,500-capacity venue that was going to be called the Music Hall when the Lyons group announced that it would replace the aging Avalon and Axis on the party promenade behind Fenway Park. Of course, concert giant Live Nation is now parent corporation of the HOB brand, which quickly outgrew its funky Cambridge roots. One thing's for sure. Given the economy, the coming HOB Boston January job fair ought to be well-attended. Show details here. Complete list of shows after the jump...

Nigel Tufnel named Berklee trustee!

Well, actually it was writer-actor-director Christopher Guest, who plays Tufnel in Spinal Tap, but still, to have the lead guitarist on "Big Bottom" on the Berklee College of Music Board of Trustees is no small thing. "More interaction with students and faculty" is promised. Also named as trustees were Grammy king Paul Simon of "Graceland" and "& Garfunkel" fame, and Marc Willis, president and CEO of the Soulsville Foundation, which runs the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Simon and Guest already have Berklee honorary doctorates, and Simon has a couple of scholarships named for him. Willis is a Berklee alum, and the Stax Music Academy his foundation runs is a network site for Berklee's City Music program.

Boston Conservatory spring performances

Every hour seems to bring a fresh sign of how the economic meltdown is affecting the arts around here. The press release that topped the Boston Conservatory's spring sked contains more references to affordability than the average K mart flyer: "The Boston Conservatory offers award-winning, affordable, high-quality performances by faculty, students and guests throughout the school year. Among the offerings for the Spring 2009 semester are classical music performances, theater, musical theater, opera, children’s performances and dance. Many of the performances are free. In addition, The Boston Conservatory offers substantial discounts for all students from any institution, with ID." (Emphasis mine.)

Among the events are return of the popular Piano Masters and String Masters series of guest artist recitals and The Boston Conservatory Theater’s "42nd Street," in honor of the late Sue Ronson, creator of the Conservatory’s tap program. When required, tickets are available at (617) 912-9222 or www.bostonconservatory.edu/tickets.

Complete schedule after the jump.

Hirsching their mellow at World Music

Some weeks back we told you that Dan Hirsch was leaving his gig as Concert Program Manager at the Museum of Fine Arts to join World Music/CRASHarts. Today we get his first lineup, and it was worth the wait:

• Department of Eagles, Sun., 1/18, 9pm, Brattle Theatre
• Antony & The Johnsons, Sun., 2/22, 7:30pm, Berklee Performance Center
• Tindersticks, Sat., 3/7, 8pm, Somerville Theater
• Dean Wareham & Britta Phillips: 13 Most Beautiful… Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests, Sat., 3/21, 7pm & 9:30pm, Institute of Contemporary Art (right)
• The Idan Raichel Project, Tues., 3/24, 7:30pm, Berklee Performance Center
• The Bad Plus, Fri., 4/3, Berklee Performance Center
• The Books, Fri., 4/10, 7pm & 9:30pm, Institute of Contemporary Art

Tix and info: (617)876-4275 or www.WorldMusic.org.

Peabody Essex to close on Mondays; economy a factor

Email brought the announcement that the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem will be closed on Mondays (except holidays) effective in January. "This change will enable the Museum to conduct routine training, gallery installation, and building maintenance during the daytime and align PEM's public hours with those of the majority of museums across the country," said the announcement. "It will also yield significant annual savings as the Museum endeavors to streamline operating expenses without compromising exhibitions and programs."

I emailed back and said, OK, how much of this is the economy and how much is the other stuff? Public Relations Manager April Swieconek answered promptly: "The answer, I would say, is mixed. We need this change regardless of the economic climate, and have been contemplating it for some time. If the downturn had never occurred, we would still need the day for installations, maintenance, etc. That said, we are compelled like other museums to find ways to adapt to the economy. The timing is evident and the financial advantages are definitely a consideration."

At Holiday Pops

For the Globe.

Sheldon Cohen wants Out Of Town News back

It could happen, either for Cohen or one of a dozen other suitors. Good news for everyone sad about the looming closure of the Harvard Square landmark.

ICA sculpture goes crash, replaced

Greg Cook has all the details on the loss of Joe Zane's glass sculpture and the effort to get up a "Doppelganger." To quote Bart Simpson: "I didn't do it."

Something Phish-y for the holidays

Dedicated fans already know I'm sure, but Phish bassist Mike Gordon is playing four New England dates between Christmas and New Year's behind his August solo release on Rounder, "The Green Sparrow." Gordon will play Lupo's in Providence on Dec. 27, The Music Hall in Portsmouth (N.H.) on Dec. 28, The Pickle Barrel in Killington on Dec. 29 and the Higher Ground in South Burlington (VT.) on Dec. 30. For tix check the venue sites or Mike-Gordon.com.