Upcoming Concerts

Novel Jazz Septet upcoming shows...

Dear Friends of Novel Jazz,

As 2025 careens to a close, we all can reflect on the fact that the year has been quite a journey!  We of Novel Jazz feel that an evening of peaceful, reflective jazz might be in order to help us as we start our next trip around the sun and celebrate the lengthening days!  For this reason, Novel Jazz is returning to the Skidompha Public Library in Damariscotta on Saturday, 20 December, 2024, 7-9:30 PM, for a jazz winter solstice celebration!  We’ll be playing compositions out of the Great American Songbook, with tunes befitting the longest night of the year. The library is located at 184 Main St., Damariscotta, ME.  The winter solstice is also an evening to remember the homeless and food insecure among us.  To this end, the evening will be in support of Skidompha’s “Little Food Pantry.” 

The performance will feature Herb Maine (acoustic bass), Bill Manning (drums), Michael Mitchell (trumpet), Mickey Felder (piano), David Clarke (guitar), Nate Johengen (reeds) and yours truly (trombone).  There also will be an appearance by a special guest artist!  This evening marks the last show of the band’s 21st year in which Novel Jazz has been playing straight-ahead jazz for audiences throughout Maine (and beyond).  If, after 20 years, you still have never attended a Skidompha event, please consider coming by to check us out and to see why the Novel Jazz evenings at Skidompha have been so popular for so long! 

Admission is free and all are welcome to this special solstice concert.  In lieu of purchasing a ticket, the library requests that attendees bring either a financial donation (suggested $20/person) for the library, food or personal hygiene items for Skidompha’s Little Food Pantry, all to support other community members in need.  Pantry items must not be expired and must be unopened. A donation is not required for attendance.  For more info, call 207-887-0919 or point your web browser to http://www.skidompha.org/.  We’d love to see you for this solstice celebration! 

Best holiday wishes to you all,

Barney Balch

PS  For the cold Maine winter, we'll be focusing not on shows, but on new Ellington/Strayhorn arrangements as we prepare for our next season.  See you in 2026!