Wayne Brady Makes His Carnegie Hall Debut with The New York Pops, October 9

Conductor Steven Reineke begins his tenure as Music Director of The New York Pops when the orchestra opens its 27th season at Carnegie Hall on Friday, October 9 at 8:00PM. The opening night of The New York Pops' season features the Emmy-winning comedian, singer and television personality Wayne Brady in a tribute to two American icons: Sammy Davis, Jr. and Sam Cooke.

Wayne Brady will make his Carnegie Hall debut with selections from Sammy Davis, Jr.'s repertoire, including "Mr. Bojangles," "Love Me or Leave Me" and "Come Back to Me." He also pays tribute to Sam Cooke, performing hits such as "Chain Gang," "What a Wonderful World" and "A Change is Gonna Come."

Best known as a member of the Rat Pack, singer and dancer Sammy Davis, Jr. burst onto the scene with a nightclub performance in 1951, the same year that singer and songwriter Sam Cooke began writing and recording hit songs as the lead singer of the gospel group The Soul Stirrers. After crossing over to pop and R&B in 1957, Cooke had twenty-nine Top 40 hits in the seven years that followed before his death in 1964. Davis enjoyed four decades of film, Broadway and recording success before his death in 1990. Both singers were awarded Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards posthumously.

"I'm so incredibly thrilled to be opening my first season as the new Music Director of The New York Pops," said Steven Reineke. "It is a dream come true! I'm really excited that Wayne Brady will be joining us at Carnegie Hall in a show that I created for him. Wayne's amazing voice, personality and rib-splitting improv humor all combine perfectly in our tribute to two icons of the music world, Sam Cooke and Sammy Davis, Jr. It's a perfect way to begin this new and exciting journey with The New York Pops."

Wayne Brady is one of the most versatile performers in show business today. He has been entertaining audiences with his acting, improv, singing and dancing on television, film and the stage. On television, he has been seen on ABC's Whose Line Is It Anyway?, his own syndicated talk/variety show The Wayne Brady Show and Fox's Don't Forget the Lyrics. In September 2008 Brady's debut R&B album A Long Time Coming was released by Peak Records.

Steven Reineke begins his tenure as Music Director of The New York Pops in the 2009-2010 season. Mr. Reineke is also Principal Pops Conductor of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra and the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he holds the title of Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, where for thirteen years he has served as a composer, arranger and conducting protégé of the celebrated pops conductor Erich Kunzel. Steven Reineke's notable conducting appearances include his Hollywood Bowl debut in 2007, his Carnegie Hall debut conducting The New York Pops in 2008 and his Boston Pops and Philadelphia Orchestra debuts in 2009. Mr. Reineke is also an established symphonic composer, with the most recent performances of his works by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic.

The New York Pops <www.newyorkpops.org> is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, and the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City specializing in popular music. Led by Music Director Steven Reineke, the orchestra was founded in 1983 by former NBC Music Director Skitch Henderson.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.