Ray Charles News

Broadway star N'Kenge (Motown) is performing with the Naples Philharmonic, now through January 11, 2014.

Join the Richmond Symphony on February 8 – 8 p.m. at the Carpenter Theatre at Richmond CenterStage for An Evening of Jazz with Rex Richardson.

Just in time for Valentine's Day comes Sweetheart 2014, a collection of indelible, handpicked covers from a remarkable group of modern musical dreamers who artfully grapple, in one way or another, with that most vexing of subject to ever befall mankind, L.O.V.E. Sweetheart 2014 (Hear Music/Concord Music Group) will be available on CD exclusively at Starbucks and all digital outlets beginning February 4th, 2014.

One of the most talented groups of musicians currently playing together - THE RINGERS, featuring Jimmy Herring, Wayne Krantz, Michael Landau, Keith Carlock and Etienne Mbappe, first debuted in early 2013 for a very exclusive tour on the east coast. The tour proved quite fulfilling for the iconic five-some, bringing together their varied backgrounds of Rock, Funk, Jazz, Blues and African styles.

In December, Jon Batiste and Stay Human were featured on NPR's Weekend Edition

Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) invites area instrumentalists, ages 12 and older, to jam with two of Boston's best musicians, drummer Kenny Hadley and saxophonist Arnie Krakowsky, on Saturday afternoons at 2-4 p.m. from January 11 - March 22. Hadley and Krakowsky will lead FSPA's Jazz Krewe, an instrumental ensemble open to musicians of all levels that will explore such genres as jazz, R&B, rock, blues, funk and pop. The weekly ensemble sessions will provide students with the opportunity to supplement their instrumental studies in a dynamic, hands-on way. Hadley will also direct FSPA's Groovemasters percussion ensemble, exploring Latin drumming techniques and solo, ensemble and orchestral work, with participation by invitation only.

ON KENTUCKY AVENUE, a musical revue based loosely on fact and mostly fiction about the people and performers who took the stage and filled the tables at the majestic Club Harlem 'on Kentucky Avenue' in the north section of Atlantic City from the 1930s until the late 1980s, will make its NYC commercial stage debut at STAGE72/THE TRIAD, 158 West 72nd Street, on Sunday, February 2, with performances at 3pm and 7pm and Monday, February 3 at 7pm in honor of Black History Month.

Ring in the New Year with hits from legendary musicians Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder… performed a capella. On Sunday, January 5 at 3:00 pm, two of the hottest acts in New York's remarkably resurgent a cappella music scene, m-pact and Duwende will perform I Wish… For All Time: Celebrating the Genius of Michael Jackson & Stevie Wonder at The Granada Theatre. These amazing reinterpretations of the classic Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson songbooks are accomplished with only the voices on stage - not a single string, keyboard, wind instrument, or drumstick. This truly unique performance is presented by the Granada Theatre Concert Series, sponsored by Lexus, Montecito Bank & Trust, and the Santa Barbara Independent.

The popular a cappella quintet Pentatonix, who won the third season of "The Sing-Off" performed the Ray Charles classic "Hit the Road Jack" live on TODAY. Watch the performance below!

Jay is an enormous fan of Broadway and all its denizens and has done many Broadway Cast Albums, but he has also worked with every great star of our time in every category of music.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced their line-up of impressive talent for the month of January 2014. Featuring: The Birdland Big Band, Lauren Kinhan, Diane Schuur, Regina Carter, Nicholas Payton & Action Affirmative, Joey DeFrancesco, Cyrille Aimee, Matt Baker, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, Birdland Jazz Party, and more!

With a catalog of hit songs that have served as the soundtrack to the lives of legions of music fans worldwide, the incomparable Valerie Simpson will grace the stage at Queens College's LeFrak Concert Hall tonight, December 14th at 8:00 PM.

Regina Carter and Nnenna Freelon will replace the previously announced Tony and Grammy winner Dee Dee Bridgewater in today's December 14, 2013 concert celebrating the 90th birthdays of Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan. The Royal Conservatory congratulates Ms. Bridgewater on her role in the upcoming off-Broadway production of Lady Day, in which she will portray legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday. The production begins September 12, which is the reason Ms. Bridgewater had to cancel her Conservatory appearance in December.

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter will make her New York Philharmonic debut in Mary Chapin Carpenter with the New York Philharmonic and Special Guests, a retrospective program featuring songs from throughout her career, some newly arranged for orchestra.

In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the world-renowned Newport Jazz Festival (August 1-3, 2014), clarinetist/saxophonist Anat Cohen, vocalist/pianist Karrin Allyson, bassists Larry Grenadier and Ben Allison, pianist Peter Martin, guitarist Mark Whitfield, trumpeter Randy Brecker, and drummer Clarence Penn embark on the 17-city 'Newport Jazz Festival: Now 60' Tour, February 8 - March 30, 2014, with more dates during June, July and August in North America and Europe.

Seis intérpretes y un pianista ocuparán el escenario del Cafè-Teatre Llantiol del Raval de Barcelona, con el espectáculo navideño Cal que nevi? Una obra que cuenta historias de gente que ama y que odia la Navidad, de las familias que las disfrutan y las que no, de los que las disfrutan con ilusión y los que las consideran unas fechas cualquiera. Todo ello a través de villancicos de todas las procedencias, americanos, británicos, franceses, castellanos y catalanes. Una celebración de la Navidad a través de una de sus facetas más características, su música. Desde Jingle Bells hasta Los peces en el río, pasando por El noi de la mare.

Walt Disney Records releases the original motion picture soundtrack for Disney's 'Saving Mr. Banks' and the 'Saving Mr. Banks' 2-Disc Deluxe Edition today, December 10, 2013.

Motown's Tony Nominee Charl Brown, and Saycon Sengbloh will join fellow cast-mate N'Kenge for her Holiday Magic Concert featuring Motown's Jamal Story and 12 year old Ice staking sensation and Actress Ilana Sedaka at Stage 72 @ The triad.