Brandon Victor Dixon to Appear at MUSE/IQUE's SUNSET ON SUNSET in November

MUSE/IQUE will conclude its adventurous yearlong concert series, L.A. Composed: A Festival of Los Angeles Music. Each concert of L.A. Composed focusses on a different street and the music that is associated with it. Sunset on Sunset, a musical journey into the center of L.A.'s soul, will be performed Saturday, November 12 and Sunday, November 13 at 7:30pm at historic Union Station, 800 N. Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 in downtown Los Angeles. The vocalists joining Muse/ique for the performance are Brandon Victor Dixon and Dejah Gomez. Dixon is appearing after starring on Broadway as Billy Flynn in "Chicago."

Every popular musical movement in Los Angeles finds its roots on Sunset Boulevard. With this sweeping performance, MUSE/IQUE traces Sunset's influence from film noir to glitzy clubs on the world-famous "Sunset Strip." This season's finale concert celebrates some of the most beloved music made, played or listened to (most likely in a convertible with the top down) driving down Sunset.

The songs include "Oye Como Va," "A Taste of Honey" made famous by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Carole King's "Beautiful" from "Tapestry," Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight, some music from the movies: "Mona Lisa" from the film "Captain Carey, U.S.A." and the theme from "High Noon," known from its lyric "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling, "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, "In the Midnight Hour," "Love Me or Leave Me" made famous by many vocalists including Nina Simone's memorable rendition, and three by Frank Sinatra: "Fly Me to the Moon" from his Capitol Records era, and "That's Life" and "Come Rain or Come Shine." from his Reprise years.

The 22 miles of Sunset Boulevard stretch from Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades. It is a major thoroughfare through Echo Park, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Hollywood, West Hollywood (including the portion known as the "Sunset Strip"), Beverly Hills, Holmby Hills, UCLA, Bel Air, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, finally ending near Will Rogers State Beach and Pacific Coast Highway. And all roads lead to Sunset as it heads east to west.

Those landmarks include Dodger Stadium at Vin Scully Avenue (formerly Elysian Park), and nearby famous restaurants old and new that have made their mark: starting at Alvarado Taix, El Cid, and Night + Market Song; then around Silver Lake Blvd. (which has the good sense to go under Sunset) Pine and Crane, Intelligentsia Coffee, and The Black Cat - next to a new Shake Shack, then Akbar at Fountain, then Little Armenia and Thai Town with Jitlada near Normandie. The Sunset Junction Street Fair ran from 1980 to 2011 at the junction of Sunset and Santa Monica Boulevards.

After crossing Western our tour continues at KTLA TV and Sunset Bronson Studios at Bronson, then the Hollywood Palladium, the Cinerama Dome with the first Arclight and the original sites of Amoeba Records, CBS Columbia Square where The Byrds, Barbara Streisand, Simon & Garfunkel, and Leonard Bernstein made recordings, and Wallichs Music City near Vine. Johnny Mercer founded Capitol Records above Wallichs.

Sunset Blvd. is home to Sunset Sound Recorders, Western Recorders, Guitar Center, and to the classic labels Phillies, A&M, Specialty, RCA Victor, Dunhill, Ode, Asylum, and even Motown.

Once in West Hollywood is the famed "Sunset Strip" of clubs and restaurants - somewhere between the Chateau Marmont at Crescent Heights and the Soho House at Doheny.

In the '30s and '40s - the Strip had Cherry's, Ciro's, the Mocambo and the Trocadero. In the '60s, it was popular with rock musicians - Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Byrds, Love, The Seeds, Frank Zappa, and others, that played at clubs like Gazzari's, the Whisky a Go, The Roxy, Pandora's Box and the London Fog. The Strip began to be known for its large scale and creative billboards, like the Marlboro Man and Absolut Vodka and current pop albums. In the '80s, the Starwood, Whisky a Go, and The Roxy, became home to numerous LA-based heavy metal bands such as Van Halen, Quiet Riot, Mötley Crüe, Ratt and Guns N' Roses. House of Blues opened in the 90s.

On the Strip we find Carney's, The Comedy Store, the Mondrian Hotel, SkyBar, Book Soup, the Viper Room, and Rainbow Bar and Grill. The famous Tower Records, which opened in 1971 was on the northwest corner of Sunset and Horn. Although closed since 2006 the building held its familiar look until earlier this year (it is to be a new Supreme high end street and skatewear store). For fans, there is still a Tower Records in Tokyo! And once you cross into Beverly Hills, the famed Beverly Hills Hotel (and its Polo Lounge) grace the north side of the boulevard at Crescent.

Perhaps the most famous address on all of Sunset Blvd - 10886 - is fictional, the setting of "one of the nastiest and most derisive films about Hollywood ever made," said Billy Wilder biographer Ed Sikov of "Sunset Boulevard." The film that turns the Hollywood myth on its edge: Brian Eggert in Deep Focus Review said it is "An inspired depiction of how Hollywood is a series of extravagant delusions, and a tale that demystifies the glamour and allure of fame, Wilder's film warps all notions of Hollywood's Golden Age and turns them into an unsettling nightmare."

The actual locale was the exteriors of a house at 3810 Wilshire Blvd. (the interiors were a set) once owned by billionaire industrialist John Paul Getty. His ex-wife received the house in a divorce settlement; Paramount Pictures installed the pool for the movie. And of course the trip to Schwab's Pharmacy (8024 Sunset Blvd at Crescent Heights) is accurately depicted in the film

About the artists performing in Sunset on Sunset

Brandon Victor Dixon, following his EMMY Award-nominated turn opposite John Legend as Judas in NBC's live "Jesus Christ Superstar," most recently starred in FOX's "RENT," Amazon's "Modern Love," and as Terry Silver on the STARZ , "POWER." Prior to that he completed a star turn as Aaron Burr in the cast of "Hamilton" on Broadway. A Presidential Scholar Semi-finalist and scholarship winner at the British Academy of Dramatic Acting in Oxford, Brandon is a graduate of Columbia University and a recipient of the University's I.A.L Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts, which is an honor he shares with Tony Kushner ("Angels in America"), Jeanine Tesori ("Caroline, or Change") and Katori Hall ("Mountaintop," "TINA" on Broadway).

Since his professional debut, originating the role of Adult Simba in "The Lion King" national tour (Cheetah company), Brandon has displayed his diverse abilities in a number of roles. Notably, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his role as Harpo in Broadway's "The Color Purple," a GRAMMY for his portrayal of Berry Gordy Jr. in "Motown, The Musical," and he was nominated for Olivier, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, and AUDELCO awards for his outstanding portrayal of Haywood Patterson in Kander and Ebb's "The Scottsboro Boys."

Brandon has appeared in concert with various artists such as Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber, Jennifer Hudson, Nathan Lane, Wynton Marsalis, Chita Rivera, Liza Minnelli, David Hyde Pierce, and Tony winners Levi Kreis, Kelli O'Hara, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. Other credits include ABC's "One Life To Live," NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," CBS's "The Good Wife", and NETFLIX's "She's Gotta Have It."

His company WalkRunFly has produced multiple works including the Tony Award-winning "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" starring Neil Patrick Harris. He is co-founder of The WeAre Foundation, a non-profit "Turning Art into Action", and Qurator, the movie ratings app (available on iOS/ANDROID). Originally from Gaithersburg, Maryland, Brandon currently resides in New York City.

Dejah Gomez is an inimitable talent, accomplished and seasoned vocalist with a powerful history of achievement in music and entertainment. An elegant and soulful vocalist who once graced TV, Broadway stages, toured supporting national and international legends, Dejah has spent her life following the call of spirit on the passionate path of creativity and service. Her ability to exemplify poise and grace in an ever-changing music business inspired her to coalesce her passions of psychology, music, and spiritual healing.

She has appeared at a "Tribute to Lionel Richie," "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th at Madison Square Garden" broadcast on HBO, "The MTV Movie Awards," "American Idol," "The GRAMMY Awards," "The Ellen Degeneres Show," "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Faith Hill's "Home for the Holidays", and PBS's Stevie Wonder "In Performance at the White House." She appeared as Nala and Sarabi in three different companies of "The Lion King." Gomez toured nationally and internationally performing with Michael Bolton, Kelis, Diddy Dirty Money, Jennifer Hudson, Peabo Bryson, Marilyn McCoo & Billie Davis Jr., and Chris Botti.

About MUSE/IQUE

Over the past decade, MUSE/IQUE has curated and presented unexpected live music adventures that shake loose the customs, norms and barriers of the traditional concert-going experience. MUSE/IQUE has never had a formal concert hall - the city is the venue - and no set genres or styles of performance are emphasized. Instead, cross-genre, multidisciplinary performances are placed in iconic community locales.

Led by Founder and Artistic Director Rachael Worby, MUSE/IQUE is a member-supported, nonprofit performing arts organization making radically engaging live music experiences accessible for all. Built on a tradition of community and collaboration, we create events that feature an eclectic mix of artists and artistic disciplines in unconventional locations - spaces where art typically does not happen. MUSE/IQUE was founded by Artistic
Director Rachael Worby to upend the misconception that the performing arts are elitist, unapproachable, and, frankly, dull! MUSE/IQUE's mission is to build empathy and expand imaginations through transformative live events and strong partnerships with fellow nonprofit organizations in Pasadena and the greater Los Angeles area.

In addition to its live public performances, MUSE/IQUE'S OFF STAGE brings intimate, interactive events for 18 community partner organizations. Each on-site event gives participants a curated experience based on programmatic themes of our upcoming performances, and features guest artists direct from the MUSE/IQUE stage. Led by MUSE/IQUE staff, these events explore self-expression, encourage self-confidence and engage imaginations through music. Partners include Ability First, Academy of Music for the Blind, California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley, Five Acres, Hathaway/Sycamores, Hillsides, Jazz Hands for Autism, Learning Works, Mindful Veterans Project, Pasadena Senior Center, Performing Arts For All, Professional Child Development Center, Rose Bowl Aquatics Center, Union Station Homeless Services, Urban Compass, Villa Esperanza School, Villa Esperanza Adult Day Program, and Youth Emerging Stronger.

Presenting performances at landmark locations, MUSE/IQUE goes beyond the concert hall and into the community with spectacularly intimate performances that combine music, movement, and ideas from a diverse range of genres. MUSE/IQUE's artistic collective consists of top musicians from the worlds of jazz, rock, blues, gospel, and more, along with today's best singers, dancers, and thinkers. Together with an enthusiastic and growing audience base, these artists reimagine the possibilities for the live music experience. Founded in 2011, MUSE/IQUE is a membership driven organization presenting nine major public events each year as well as a wide range of education and community engagement programs. Please visit http://www.muse-ique.com/ for more information.

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