Jazz at the Fort, in partnership with Berklee College of Music, presents George W. Russell Jr. and Company

About George W. Russell Jr.

Prior to becoming chair of the Harmony and Jazz Composition Department, George W. Russell Jr. served as a professor of harmony and piano. He has been awarded the Ted Pease Award for Excellence in Teaching, along with the Curriculum Development Award for the Writing Division. He has also been recognized with the highest award that Berklee gives to faculty, the Most Distinguished Faculty Award. Russell’s motto is, “I would rather inspire than require.” He is known as a source of encouragement and inspiration to anyone who crosses paths with him.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Russell is a performer, composer, and educator. He began taking piano lessons when he was 7 years old. Along with studying formally, he had the fortune of growing up playing at his local church. There was no written music at church, so he was given the opportunity to develop his ear.

As he continued studying music in college, Russell discovered jazz and the harmonies that are used in jazz. It was then that he began to understand, from a theoretical viewpoint, what exactly he was playing, both in church and in his classical repertoire. In that period of time, his unique fusion of gospel and jazz began to form. His performances range from solo piano to a groove-oriented jazz trio to a soulful, fresh-sounding larger ensemble that arouses the listener's intellect and, most importantly, touches their soul. His playing is filled with passion, fire, soul, and spirit.

Bring a blanket or chair and get ready to dance. In partnership the with Boston Police Department's National Night Out, enjoy the sounds of Stone Gon.

• 7:30 a.m. | Parade staging begins at Dartmouth Street and Copley Square

• 9:00 a.m. | Parade steps off from Copley Square

  • The parade will begin at Copley Square and proceed down Boylston Street, turn left onto Tremont Street, and end at Court Street. A detailed map of the parade route is available at this link (and below).

  • It will feature historic organizations, military units, veterans groups, civic organizations, musicians, and community participants. 

• 10:00 a.m. | Halt of Honors Ceremony at Old Granary Burying Ground

• 10:15 a.m. | Reading of the Declaration of Independence from the Old State House Balcony

  • The ceremony will feature a trumpet call, a performance of “God Bless America” by Boston Police Officer Stephen McNulty, remarks from Mayor Michelle Wu, and the traditional reading of the Declaration of Independence by the Captain Commanding of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. The reading will conclude with patriotic music performed by the Zarba Military Band.
  • The Old State House is located at 206 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02109.

• 11:00 a.m. | Independence Day Oration at Faneuil Hall

  • Event is currently at capacity, no longer accepting RSVPs
  • Includes musical performances by the Zarba Military Band, remarks from Mayor Michelle Wu, followed by Dr. Nathaniel Sheidley, president and CEO of Revolutionary Spaces, who will deliver the City’s traditional Fourth of July Oration. The program will also feature a fireside chat with award‑winning writer and journalist Ta‑Nehisi Coates and Dr. Imari Paris Jeffries, president and CEO of Embrace Boston, reflecting on the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, Boston’s revolutionary legacy, and realizing the promises of the Revolution today. 

Parade route:

Residents and visitors should expect temporary street closures, parking restrictions, and traffic delays in the vicinity of the parade route and staging areas throughout the morning. Street occupancy and parking restrictions will be in effect on portions of Cambridge Street, Court Street, Dartmouth Street, and surrounding roadways.