The 2009-2010 Music Series at Berklee

Pop music chases fads; great music surprises us. The 2009-2010 Music Series at Berklee presents great music from Cuba to Nashville, and from roots to soul to jazz. Eight shows. No boundaries. Full of surprises.

The series features Don Was, Jack DeJohnette, Gary Burton, Mark O'Connor, Issac Delgado, a Motown tribute, and more. Several artists will perform with Berklee students, faculty, or alumni, showcasing Berklee's own heavy-hitters alongside the best of contemporary folk, jazz, Latin, pop, and r&b.

All concerts begin at 8:15 p.m., except where noted, at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC), 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston. Tickets for all shows are on sale on Friday, August 14, and will be available at the BPC box office, and through Ticketmaster at 800 745-3000 and ticketmaster.com. All shows are reserved seating; senior discount available at the BPC box office. Call 617 747-2261 or visit berkleebpc.com for more information.

October 8 - The Music of Jack DeJohnette

Grammy-winning jazz drummer, pianist, and composer Jack DeJohnette has played with Miles, Rollins, and Jaco, and recorded more than 40 sessions as a leader. Tonight, he and current bandmate, professor Dave Fiuczynski, will lead a group of students through selections from DeJohnette's vast musical songbook. Tickets $25, $20.

November 12 - The Heart and Soul of Cuban Salsa: Issac Delgado Meets Berklee

The great Cuban vocalist Issac Delgado, backed by a faculty and student orchestra led by professor Oscar Stagnaro, brings the fiery sounds of timba (Cuban salsa) to the Berklee Performance Center stage. Tickets $25, $20.

November 19 - Don Was Meets Berklee

Was (Not Was) bassist and Grammy-winning producer Don Was—behind the hits for Bonnie Raitt, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan—plays his favorites with student groups led by faculty member Marty Walsh. Tickets $25, $20.

December 10 - American Roots: Mark O'Connor at Berklee

Berklee celebrates American roots music in a big way with Mark O'Connor, one of the most talented and imaginative artists working in music today, performing with small bluegrass groups and a full orchestra. Tickets $25, $20.

February 4 - Roots and Reason

Roots music is a chronicle of the ongoing story of America told through song. The Africana Studies program at Berklee presents students, faculty, and very special guests in a celebration of traditions from West Africa, the Caribbean, and rural America. Tickets $20, $15.

February 28 - The Great American Songbook: The Music of Motown

Motown celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2009. In tribute, a Berklee student and faculty orchestra will perform the timeless music of Motown artists The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Supremes, and others. Show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $20, $15.

March 25 - International Folk Festival

Hear the familiar strains of love, loss, triumph, sorrow, and joy in a dozen new ways. Tickets $15, $10.

April 8 - Gary Burton's Arrival: Celebrating 50 Years

Since arriving as a student at Berklee in 1960, Gary Burton has led groups that have defined the state of the art of jazz for five decades, while forming lasting musical relationships and receiving six Grammys. Tonight, Burton joins bandmates from his seminal groups to celebrate the music they've made together. Tickets $35, $25.