Tom Waits News

Right in time for Mardi Gras, Portland Ovations brings the sounds of the French Quarter to Portland when they present the Preservation Hall Jazz Band live in concert at Merrill Auditorium on February 11th at 7:30pm.

On February 23 and 24, 2015, the pilot episode of composer Lisa Bielawa's serial opera Vireo: The Spiritual Biography of a Witch's Accuser will be videotaped at The Yost Theater in Santa Ana (307 North Spurgeon St.). Two taping sessions, each of a different scene from the opera, will be open to the public, free of charge, at 7pm on February 23 and 5pm on February 24 (limited availability, online RSVPs are required at http://bit.ly/RSVPVireo).Vireo's 25-minute pilot episode will air on March 31, 2015, and will feature the Kronos Quartet, mezzo-sopranoLaurie Rubin, the San Francisco Girls Chorus, the Orange County School of the Arts Middle School Choir, mezzo-soprano Maria Lazarova, baritone Gregory Purnhagen, drummer Matthias Bossi, and in the title role ofVireo, 16-year-old soprano Rowen Sabala.

The American Repertory Theater of WNY kicks off the second half of the 2014-15 season with the 8th annual Mardi Gras celebration with a new twist in the evening's entertainment. This celebration brings Poetry Slam with Beads that will feature regional urban poets 10k, Ben Brindise, Jimmie Byrd, Bo Brooks, Team Finks, Dana Ingerbreston, Danielle Johnson, Lazyrus, Solomon and Brandon Williamson as all bring their writing talent to an evening of gumbo, good times a rollin', beads a flyin', rice & beans and the soul-funkrock sounds of Child of Folly. And, of course, the ART/WNY Mardi Gras celebration wouldn't be complete without the traditional readings from the classic Louisiana book of folk-tales GUMBO YA YA. Festivities are at Bittner Hall, 16 Linwood Avenue, Buffalo NY, open at 7 pm with performances beginning at 8 pm. Tickets are $25 at the door but can be purchase online for $20.

The multi-talented Tina deVaron is an acclaimed singer, songwriter, and jazz pianist whose scintillating combination of original songs and piano/vocal jazz have made her a favorite with audiences around the country. She will be performing at one night show at the Metropolitan Room on 9 February at 7pm.

What happened this year in SB theatre? Here's 2014 in review, and a preview of what's next for 2015.

If you've been a regular reader of this particular reviewer's musings, you know that every year there are long stretches of time where I just haven't been able to critique all the shows I've seen that deserve commentary. So I end up playing what they call in sports, 'Catch-up ball,' and post a mash up of belated reviews from past shows. It's kind of like a critic's version of the song 'Six Months Out of Every Year,' from Damn Yankees. Give or take a month or two, that's usually the time period during which I store unpublished reviews in my fevered brain and then unload them all in one seemingly endless column-like this one is going to be. If my cabaret-show reviewing days will be over (as chronicled here), I might as well go out with a bang-and relieve my procrastination guilt during holiday season. Now I can scratch one New Year's resolution off the list.

Exiled Angolan guitarist -vocalist Waldemar Bastos makes a rare LA appearance as part of the inaugural ARATANI World series of global music and dance. The series celebrates the songs, sounds and dance of seven ensembles both local and international from Africa, India, Hawaii, Philippines, Japan, Bulgaria, Latin America, Central Java, Brazil, New York and Los Angeles who are carrying forth and transforming their rich cultural traditions.

From January 7 to 17, 2015 Centaur Theatre takes its annual walk on the wild side with the 18th edition of the 10-day winter festival of boundary-breaking theatre. With a keen eye for the new and unusual, local playwright and actor, Johanna Nutter (My Pregnant Brother), has curated a program ranging from mime and movement to rock opera and comedy. "Wildside is Centaur's no-holds-barred blast-off into the new year, an open invitation to the audacious and curious," said Executive and Artistic Director, Roy Surette, who added, "It's our way of combatting the post-holiday blues so Wildside Superpasses make great stocking stuffers!

Celebrate the holiday season New Orleans' style when Preservation Hall Jazz Band performs its Creole Christmas program tonight, Dec. 5, 2014, at 8 p.m. in Jones Hall, presented by Society for the Performing Arts.

Symphony Space will welcome the season with the iconic gospel group Blind Boys of Alabama tonight, December 3 (8 pm) in the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre. Their holiday program, 'Go Tell It On the Mountain,' features an inspired selection of traditional spirituals, Christmas standards, and original tunes, all rendered in the soul-stirring vocal harmonies and funky instrumental backings that have brought them five Grammy Awards and international renown. Reviewing their CD of the same title, Mojo magazine wrote, 'There's nothing remotely schmaltzy or cloyingly sentimental about this seasonal offering from the veteran gospel group.'

NiCori Studios and Productions and Irvington Town Hall Theater announce the second performance in the Cabaret on the Hudson series. The performance will be held on Monday, December 8 at 8pm. Cabaret on the Hudson is a series that features three outstanding cabaret performers or small groups, each bringing a 25 minute sampling of their New York City cabaret shows to Westchester, NY. Many of the performers are Broadway veterans and have performed in New York City venues such as 54 BELOW, the Oak Room at the Algonquin, Birdland, Feinstein's at Loews Regency, Iridium, the Metropolitan Room and Jazz at Lincoln Center to name a few. Cabaret on the Hudson will be hosted by multi-nominated Cabaret singer and host of the Music at the Mansion series, Corinna Sowers Adler and will feature Benet Braun on piano.

Singer Frank Shiner returns for an encore performance to 54 Below tonight, November 29th at 9:30pm. Earlier this summer, Shiner sold-out the illustrious cabaret. Wrapping up the year in style, 2014 saw Shiner win 3 LA Music Critic Awards including Best CD by a Male Artist with his debut album, The Real Me.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

After a year of traveling and performing all over the country, singer/songwriter Shaina Taub - winner of the 2014 Jonathan Larson Grant - returns home to New York to present an evening of her original songs with her band, tonight, November 19 at 7:00 PM at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater.

Joe's Pub at the Public has announced its performances through the rest of November 2014. Visit www.joespub.com for a complete list of shows and scroll down for more!

After a year of traveling and performing all over the country, singer/songwriter Shaina Taub - winner of the 2014 Jonathan Larson Grant - returns home to New York to present an evening of her original songs with her band, on Wednesday November 19 at 7:00 PM at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater. Shaina will be joined by her bandmates bassist/singer Mike Brun (Mr. Burns, Old Hats) and drummer/singer Jacob Colin Cohen (One Man, Two Guv'nors; Old Hats), pianist David Farrell Melton and singer Grace McLean (Bedbugs!!!), Catherine Brookman (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) and Starr Busby will make special guest appearances. The set list will features selections from Old Hats, There's A House, Robin, songs from Taub's two EPs, and many brand new songs as well.

Singer Frank Shiner returns for an encore performance to 54 Below on Saturday, November 29th at 9:30pm. Earlier this summer, Shiner sold-out the illustrious cabaret. Wrapping up the year in style, 2014 saw Shiner win 3 LA Music Critic Awards including Best CD by a Male Artist with his debut album, The Real Me.

Joe's Pub at the Public has announced its performances, November 12-23, 2014. Details below!

Magnetic songstress Camille O'Sullivan will perform her latest album Changeling in the intimate confines of the Fairfax Studio this January.