Jake Goldbas

The Find Your Light Foundation, founded by Josh Groban, announced that in its most recent grant cycle it awarded over $915,000 to 116 nonprofit organizations in 26 states and helped provide arts education to over 160,000 K-12 youth. It also announced new additions to its staff as it seeks to grow its impact on arts education across the nation.

The band is rounded out by drummer Jake Goldbas, drums, percussion (Dave Brubeck, Aretha Franklin, Christian McBride, and the Broadway productions of The Color Purple and Dear Evan Hansen), Jeff Hanley, bass (Will Bernard, Morgan James, Doug Wamble), Christian McGhee drums, percussion (Lauryn Hill, Billy Porter, AJ Mitchell), and more.

The group also has the rare distinction of being joined by such masterful musicians as John Scofield (Charlies Mingus, Miles Davis), sax legend Donny McCaslin (David Bowie, Bobby McFerrin), renowned “Bayou-soul” singer-songwriter Marc Broussard, and SNL bassist James Genus (Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea), among others. 

The Louis Armstrong House Museum is has released its new creative initiative Armstrong Now! in partnership with various cultural institutions across New York and beyond.

Tony-nominated actor Daniel J. Watts (TINA: The Tina Turner Musical) teams up with Louis Armstrong House Museum Program Director Jake Goldbas for an evening of music, spoken word, and tap dance. Watts will lead the audience through poems, songs, and more that deconstruct the complexities of Armstrong's life with a full house band.

The Chocolate Factory Theater will present the world premiere of Aquifer of the Weave, a new performative installation by James Allister Sprang.

Company members from the Broadway, North American Tour, and West End productions of Dear Evan Hansen have come together to perform a rendition of 'You Will Be Found'. The video features Jordan Fisher, Gabrielle Carrubba, Jessica Phillips, Christiane Noll, David Jeffery, Ivan Hernandez, Jared Goldsmith, Phoebe Koyabe, Zachary Noah Piser & more.

Today (December 3) in live streaming: John Lloyd Young and Ana Gasteyer visit Backstage Live, Time Stands Still reunion reading, and so much more!

2020 is proving to be a busy year for Tony-nominated actor, writer and activist Daniel J. Watts, whose other Broadway credits include The Color Purple, Memphis, In the Heights and Hamilton.

The Louis Armstrong House Museum has announced its new program Armstrong Now. In its inaugural season, contemporary Black artists respond to Louis Armstrong in an integrative video series that will roll out from October 5 through December 31, 2020, culminating in a series of live online discussions.

Bassist Michael Olatuja, whose theater credits include Disney's Frozen, The Color Purple, Motown and more, has released a remixed version of 'Waving Through a Window'. Check it out below!

Today Craft Recordings/Concord Theatricals released award-winning composer Drew Gasparini's new album, We Aren't Kids Anymore (Original Studio Cast), a new theatrical song cycle that will be licensed worldwide for live performances by professional and amateur theatres through Concord Theatricals.

Today it was announced that composer Drew Gasparini released the second single off his upcoming album, We Aren't Kids Anymore (Original Studio Cast). The new song is called a?oeOn The Edgea?? and features lead vocals by Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels). The song expresses the cyclical nature of trying to achieve your dreams as an artist a?" how every step of life, or every new piece of art, feels like you are on the edge of breaking out over and over again.

Today it was announced that composer Drew Gasparini released the first single off his upcoming album, We Aren't Kids Anymore (Original Studio Cast). The new song is called a?oeWhen I Goa?? and is the finale on the full-length album. The song release is also accompanied by a new music video, and features the full album cast: Nicholas Christopher (Hamilton), Lilli Cooper (Tootsie), Raymond J. Lee (Soft Power), Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels) and Colton Ryan (Girl from the North Country).

Today it was announced that Concord Theatricals and Craft Recordings will release award-winning composer Drew Gasparini's album, We Aren't Kids Anymore (Original Studio Cast), a new theatrical song cycle that Concord Theatricals will also license worldwide for live performance by professional and amateur theatres.

National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) Board Chair Sarah Arison announced today that jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard (1980 YoungArts Winner in Classical Music) and conceptual artist Teresita Fernández will be honored with Arison Awards at the organization's annual Backyard Ball, presented by fine jeweler Harry Winston, on Saturday, January 11, 2020 in Miami. The evening will celebrate Blanchard's and Fernández's vital contributions to the arts alongside the achievements of the 2020 YoungArts award winners, the nation's most accomplished young artists in the literary, visual and performing arts.

On Wednesday, April 18, 2018, the National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts), along with honorary co-chairs Agnes Gund, Naeem Khan and Anna Deavere Smith, and gala co-chairs Sarah Arison, Diana DiMenna and Sandra Tamer, welcomed more than 220 of New York's top cultural and community leaders, philanthropists, celebrities and art aficionados to the third annual YoungArts New York Gala.

On Thursday, April 20, 2017, the National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts), along with honorary co-chairs Debbie Allen, Agnes Gund and Sir Salman Rushdie, and gala co-chairs Sarah Arison and Thomas Wilhelm, and Gillian Hearst Simonds and Christian Simonds, welcomed more than 270 of New York's top cultural and community leaders, philanthropists, celebrities and art aficionados to the second annual YoungArts New York Gala.

On Thursday, April 20, the National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) will welcome 280 of New York City's top cultural and community leaders, philanthropists, celebrities and art aficionados to the second annual YoungArts New York Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing. Presented in collaboration with luxury brand Swarovski, with support from Max Mara, the event will be hosted by honorary co-chairs Debbie Allen, Agnes Gund and Sir Salman Rushdie, as well as gala co-chairs Sarah Arison and Thomas Wilhelm, and Gillian Hearst Simonds and Christian Simonds. The YoungArts New York Gala will be emceed by former Gossip Girl and The Knick actress Zuzanna Szadkowski (1997 Winner in Theater and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), and will feature an elegant reception and seated dinner by Restaurant Associates. Throughout the evening, a series of interdisciplinary performance vignettes will be directed by YoungArts alumni Jake Goldbas (2007 Winner in Jazz), featuring soul singer and songwriter Grace Weber (2006 Winner in Voice and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), jazz singer, songwriter and bassist Kate Davis (2009 Winner in Jazz and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), R&B/pop singer and songwriter and The Voice Season 8 Top 5 contestant India Carney (2011 Winner in Theater, Voice and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), modern dancer Javon Jones (2016 Winner in Dance and inaugural Max Mara Young Visionary Award recipient) alongside four recent YoungArts dance alumni, and more.

On Wednesday, April 6, 2016, the National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) welcomed more than 250 of New York City's top cultural and community leaders, philanthropists, celebrities and art aficionados to the YoungArts New York Inaugural Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Temple of Dendur in the Sackler Wing. The sold-out evening raised nearly half a million dollars and celebrated the organization's 35 years of support and lasting impact on young talent in the cultural capital of New York and across the nation. Presented in collaboration with luxury brand Swarovski, the event was hosted by honorary co-chairs and YoungArts artistic advisors Mikhail Baryshnikov, Artistic Director of the Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC), and renowned opera singer Pla?cido Domingo, as well as gala co-chairs Sarah Arison and Agnes Gund.