The Boston Pops’ Christmas concerts and ‘The Nutcracker’ ballet are timeless New England seasonal classics, but six years ago the 19-piece Compaq Big Band started a new tradition with ‘Boston’s Big Band Christmas’ at the fabulous City Winery – and we sold out well in advance! On Sunday December 21st we're not only keeping the now-popular two-show schedule, but we’ll be featuring the band’s Special Guest Vocalist, jazz sensation Anaïs Reno from New York City. Recently off a SOLD OUT (two months in advance) debut performance at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London, she’ll be singing many great arrangements as performed by the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald.
As always, these will be amazing performances filled with seasonal favorites like you’ve never heard them before - exciting, inspirational, and just plain fun. Even the biggest Grinch can’t help but get in the Christmas spirit!
The afternoon matinee show runs 3:00pm-4:30pm (Doors Open 1:00pm), and the evening show runs 7:30pm-9:00pm (Doors Open 5:30pm). Ticket pricing, program, and options described below will be the same for both performances. Make the decision about which one of these shows to come to a ‘happy’ Thanksgiving table topic where everyone wins!
Reserved Seating only, with tickets $25 - $45 per person, depending on section selected (see seating chart). Some previous City Winery Boston holiday shows have *SOLD OUT* well in advance, so we *STRONGLY* recommend early on-line ticket purchase by going to one of the following links:
3:00pm – 4:30pm
https://citywinery.com/boston/events/compaq-big-band-a3iosl
7:30pm – 9:00pm
https://citywinery.com/boston/events/compaq-big-band-9qz8wo
Walk-Ins for both shows welcomed as space permits.
IMPORTANT: *** DUE TO SCAMMERS THAT MAY CREATE VERY AUTHENTIC-LOOKING WEB SITES, AND/OR COMMENT TO THIS FACEBOOK POST OFFERING TICKETS VIA PERSONAL SALE, BUY TICKETS DIRECTLY FROM THE VENUE AT THE ABOVE LINKS ONLY! WE’LL TAKE DOWN FRAUDSTERS’ COMMENTS, AND BLOCK & REPORT THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE ***
Tickets to these shows are always THE unique Christmas ‘experience’ on everyone’s list, but for the perfect stocking stuffers we'll have Anaïs' CDs available for purchase. AND we'll have custom-labeled Artist Wine commissioned specially for the event on sale. AND we're offering separately-ticketed Meet & Greets after each show where you can chat up Anaïs and get CDs and Artist Wine signed.
Note that City Winery has a $25 minimum spend for all concert ticket-holders. All food, beverage, and City Winery-branded merchandise purchased on premises the day of (but before the show ends) counts toward that minimum. This includes the Artist Wine mentioned above.
If you don’t know CW, you should - check out www.citywinery.com/boston. Terrific sight lines, phenomenal sound system, chill atmosphere, and a great selection of sustenance & libation - all brought to you by the hippest, nicest staff and management in Boston.
City Winery is located at 80 Beverly Street in the heart of Downtown Boston, close to familiar landmarks such as the Haymarket, the North End, TD Garden, and Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market. And, there are both Orange and Green Line ‘T’ station entrances one block away. Parking is available just one block sway at the Haymarket Garage for $16
https://www.pilgrimparking.com/boston-parking-garages/haymarket-garage.
The band always features the power of 14 horns plus a cookin’ rhythm section, and showcases top jazz vocalists from the Greater Boston and New York City areas. The styles you’ll hear on December 21st run the gamut from terrific swing and jazz treatments of holiday classics to very UNtraditional variations of jazz rock, ballad, samba, and jazz waltz – all high-energy arrangements from greats such as Gordon Goodwin, Count Basie, Tom Kubis, Sammy Nestico, Dave Metzger, and Bob Curnow.
Anaïs Reno’s love affair with the Great American Songbook began at age ten, and her rise to prominence in the hugely competitive jazz scene that is NYC with shows at Birdland Jazz Club in Times Square beginning when she was thirteen. During her years at famed Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan, and then while earning her Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Jazz Performance from Purchase College (SUNY Purchase) in New York in May 2025 (as an Ella Fitzgerald Scholar), her career skyrocketed with performances across the United States and in the United Kingdom.
She has performed at storied venues such as Rose Hall at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Django, and Feinstein's 54 Below, plus Seneca One Auditorium in Buffalo, NY for International Jazz Day, as well as singing her own compositions with the New York Philharmonic in David Geffen Hall (Lincoln Center). Anaïs has also sung at Madison Square Garden, and at the Caramoor Jazz Festival. She delivered a stunning rendition of “America The Beautiful” on national television at Citi Field for the New York Mets/Yankees game on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
In addition to Birdland, Anaïs performs regularly at many other iconic jazz addresses – many times selling out - such as Dizzy’s Club (Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC), Chris' Jazz Cafe in Philadelphia, PA, the Blue Strawberry in St. Louis, MO, the Valhalla Boat House Theatre in Lake Tahoe, CA, and both PizzaExpress and Ronnie Scott’s in London. She’s also made two consecutive appearances at the annual Edinburgh Jazz Festival.
Her first album, “Lovesome Thing: Anaïs Reno sings Ellington & Strayhorn”, debuted in 2021, and is a 12-song compilation of 100% Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn collaborations that rose quickly to #6 on the jazz charts. Her second album - “Anaïs Reno at PizzaExpress Live - in London“ - was recorded in Summer 2023 at the club’s trendy Soho flagship location. Her latest studio endeavor, “Lady Of The Lavender Mist”, was released in May 2025 under Club44 Records, featuring legendary guitarist Peter Bernstein, David Wong, and Joe Farnsworth.
The Compaq Big Band is one of the longest continuously operating large-format jazz ensembles in New England. Formed in 1975, the group has entertained hundreds of clients across the region and beyond, impressing enthusiastic crowds large and small at swing dances, gala celebrations, nonprofit fundraisers, music festivals, summer concerts series, historic performing arts centers, corporate & private parties, and legendary Greater Boston area jazz venues. Their passion is combining tight ensemble musicianship, top vocalists, an extensive library of hip-but-approachable swing and jazz, and technical show production quality that impresses seasoned big band aficionados while inspiring newcomers to the genre to become avid fans.
Check out www.compaqbigband.com and www.anaisreno.com.
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Celebratin' the season will be regulars Mark Stanaford, John Finocchiaro, Chris Hildebrand, Scott Tringali, Kurt Thaller, Scott Taylor, Suzie Goodwin, Bruce D. McLeod, Joe Heffernan, Thomas Borning, Peter Sokolowski, Bruce Hanahan, Gil Bristol, Dave King, Dennis Cecere, and Jeff Hagan, along with alum David Bresnahan, and super-subs Rick Cavallaro and Ed Mudrak Music.
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