The Jazz Of Harlem's Heyday Comes To Philly In Uptown Nights

After the powerful sincerity of his sold-out Ella, Louis & All That Jazz show in 2017, world-renowned trumpeter Byron Stripling returns to the The Philly POPS in Uptown Nights, March 1-3 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

Celebrating the swing of the '40s and '50s, Uptown Nights hearkens back to Harlem's famous musical hotspots, like The Cotton Club and The Savoy-featuring tunes from Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Ethel Waters and more.

Vocalist Carmen Bradford, a nine-year performer with the legendary Count Basie Orchestra and contributor on two of their GRAMMY award-winning albums, joins the POPS in this performance. Throughout her career, Carmen has performed with icons like Wynton Marsalis, John Clayton and Frank Sinatra, and has contributed vocals on three GRAMMY-winning albums.

In a first for The Philly POPS, this show will include tap dance performances from Leo Manzari-one of the famous Manzari Brothers. Leo has performed in many internationally televised settings, such as So You Think You Can Dance on Fox, The Mo'nique Show on BET, The View on ABC and more.

All guests are welcome to arrive 90 minutes prior to each concert for free pre-concert entertainment on the Plaza in the Kimmel Center Lobby, including music and a conversation led KYW's RJ McKay.

Tickets: $35-$160, http://www.phillypops.org/uptownnights

A powerhouse trumpeter, gifted with a soulful voice and a charismatic onstage swagger, Byron Stripling has delighted audiences internationally. As soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, Stripling has performed frequently under the baton of Keith Lockhart, as well as on the PBS television special, "Evening at Pops," with conductors John Williams and Mr. Lockhart. Currently, Stripling serves as artistic director and conductor of the highly-acclaimed, award-winning Columbus Jazz Orchestra.

Since his Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Pops, Stripling has emerged as one of America's most popular symphony pops guest artists, having performed with over 100 orchestras around the world including the Boston Pops, National Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and The Philly POPS. He has been a featured soloist at the Hollywood Bowl and performs at jazz festivals throughout the world.

Television viewers have enjoyed his work as soloist on the worldwide telecast of The Grammy Awards. Millions have heard his trumpet and voice on television commercials, TV theme songs including "20/20," CNN, and soundtracks of favorite movies.

Stripling earned his stripes as lead trumpeter and soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Thad Jones and Frank Foster. He has also played and recorded extensively with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, and Buck Clayton in addition to The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and The GRP All Star Big Band.

A resident of Ohio, Stripling lives in the country with his wife, former dancer, writer and poet, Alexis and their beautiful daughters.

About Carmen Bradford

Born in Austin, Texas and raised in Altadena, California, Carmen Bradford grew up with music in her home and heart. Following the footsteps of her great family musical legacy, she has carved out a place in music history for herself and plays an integral role in the jazz world.

Bradford was discovered and hired by William Count Basie and was the featured vocalist in the legendary Count Basie Orchestra for nine years. She has since performed and/or recorded with such talents as Wynton Marsalis, John Clayton, Nancy Wilson, Doc Severinsen, Tony Bennett, James Brown, Byron Stripling, George Benson, Lena Horne, Frank Sinatra, as well as the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, the National Symphony, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, among others. Bradford performed on two Grammy Award winning albums with the Count Basie Orchestra in the 1980s and later collaborated on a third Grammy Award winning album, Big Boss Band, with guitarist George Benson.

Bradford began another chapter in her illustrious career as a solo artist with the critically acclaimed debut album Finally Yours and With Respect (Evidence Records), which established her as one of jazz music's most diverse and exciting vocal talents. Her next release, Home With You (Azica Records), is a collection of piano/vocal duets with Shelly Berg.

Currently, Bradford makes guest appearances with the Count Basie Orchestra.

Originally from Washington D.C., Leo Manzari is a Lucille Lortel award-nominated tap dancer. As part of the duo act The Manzari Brothers, Leo has headlined in the touring and off-broadway productions of Maurice Hines Tappin' Thru Life. He was a featured guest artist on Fox's So You Think You Can Dance, BET's The Mo'nique Show, PBS News Hour, Jerry Lewis Telethon, and ABC's The View. Manzari had a recurring role in Showtime's wildly popular and award-winning television show Homeland.

He is the lead writer and vocalist for a musical genre he created called "TAP RAP". His most recent album, CLOCKWORK, can be found on all major streaming platforms.

The Philly POPS, the largest standalone pops orchestra in the United States, delights audiences with the inspired performance of American popular music. The POPS celebrates this distinctive musical heritage through an expanding repertoire of innovative concert performances and a robust set of educational and engagement initiatives.

Now celebrating its 40th Anniversary Season, the POPS, the official POPS orchestra of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia's partner in civic celebration, serves a consistently growing audience of over 200,000 annually. Music Director Michael Krajewski and the 65-piece Philly POPS orchestra keep listeners tapping their toes to an impressive repertoire of songs from American traditional music up through to today's chart-toppers. The Philly POPS BIG Band, an 18-20 piece ensemble performing a rock and rhythm and blues repertoire, premiered in 2017 to enthusiastic response at the July 4 Welcome America Concert on the Parkway.

Outside the concert hall, free Salute Series performances - including Memorial Salute, July 3 POPS on Independence, July 4 POPS on the Parkway and the I'll Be Home for Christmas: A Salute to the Military and First Responders concert - celebrate the American tradition of service around important national holidays. POPS in Schools enhances music education for Philadelphia School District students; POPS Outside brings POPS music to local communities. The Philly POPS performs as a founding resident company of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, and at venues throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

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