Pianist-composer Yoko Miwa. (Courtesy Chris Lee)
Friday, April 30, is International Jazz Day and musicians around the world are celebrating their genre in an ambitious virtual festival, including Boston pianist Yoko Miwa. She recorded her trio s new album, “Songs of Joy,” during the pandemic and it s been topping the jazz radio charts since its release. It illustrates how being locked down for months changed the way Miwa filled her record with fresh, personally meaningful material.
Like countless musicians, Miwa was crushed when the pandemic erased her slate of concerts at venues, including Lincoln Center and her regular weekend gigs at two local restaurants the now-shuttered Les Zygomates in Boston and the Mad Monkfish in Cambridge. But the acclaimed jazz pianist decided she had to continue performing live for audiences on Fridays and Saturdays, even if it was only on Facebook.
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As Boston has grappled with a public health emergency coupled with myriad restrictions, local restaurants and bars of all stripes have tried to combat the challenges of 2020. But some of the city’s most notable eating and drinking establishments won’t be open to welcome Bostonians back. While many businesses hope to take a wait-and-see approach before they can safely reopen, there are just as many others eager to say they’re back in business. Still, most of us locals didn’t have a chance to give a final farewell to the following establishments:
Legal Oysteria: Charlestown s premier spot for slurping fresh bivalves, courtesy of the Legal Sea Foods empire, has closed up its raw bar for good.