BWW Review: Paula Dione Ingram Shines Brightly Celebrating 'Black Broadway' in New York Cabaret Debut at Feinstein's/54 Below
2016 is one of Broadway's most diverse seasons, so much so it spawned a Twitter trending hashtag #TonysSoDiverse following the nominations for this past weekend's awards ceremony. 12 Black and non-Black actors of color were nominated for a Tony Award. For the first time in the Tonys' history, all four musical acting categories were won by Black actors, and if you walk down 45th Street, as soprano Paula Dione Ingram has, the block is lit up by 'Black Broadway.'
It's a laudable moment in a theatre history that has not always been so and still continues to have a long way to go, the subject of Ingram's Dark Legacy: Bright Lights of Black Broadway, her debut show at Feinstein's/54 Below on June 4.
BWW Reviews: CAROLE J. BUFFORD Takes the Helm as Hostess of Birdland's Jazz Party With Hoopla, Heat & Heart
On July 5, Carole J. Bufford erupted onto the stage at Birdland for her first Sunday evening as hostess of the club's weekly Jazz Party (which had been helmed most recently by Natalie Douglas and Jane Monheit). The formidable vocalist, glamorous in clingy red, was aided and abetted by a top-notch (also well dressed—Bravo!) quartet featuring Joel Frahm on sax, Ray Marchia on drums, Tom Hubbard on bass, and Musical Director Ian Herman on piano. Special guests for Bufford's inaugural session were Janelle Velasquez and Lianne Marie Dobbs. With Bufford's audacious performance, smart choices, and attention to detail, Sundays promise to be a great deal more fun in midtown Manhattan.
FOLKSONGS, RITUALS AND RITES OF PASSAGE Kicks Off Santa Clara University's Fall 2013 Music Season
SCU•PRESENTS will feature the Faculty, Staff and Students at Santa Clara University in the Fall 2013 Music Season, which includes FOLKSONGS, RITUALS AND RITES OF PASSAGE, featuring SCU faculty member, Teresa McCollough on the piano with special guest artist, Michael Boyd. SCU•PRESENTS is also proud to announce three new Music Directors and Conductors joining the Department of Music; John Kennedy, Music Director & Conductor, of the Santa Clara University Orchestra, Dr. Douglas Harris, Director of Bands, Santa Clara University Wind Symphony and Jazz Band and Scot Hanna-Weir, Music Director and Conductor, Santa Clara University Concert Choir and Chamber Singers.
Steve Kazee, Rebecca Luker and More Set for 54 Below This Week
Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54thStreet, will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. 54 Below also launched its series of late night events. Joining Tuesday nights' popular "Backstage" with Susie Mosher is the "54 Piano Bar," a new vocal competition - 'The Callback," and more:
54 Below Launches 'WBGO Jazz Series', 4/2-5/14
The 54 Below WBGO Jazz Series will feature weekly Tuesday evening shows by jazz artists curated by the famed veteran Jazz programmer, Todd Barkan. Just around the corner from Swing Street, these seasoned jazz performers come to Broadway's Nightclub to play and sing the night away in grand style. The series is sponsored by the WBGO, the country's premier jazz radio station, promising a truly classic only-in-New York experience.
54 Below's WBGO Jazz Series Begins 4/2
The 54 Below WBGO Jazz Series will feature weekly Tuesday evening shows by jazz artists. Just around the corner from Swing Street, these seasoned jazz performers come to Broadway's Nightclub to play and sing the night away in grand style. Whether you're a long time jazz buff or new to the genre, this series, sponsored by the country's premier jazz radio station, promises a truly classic only-in-New York experience.
BENNY GOODMAN REINVENTED Concert Comes to Blue Note, 1/15-20
On January 16, 1938, the Benny Goodman Orchestra set a new precedent for jazz performances by performing at Carnegie Hall. Up until then, jazz was traditionally heard in clubs. Furthermore, the concert broke new ground for racial equality by being one of the first such presentations in a "highbrow" concert hall to feature a racially integrated band. From January 15th to January 20th, the Blue Note will bring the world of jazz orchestras back to the club with the music of Benny Goodman's immortal Carnegie Hall Concert.
A RRazz Room Welcomes Rachelle Ferrell 11/3-6
Rachelle Ferrell is unquestionably one of the most dynamic talents in contemporary pop music. Very few vocal artists in the industry have Ferrell's potent combination of range, phrasing, and musicianship (she is also and accomplished pianist).
Rachelle Ferrell Performs at Blue Note Jazz Club, 2/21
Vocalist Rachelle Ferrell's immense talent has allowed her to seamlessly cross genres from jazz to R&B and soul, and not surprisingly she has performed with some of the greatest musicians of the last fifty years, including Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, George Benson, and George Duke. At the Blue Note, she'll feature her incredible vocal range on a variety of songs, from standards and pop hits to original compositions.
Rachelle Ferrell Performs at Blue Note Jazz Club, 2/18-2/21
Vocalist Rachelle Ferrell's immense talent has allowed her to seamlessly cross genres from jazz to R&B and soul, and not surprisingly she has performed with some of the greatest musicians of the last fifty years, including Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, George Benson, and George Duke. At the Blue Note, she'll feature her incredible vocal range on a variety of songs, from standards and pop hits to original compositions.
Rachelle Ferrell Performs at Blue Note Jazz Club, 2/18-2/21
Vocalist Rachelle Ferrell's immense talent has allowed her to seamlessly cross genres from jazz to R&B and soul, and not surprisingly she has performed with some of the greatest musicians of the last fifty years, including Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, George Benson, and George Duke. At the Blue Note, she'll feature her incredible vocal range on a variety of songs, from standards and pop hits to original compositions.
Judy Carmichael Releases Her New CD COME AND GET IT On 4/14
JUDY CARMICHAEL, the internationally-acclaimed Grammy Award nominated stride pianist, radio host and author called 'a major figure in keyboard jazz performance' by the San Francisco Examiner, will release her new CD 'Come And Get It' on April 14. The disc, which marks her debut as a vocalist, will be available on iTunes, Amazon.com and her website JudyCarmichael.com. After upcoming CD release celebrations in London, Switzerland and Australia, she will mark the program's New York debut with an exclusive concert at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 13.
