Benny Goodman News

Celebrate the sax-iness of Jule Styne!

Danny Bacher has the performance ease of an artist who's spent twice his years on the circuit. His preternatural feel for swing delivers scrupulous control, hip, unfussy phrasing, nuanced inflection, and the kind of fluent, savory scat “wordless vocables” I haven't heard from a man in some time, certainly not one so young. His soprano saxophone and singing are so like one another in attitude and energy, Bacher epitomizes the musician whose instrument acts as solid manifestation of voice. His new CD release celebration show at the Metropolitan Room, Swing That Music (last performance of a four-show run today at 4 pm) is a jazz tribute to the three Louis: Louis Armstrong--Satchmo (1901-1971), Louis Prima--The King of Swing before Benny Goodman came along (1910-1978), and Louis Jordan--King of the Jukebox (1908-1975.) Musical numbers get along like the old friends they are, brushing shoulders, poking one another in the ribs, slapping backs. The show is well paced with next to no patter. Danny Bacher is the real deal; a musician to watch.

The National Music Council will continue its 75th Anniversary Celebrations by bringing its Annual American Eagle Awards presentation to Nashville, Tennessee

Michael Feinstein and the Pasadena POPS open their one of a kind, popular outdoor summer concert series with vocalists Marilyn Maye and Michael Andrew in BIG BAND SWING tonight, June 20th in a show sure to get all ages dancing in the aisles at the Los Angeles Arboretum.

As part of the New York Philharmonic's celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of its historic Concerts in the Parks, the Philharmonic will present Share the Stage in Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island, inviting local musicians to perform on the stage in their home boroughs before the Orchestra's performances.

Monica Lewis, a former Benny Goodman vocalist who headlined the very first broadcast of the 'Ed Sullivan Show,' was THE VOICE of the popular Chiquita BANANA cartoons, clowned opposite Jerry Lewis, Red Skelton and Danny Kaye, turned down a marriage proposal from Ronald Reagan and went on to play co-starring roles in such films as 'Earthquake,' 'Airport 1975' and 'The Concorde--Airport '79,' died on June 12 of natural causes at her apartment in Woodland Hills, CA. She was 93.

Al Hirschfeld gets a tome of his own!

From festival favourites and the anticipated to the totally unexpected BRASS 2015 is set to entertain audiences in a celebration of all things brass from classical and traditional brass sounds, to hip hop, poetry, photography, apps and cartoons.

On June 12 at 8PM, the New Philharmonia Orchestra will conclude its 20th Anniversary Season with a gala performance featuring the world-renowned jazz guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli in a program showcasing his signature style that sets the standard for stylish modern jazz.  

As part of the New York Philharmonic's celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of its historic Concerts in the Parks, the Philharmonic will present Share the Stage in Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island, inviting local musicians to perform on the stage in their home boroughs before the Orchestra's performances.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was delighted to host the return of singer Trevor McQueen to the stage this past Monday, June 1. BroadwayWorld has photos from the concert below!

Arete Productions, the performance arm of Santa Barbara School of Performing Arts (SB SOPA), will present the Broadway hit musical 13,a grown-up story about growing up, at the Marjorie Luke Theater this weekend, May 30 and 31, with a preview and showcase on May 29, featuring local artists, SOPA star alumni and the Inner Light Community Gospel Choir. Proceeds from the showcase will benefit Santa Barbara School of Performing Arts scholarship students.

Michael Feinstein and the Pasadena POPS open their one of a kind, popular outdoor summer concert series with vocalists Marilyn Maye and Michael Andrew in BIG BAND SWING on Saturday June 20th in a show sure to get all ages dancing in the aisles at the Los Angeles Arboretum.

Arete Productions, the performance arm of Santa Barbara School of Performing Arts (SB SOPA), will present the Broadway hit musical 13,a grown-up story about growing up, at the Marjorie Luke Theater on May 30 and 31, with a preview and showcase on May 29, featuring local artists, SOPA star alumni and the Inner Light Community Gospel Choir. Proceeds from the showcase will benefit Santa Barbara School of Performing Arts scholarship students.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for June 1 - June 7, featuring Maria Schneider Orchestra, Lindsay Mendez, Barbara Carroll, and more!

Al Hirschfeld immortalized celebrities, politicians, Broadway productions, films, television shows and beyond with his iconic linear drawings for nine decades, establishing himself as one of the most important contemporary portrait artists. Over a decade since the legendary artist drew his final line drawing, he continues to inspire. This spring, Hirschfeld will be celebrated with the publication of a new book and a major exhibition at the New-York Historical Society.

IN THE MOOD, a rhythmic, jazzy, brassy, sentimental, and patriotic 1940s musical revue, featuring a company of 19 on stage, including a thirteen-piece Big Band and six singers and swing dancing, jitterbugs into the Citi Performing Arts Center Emerson Colonial Theatre for two weeks only, running tonight, May 12 through Sunday, May 24, 2015.

Quality Hill Playhouse in Kansas City, Missouri announced their 2015-2016 season. Century of the Songbook explores 100 years of music. Producing Artistic Director J. Kent Barnhart has programmed four original cabaret revues and one Broadway revue, each highlighting songs of the musical tradition called the Great American Songbook. The Playhouse season focuses on contributions to the Songbook by first Americans, big band leaders, women songwriters, Broadway musicals, and folk singer-songwriters.

Jazz at Lincoln Center guitarist James Chirillo will perform at Mesa Arts Center (MAC) in a free concert with Tucson's national award winning Jazz Institute Ellington Big Band tonight, April 22 at 7:30 p.m., as a culmination of the 2015-16 season of Jazz from A to Z. Tickets are available now and must be reserved in advance through Mesa Arts Center's Box Office, or by calling 480-644-6500.

You probably know Gloria Reuben from the 1990s TV medical drama ER (in which she played Jeanie Boulet, an HIV-positive physician assistant on the hospital's staff). Or you may know her from playing the slave Elizabeth Keckley in the Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln. Or if you are super-cultured, you may know that she played Condoleeza Rice in David Hare's play, Stuff Happens. But I bet you didn't know that in 2000, she was one of Tina Turner's back up singers or that she began playing classical piano at age 5. But you should have known that Reuben sang at the Metropolitan Room last Thursday night to celebrate the release of her forthcoming CD, Perchance to Dream. I was there, so I now know that Gloria Reuben is not only an accomplished actor, but also a refined musician and an ethereal singer.