Count Basie News

Valley jazz icon Dennis Rowland and celebrated sculptor Doug Hyde of Prescott were named Artists of the Year in a rare tie for the honor at the 37th annual Governor's Arts Awards at the Arizona Biltmore Resort on Thursday, March 22.

WRITE ACT REP announces the extension of? PREZ? - The Lester Young Story?, a solo show written by playwright Willard Manus, in celebration of Black History Month, and returns to Los Angeles, as part of a Festival Series at Write Act Rep's Brickhouse Theatre called THREE BY WILL IN REP.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto and a pair of Finnish works May 3-6 in Englewood, Newark and Morristown. Violinist Ning Feng performs Mendelssohn's masterwork. Dima Slobodeniouk conducts the program, which also features Sibelius' Fifth Symphony and the NJSO premiere of Fagerlund's Isola.

In an unparalleled entertainment career spanning seven decades, Frank Sinatra became a timeless, indelible cultural icon for the world. His live performances are legendary, imbued with an innate warmth and ease unmatched by any other performer, then or now. A stellar new collection, Frank Sinatra - Standing Room Only, presents three captivating rare and previously unreleased Sinatra concerts from the 1960s, '70s and '80s. Available now for preorder in deluxe 3CD and digital formats, Standing Room Only will be released worldwide on May 4 by Capitol/UMe and Frank Sinatra Enterprises.

The York Symphony Orchestra will present April in Paris on Saturday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts in York. The performance will feature guest conductor, Kelly Corcoran, who was named "Best Classical Conductor" in 2015 by the Nashville Scene, and world-class vocalist, Mandy Barnett. Single tickets starting at $9 for adults and $5 for students are available online at www.YorkSymphony.org and by calling 717-846-1111.

The annual B.B. King Homecoming Festival will return this year to Fletcher Park in Indianola while work continues on an expansion of the museum that bears King's name. Featured at this year's festival on June 2nd will be Tito Jackson and the B.B. King Blues Band. Jackson, well known for his role with the Jackson 5 and The Jacksons, teamed up with the B.B. King Blues Band in 2017 to become their new lead singer. The band is comprised of many of King's former band members who still perform together, so event goers will likely see familiar faces.

The Tristano Project, Emilio Solla y La Inestable de Brooklyn, JayCee Driesen 'Born To Sing', and more head to Birdland the week of March 26!

Tony Award-winning Broadway, film and television star Jason Alexander-world renowned as the iconic George Costanza on "Seinfeld"-headlines performances of song and comedy with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15 in Newark and New Brunswick.

The inspiring talent of the NJSO Youth Orchestras will be on display at a spring concert on Sunday, March 25, at 4 pm at Science Park High School in Newark. The performance showcases the NJSO Academy Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, String Ensemble and Training Ensemble, as well as the Anne Lieberson Ensemble-a featured quartet of Academy Orchestra musicians-and the NJPAC Symphonic Band, one of the ensembles in the MANY partnership between the NJSO and NJPAC. The concert is presented by M&T Bank.

Birdland will kick-off their exciting month of programming with the following acts:

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Handel, April 20-22 in Newark and New Brunswick. British conductor and Baroque specialist Nicholas McGegan leads Suite No. 2 in D Major from Handel's Water Music, Mendelssohn's Fifth ("Reformation") Symphony and Beethoven's First Piano Concerto. Pianist Robert Levin joins the Orchestra for Beethoven's concerto; he also performs his own improvisations created from themes submitted by audience members.

Genre-blurring artist Boney James continues to make waves with his latest album,Honestly. Currently the record, his 16th release, sits at #5 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart after dominating the #1 spot for four weeks. In addition to topping the Billboard Jazz Albums Charts, Honestly also was a career high Billboard Current Albums Chart debut for James landing at #22, a rare feat for an instrumentalist.

Tony Award-winning Broadway, film and television star Jason Alexander-world renowned as the iconic George Costanza on "Seinfeld"-headlines performances of song and comedy with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, April 14-15 in Newark and New Brunswick.

The Highlights In Jazz 46th Season continues Thursday, March 22, 2018, at 8 P.M., when The Millennials Meet The Masters.

The Grammy-nominated Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, which captures the infectious fun of big band music, will perform at the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya) on Thursday, April 5 at 8:00pm.  Jazz Times called the Los Angeles-based band, with a 32-year history, "one of current jazz's most vital large ensemble." Co-founder bassist John Clayton is a CSUN alumnus who has gone on to play with superstars such as Michael Jackson, Patti LaBelle and Madonna.

Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts is proud to present Grammy nominated jazz pianist, vocalist and songwriter Judy Carmichael in 'Swing Time!' on Saturday, March 24 at 8 p.m., her first performance in a Jazz Inspired series that Carmichael has curated in partnership with Patchogue Theatre. Executive Director Gary Hygom approached Carmichael about bringing her NPR / Sirius-XM radio series Judy Carmichael's Jazz Inspired, now its eighteenth year, to the Main Stage.

Glenn Miller. Benny Goodman. Count Basie. All names that signify Big Band's big orchestral arrangements. Powerful vocalist and inimitable performer Lisa Donahey will bring to life the era's jazz and swing stylings during her upcoming show, "Just a Broad and a Little Big Band" at Los Angeles' Upstairs at Vitello's in Studio City on March 11. 

Birdland Jazz Club's schedule for March 12-March 18 includes the Donny Nova Band, Kurt Elling, Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, and more!

Unmatched in artistry, grace and refinement of movement, the internationally-acclaimed Cashore Marionettesredefine the art of puppetry. Performances by Joseph Cashore have astounded audiences in Europe, the Far East, across North America, and now, on April 10 at 7PM, at the Capitol Center for the Arts (CCA). This presentation is one of several free William H. Gile Concert Series performances during the CCA's 2017-18 season.

Acclaimed artist and activist Joan Baez will begin a run of North American datesbeginning on September 11 in Ithaca, NY. The extensive run of shows, following 50 UK and European dates, marks Baez's last year of formal touring and includes stops at the historic Beacon Theatre in New York City and Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. See below for complete tour details.