Ray Charles News

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its August 2013 schedule, featuring: Pablo Ziegler's 'Tango Conexion,' Billy Hart Quartet, Trio 3, Joey DeFrancesco with the City Rhythm Orchestra, Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration, Luiz Simas Quartet, Tamm E. Hunt, Steve Kazee, Pedro Giraudo Expansions Big Band, Julie Halston, Roni Ben-Hur 'Wes Montgomery Tribute,' Tex Allen Sextet, Martin Piecuch Trio 'Jazzical Fusion,' Tim Hagans Quartet, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, Jay Leonhart Duo, and MANY MORE!

MUSE/IQUE, known for its counter-conventional performances that feel more like parties than formal concerts, wraps 'Summer of Sound' 2013 with 'Lose Your Senses with Ellis Hall' featuring Hall, Tower of Power's lead singer and keyboardist who electrifies with his five octave range and tears it up with the Selah Gospel Choir to unchain the soul sounds of great musicians like Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and even Bach, Beethoven and Vivaldi on Saturday, August 17, 2013, 7:30 pm, outdoors at Caltech's Beckman Mall in Pasadena. They join Caltech physicist Sean Carroll and MUSE/IQUE Artistic Director Rachael Worby, who conducts the MUSE/IQUE Orchestra for a pure out-of the-box adventure that also celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Maurice Sendak's 'Where the Wild Things Are' with a world premiere of a dance set to the score of Spike Jonze' critically acclaimed film adaptation of the beloved children's book. Gates open at 5:30 pm for dinner (ordered in advance) or bring-your-own picnics, with table seating and plentiful free parking.

On Sunday, August 11, SummerStage will present a free show with Shuggie Otis, Jose James, Hiatus Kaiyote and DJ sets by OP! (I Love Vinyl) at Central Park, Manhattan. Recommended arrival time is 1:30 p.m. Showtime is 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Renaissance House: A Retreat for Writers and Other Artists in Martha's Vineyard will host a presentation on writing about cultural cuisine by Jessica B. Harris, award-winning author and scholar of foods of the African Diaspora today, July 30 at 7:30pm at the Renaissance House,31 Pennacook Avenue in historic Oak Bluffs.

Acclaimed lyricist Alan Bergman will perform his best-loved songs and talk about his inspiration for the lyrics at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center tonight, July 28 at 8:30pm.

MUSE/IQUE, known for its counter-conventional performances that feel more like parties than formal concerts, continues 'Summer of Sound' 2013 with 'Moving Pictures' featuring groundbreaking cellist Matt Haimovitz and Emmy Award-winning actress Wendie Malick ('Hot in Cleveland') in a fresh take on motion picture scores by Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, Vangelis, Ennio Morricone, John Williams, Claude-Michel Schonberg and Erich Korngold as well as the world premiere of Sleepwalking, a concerto for cello and chamber orchestra with images by Peter Golub, prolific composer and director of Sundance's Film Music Program, tonight, July 27, 2013, 7:30 pm, outdoors at Caltech's Beckman Mall in Pasadena.

Cape May Stage, South Jersey's premiere Equity theatre, is overjoyed to welcome Broadway star and jazz and blues singer, Sandra Reaves-Phillips performing in her one-woman show Me, Myself and You. Join Ms. Reaves-Phillips in an intimate tour-de-force performance on Monday, August 12 at 8 p.m.

Marty Thomas presents DIVA is a weekly show at Industry Bar in midtown Manhattan. Featuring a cast of Alexa Green (Wicked, Company), Kelly King (Babyface, Michael Bolton) and Marissa Rosen (My Big Gay Italian Wedding), it is hosted and produced by Marty Thomas (Xanadu, The Secret Garden and Wicked). DIVA celebrates fabulous female vocalists paying tribute to some of histories most over the top icons! The cast performs a brand new show every week with exciting new guests rotating. Monday, July 22, the divas are joined for by Broadway star N'KENGE!

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its August 2013 schedule, featuring: Pablo Ziegler's 'Tango Conexion,' Billy Hart Quartet, Trio 3, Joey DeFrancesco with the City Rhythm Orchestra, Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration, Luiz Simas Quartet, Tamm E. Hunt, Steve Kazee, Pedro Giraudo Expansions Big Band, Julie Halston, Roni Ben-Hur 'Wes Montgomery Tribute,' Tex Allen Sextet, Martin Piecuch Trio 'Jazzical Fusion,' Tim Hagans Quartet, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, Jay Leonhart Duo, and MANY MORE!

MUSE/IQUE, known for its counter-conventional performances that feel more like parties than formal concerts, continues 'Summer of Sound' 2013 with 'Moving Pictures' featuring groundbreaking cellist Matt Haimovitz and Emmy Award-winning actress Wendie Malick ('Hot in Cleveland') in a fresh take on motion picture scores by Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, Vangelis, Ennio Morricone, John Williams, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Erich Korngold as well as the world premiere of Sleepwalking, a concerto for cello and chamber orchestra with images by Peter Golub, prolific composer and director of Sundance's Film Music Program, on Saturday, July 27, 2013, 7:30 pm, outdoors at Caltech's Beckman Mall in Pasadena.

Acclaimed lyricist Alan Bergman will perform his best-loved songs and talk about his inspiration for the lyrics at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on Sunday, July 28 at 8:30pm. Tickets are $70 - $90 and can be purchased at www.whbpac.org.

From the best of jazz and most celebrated classical musicians to the biggest voices from the New York stages, The Smith Center brings three diverse series to Las Vegas from October 2013 through May 2014. The three series bring patrons on a journey deep into the heart of American music to see the masters perform right before their eyes or visit the New York stage without leaving Las Vegas.

Alternative rock artist Dom Liberati announced the release of his highly anticipated digital-only new single, 'Walk.'

"The Hebrew Hillbilly", written by and performed by singer-songwriter Shelley Fisher in a one-woman cabaret style concert at a 2 PM matinee performance today, July 7th at Arthur Newman Theatre in The Joslyn Center Theater in Palm Desert. The show chronicles Ms. Fisher's Hollywood odyssey that begins in the heart of the Mississippi Delta in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Shelley grew up surrounded by Rockin' Roll, Blues, and Bar B Que with a flamboyant but very Jewish mother who frowned on her dating the local redneck boys. But that never stopped her dreams from an early age of being a Hollywood star and she has been singing since before she could walk.

Sisters Supporting Sisters (S3), a 501 (c) (3), and Meme Kelly present Voices of the Un-Heard, a play with powerful monologues, entertaining dance, and inspiring music that celebrates the human spirit's ability to get up after being knocked down! Voices will be offered at the Barnsdall Gallery Theater today, July 6th at 4 p.m.

Last night I had the privilege of taking a look back on an incredibly impressive recent string of major musicals starring the phenomenally talented Brandon Victor Dixon with the leading man himself, ranging from his work last year Off-Broadway in RENT as well as the Williamstown Theatre Festival mounting of FAR FROM HEAVEN, both directed by Michael Greif, through to his acclaimed performance in Kander & Ebb's THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS through to his new role portraying music titan Berry Gordy himself in the audience hit of the 2012-2013 season, MOTOWN. In addition to eloquently expounding on his various starring roles in those four major musicals and reflecting upon his time spent in each production, Dixon also opens up about his passion for performance in general and the importance of collaboration in the creation of any musical from the ground-up. Dixon also comments upon his experiences originating a role in Oprah Winfrey's recent stage venture THE COLOR PURPLE as well as recounts his association with COTTON CLUB PARADE - set to premiere on Broadway under a new title later this year - as well as the various incarnations of his stage piece based on the life and career of Ray Charles. Most importantly, besides all about MOTOWN and his work with Gordy and the cast on the hit show, Dixon also previews what we can expect from the cast of the show on tonight's A CAPITOL FOURTH PBS concert extravaganza, featuring Dixon alongside MOTOWN standout Saycon Sengbloh. All of that, first news on Dixon's upcoming self-penned solo album project, memories of working on THE GOOD WIFE, thoughts on GLEE and the modern performing arts revolution and much, much more!

Alternative rock artist Dom Liberati announced the release of his highly anticipated digital-only new single, 'Walk.'

Dave Stryker's Blue to the Bone IV CD Release will take place at Birdland in New York City Fri/Sat. July 5-6 – 8:30 and 11:00 pm.