GBH Jazz Nights welcomes Ian Coury, an award-winning 10-string bandolim player and composer from Brazil, has shared stages with Toninho Horta and Hamilton de Holanda and recently earned Berklee’s Global Jazz master’s degree. Catherine Bent, an English-born multi-style cellist and former Cirque du Soleil member, has recorded with Joe Jackson, Lee Konitz, and Patty Larkin, among others. She is Associate Professor at Berklee and author of Creatudes: Brazilian Adventures in Rhythm and Harmony for Bowed Strings. Together, they explore Brazil’s rich traditions of choro and forró, performing works by Pixinguinha, Jacob do Bandolim, Luiz Gonzaga, Hermeto Pascoal, and others, alongside their own compositions.

GBH Jazz Nights showcase the incredible range of jazz talent in the Greater Boston area. The series is co-hosted by JazzBoston and GBH Music, taking place on the second Thursday of every month from September through May. Tickets are free, but registration is encouraged. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early! By registering, you agree to receive email communications from GBH Music.

GBH Jazz Nights are made possible by the Goldstein Family Fund.

The GBH BPL studio will host Outspoken Saturdays, a spoken word poetry event for emerging artists. Every first Saturday of the month, the series will be created in collaboration with spoken word artist Amanda Shea.

If you are interested in performing, feel free to submit your work for review here

Join us!

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Join Jimmy and local community-based media trailblazer, Yawu Miller, as Jimmy switches to the ‘other side’ of the ‘desk’ to discuss the personal impact of maintaining his media platform, Java With Jimmy, for six years and looking ahead at what’s next.

Guest:

Yawu Miller
Former Senior Editor, Bay State Banner

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

GBH Music welcomes the Rasa String Quartet to the Boston Public Library for a free show, hosted by CRB Classical 99.5 midday host Edyn-Mae Stevenson. Enjoy a “mixtape” of the greatest hits from the 1980s… and the 1780s! The Rasa String Quartet plays the music of Whitney Houston, Prince, and Hayao Miyazaki alongside that of Mozart and Haydn in an evening of classical rock and soul.

Formed in 2019, the Rasa String Quartet brings together violinists Emma Powell and Maura Shawn Scanlin, violist Kiyoshi Hayashi, and cellist Mina Kim. The Rasa String Quartet is dedicated to exploring the musical space where classical and folk traditions intersect and influence one another. In Sanskrit, the term ‘rasa’ refers to the indescribable power of art to move, inspire, and connect us—a quality Rasa String Quartet strives to embody in every performance. The Rasa String Quartet will perform four free concerts at the BPL throughout the 2025-2026 GBH Music Season.

Why are so many Latinos raving about it and why are others so upset? Join Alberto Vasallo of El Mundo Boston as he moderates a panel to discuss the good, the “bad” and the ugly that has come about the controversial performance on America’s largest stage.

Guests:

Kelly Garcia
Chelsea City Councilor at Large

Antuan Castro del Rio
Artist and community leader

Gabriela Salas
Host & Executive Producer of iHeartRadio's Qué Pasa Boston

Christian De Jesus Franco
Director of Community Affairs, ALPFA Boston

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

GBH Jazz Nights welcomes Tree Greetings, the acoustic duo of bassist/vocalist Devon Gates and guitarist Ria Modak. Blending jazz, Hindustani, folk, and other traditions, their ruminative compositions strike a balance between melancholy and romance. Their debut single, Shisha (April 2025), is streaming now. They’ve performed across Boston, New York, and most recently toured Mumbai, India. A debut album arrives in 2026. Named one of The New York City Jazz Record’s “Up and Comers of the Year” in 2024, Devon Gates is an Atlanta-born bassist, vocalist, and award-winning composer now based in Brooklyn. Gates is a graduate of Harvard and Berklee. Ria Modak, a guitarist, composer, and historian from New York, is pursuing a PhD at Brown on music and nationalism in India, after completing the Harvard/NEC dual degree program.

GBH Jazz Nights showcase the incredible range of jazz talent in the Greater Boston area. The series is co-hosted by JazzBoston and GBH Music, taking place on the second Thursday of every month from September through May. Tickets are free, but registration is encouraged. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early! By registering, you agree to receive email communications from GBH Music.

GBH Jazz Nights are made possible by the Goldstein Family Fund.

Join us for an engaging live taping of GBH Amplifies as we host a vital conversation on the evolution of civil rights and the enduring quest for equity in our nation. Hosted by Ron Mitchell as part of The Bay State Banner’s 60th Anniversary "State of Black America Forum Series," this panel explores the intersection of historical milestones and the modern-day pursuit of justice.

Guests:

Dr. Noelle Trent
President & CEO of the Museum of African American History, Boston and Nantucket

Byron Rushing
Former Massachusetts State Representative and former President of the Museum of African American History

L'Merchie Frazier
Visual activist, public historian, educator, artist who currently serves as Executive Director of Creative / Strategic Planning for SPOKE Arts

JerriAnne Boggis 
Executive Director, Black Heritage Trail New Hampshire


GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

The GBH BPL studio will host Outspoken Saturdays, a spoken word poetry event for emerging artists. Every first Saturday of the month, the series will be created in collaboration with spoken word artist Amanda Shea.

This month we are honored to host a panel for Black History Month! Come join us for what promises to be an enriching conversation.

If you are interested in performing, feel free to submit your work for review here

Join us!

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

In this week's show, host Jimmy sits down with local entrepreneur and lifelong Bostonian, Nia Grace, alongside community organizer, Curtis Rollins, for a deep dive into the pulse of the city. The conversation navigates the complexities of the current state of Black Boston, exploring critical topics from the impact of P3 developments to the future of Black economic empowerment. Together, they offer a powerful, community-driven perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing Boston’s neighborhoods today.

Guests:

Nia Grace
Entrepreneur

Curtis Rollins
Community Organizer

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Join host Tracy Chang for an immersive journey into the secret world of "letterlocking" with guest Jana Dambrogio, the Thomas F. Peterson (1957) Conservator at the MIT Libraries and a pioneer in the study of historic communications. Jana has spent decades uncovering the ingenious ways in which historical figures such as Catherine de’ Medici and Phillis Wheatley secured their private correspondence through complex folding and cutting techniques.

In this lively, interactive show, audience members will hold physical models of these historic letters and witness the cutting-edge technology used to "virtually unfold" unopened documents, culminating in a hands-on "unlocked" reveal where lucky participants can win prizes like a signed copy of Dambrogio’s book, Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter, or tasty treats!

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Join NOVA at the GBH Studios at the Boston Public Library for a night of NOVA science trivia! Get ready for creative categories that test your knowledge of science, from the depths of the universe to the history of science. This month, we will be quizzing you on ancient civilizations, serendipitous discoveries and more!

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event. Registration is encouraged for this free event.

The capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro has been a global news story. Today, we invite members of the Venezuelan community to the GBH Studio to hear their perspective on the matter. How do they feel? What do they think the future has in store for their nation? These and many other insights from those who are closest to the story.

Guests:

Ana Julia Jatar, PH.D.
President - Venezuelan American Association of the United States

Leonardo Vivas
Expert on International Relations, Latin America

Maria Alejandra Bastardo
President – Casa de Venezuela New England

Nare Villarroel
Fled Venezuela after protesting Maduro dictatorship

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.