Duke Ellington News

The Birmingham Royal Ballet's Shakespeare celebrations continue this week as they conclude their Birmingham season with a Shakespeare Triple Bill, consisting of Jessica Lang's new Wink, José Limon's The Moor's Pavane and David Bintley's The Shakespeare Suite. Three contrasting dance styles and very different interpretations of Shakespeare's work combine to emphasise his enduring broad appeal, as well as the versatility of the Birmingham Royal Ballet dancers.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for July 4-10 featuring Stacey Kent, Tony Yazbeck, Birdland Big Band, and more!

The 42nd Annual Jazz Record Collectors' Bash will be held this weekend, June 24-25, 2016, at the APA Hotel Woodbridge (formally Hilton Woodbridge, 120 Wood Avenue South Iselin, NJ 08830).

?Acclaimed vocalist GABRIELLE STRAVELLI and jazz pianist MICHAEL KANAN will celebrate their powerfully intimate new duet recording Stairway to the Stars with a concert at The Cornelia Street Cafe (29 Cornelia Street in New York) on Monday, July 11 at 8:30 PM. The album is currently available via iTunes and other digital formats; physical copies will be available on Friday, June 24. Stairway to the Stars is produced by Gabrielle Stravelli and Pat O'Leary. 

Complexions Contemporary Ballet interprets two incomparable Rock Music innovators who both transcended the limits of Rock And Roll music.

Poway OnStage invites you to mark your calendar for a special evening of music, dining and celebration! Taste of Our Towne brings together local food, wine and beer, live music, dancing, silent and live auctions and much more, all under the summer night sky on the beautiful Plaza of the Poway Center for the Performing Arts!

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for June 27-July 3, featuring Ravi Coltrane, Capathia Jenkins and Alton Fitzgerald White in "Dream Suite: Songs In Jazz and Blues", Matt Baker Quartet, and more!

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its July 2016 schedule, featuring Stacey Kent, The Birdland Big Band 10-Year Celebration, The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, Nicholas Payton Quintet, Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Tony Yazbeck, Lesli Margherita, Ravi Coltrane, Laila Biali, Barbara Carroll, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more!

Another summer, another year of looking for excuses to stay indoors. Luckily for you, the Houston theatre scene's got you covered. From new works to wholesome classics, swing dancing to demented puppets, there's something for everyone this year. So make plans to stay inside and consider some of the BWW Houston editors' picks for the upcoming summer season.

Spend the 4th of July weekend at America's oldest continuing summer chamber music festival, Music Mountain, when its 87th Anniversary Season continues with the young ensemble Cantata Profana on Sunday, July 3rd (3PM) performing Beethoven and Schubert. Saturday, July 2 (6:30pm) brings Swingtime Big Band back for their ninth season playing the best of the Swing Era! The summer will feature 15 weekends of incredible music including returning favorite chamber ensembles and musicians (pianists Peter Serkin and Julia Hsu), first-time guests (pianist Richard Goode), the ever-popular Saturday Evening Twilight Series, featuring an array of Jazz ensembles and musicians, including the artists of the Catskill Jazz Factory, and the second season of the new Music Mountain Master Classes for Young Artists plus so much more! See why the New Yorker called Music Mountain 'The Summer Shrine of the String Quartet.' Concerts are scheduled through September 11.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for June 20-26, featuring Alexandra Silber, Freddy Cole, Pucci Amanda Jhones and more!

?Acclaimed vocalist GABRIELLE STRAVELLI and celebrated jazz pianist MICHAEL KANAN will release the powerfully intimate new duet recording Stairway to the Stars on June 24. The album is currently available in digital formats. Stairway to the Stars is produced by Gabrielle Stravelli and Pat O'Leary. 

Summer in the city begins on July 4th, Louis Armstrong's traditional birthday, when the Louis Armstrong House Museum kicks off its signature summer concert series Hot Jazz / Cool Garden - now in its 10th year. For three days this summer, hot jazz is served up with red beans 'n' rice in the Armstrongs' Japanese-inspired garden. Birthday cake will be served on July 4th and Hot Jazz / Cool Garden series subscribers will enjoy a soul food luncheon too. It's a wonderful world at the Louis Armstrong House Museum.

 Midsummer Night Swing celebrates the dance bands and soloists who fill the dance floor. Happening in a specially designed, open-air ballroom in Damrosch Park (West 62nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues) Tuesdays through Saturdays, June 21-July 9, Midsummer Night Swing kicks off with the Catherine Russell Septet. The Grammy Award-winning vocalist will pull from her vast repertoire of swing standards for the opening night concert.

The Community College of Baltimore County and Maryland Humanities are teaming up again to bring Chautauqua 2016 to the Baltimore metropolitan region. The three-evening event, 'Masters of Their Craft,' will be held at 7 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Theatre at CCBC Catonsville, 800 S. Rolling Road and will feature a different Pulitzer Prize recipient each evening. Chautauqua 2016 at CCBC Catonsville is free and open to the public. No pre-registration is necessary.

Music Mountain, America's oldest continuing summer chamber music festival, continues its extraordinary 87th Anniversary Season with the inspiring Cassatt String Quartet with guest artist, Colin Carr, cello on Sunday, June 26th (3PM) performing Tchaikowsky and Shubert. The New Black Eagle Jazz Band returns to Music Mountain on Saturday, June 25th (6:30pm) playing the best of traditional New Orleans jazz plus blues and rags. The summer will feature 15 weekends of incredible music including returning favorite chamber ensembles and musicians (pianists Peter Serkin and Julia Hsu), first-time guests (pianist Richard Goode), the ever-popular Saturday Evening Twilight Series, featuring an array of Jazz ensembles and musicians, including the talented artists of the Catskill Jazz Factory, and the second season of the new Music Mountain Master Classes for Young Artists plus so much more! See why the New Yorker called Music Mountain 'The Summer Shrine of the String Quartet.' Concerts are scheduled through September 11.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for June 13-19, featuring Mike Stern and Bill Evans Quartet with Dennis Chambers, Bucky Pizzarelli, Sean Harkness Duo and more!

Sonia Friedman Productions is delighted to announce further casting for the long-awaited UK premiere of Dreamgirls which will have preview performances at the Savoy Theatre from 19 November and Opening Night on Wednesday 14 December 2016.

Vivian Reed and her consummate band—led by conductor and pianist Billy McDaniel, and joined by guest vocalists Janinah Burnett and Raun Ruffin—dazzled a packed Metropolitan Room on May 23 with her new show, An Evening with Vivian Reed: Standards and More.

The Kids of Kurland will present the fourth annual Plett Fringe Festival at The White House Theatre in Plettenberg Bay this June. The festival is in its fourth year and 2016 has an exciting line-up, the proceeds of which will provide a large economic and cultural boost for the Plettenberg Bay community and creates awareness of the Kids of Kurland charity.