Ingrid Michaelson, Elizaveta, et. al. Set for Joe's Pub Performances, 1/24

Ingrid Michaelson, Elizaveta, Mark Rapp, and more are set for performances at Joe's Pub this week. The performances are as follows:

STEW AND THE NEGRO PROBLEM
‘MAKING IT’ CD RELEASE
January 23 at 7:30pm & 9:30pm
January 24 at 9:30pm
$30
Direct from The Public Theater acclaimed production “Passing Strange,” Stew and the Negro Problem take to the Joe’s Pub stage to celebrate the release of their upcoming CD, “Making it.” This collection of songs pulls from both past and present material, and was initially introduced to the world during a week of performances at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York. The album is set to be released via Redeye Distribution on January 24th. Stew and Heidi Rodewald clearly have a gift for hook-filled melodies, taut poetic narratives, incisive song portraits, and a sardonic sense of humor. 

When Stew and Heidi began work on “Passing Strange,” the theater production that went on to become both a Spike Lee-directed movie and Tony Award winner for “Best Book of a Musical,” The Negro Problem was put on hold. This past year, however, the band returned to record a new album and take the band on the road once again.

INGRID MICHAELSON
January 24th at 7:30pm
$35
With a warm, relatable sound that has captured the hearts of countless fans, Ingrid Michaelson's compelling story as an unsigned artist first achieved national attention with multiple song placements on the hit television series Grey's Anatomy. The show's producers became so enamored of her music that they chose Michaelson's "Keep Breathing" to air during the final six minutes of the 2007 season finale, resulting in massive and immediate mainstream exposure. Her ubiquitous hit single "The Way I Am," off her breakthrough album Girls and Boys, was not only spun on radio stations all over the country, but was featured in a major national television commercial for Old Navy. Ingrid has since appeared on Good Morning America, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and was the first unsigned musician ever selected as a Vh1 "You Oughta Know" artist. Ingrid has released all of her music via her own Cabin 24 label which has sold nearly 400,000 albums and over 1.5 million singles to date.

ELIZAVETA
January 25 at 7:30pm
$14
With the ability to seamlessly fuse opera, electronic music, pop and indie into an intoxicating and infectious hybrid, there's never been artist quite like Elizaveta. You haven't ever heard pop take flight on classical pipes like these. The New York city born and Russian raised musical alchemist nods to everyone from Bach and Bjork to another former opera singer Freddy Mercury, and her multi-instrumental talents are nothing short of dazzling. Elizaveta's digital EP has already gotten tastemakers buzzing. 

OUR HIT PARADE - STARRING Bridget Everett, Kenny Mellman, & NEAL MEDLYN
GUESTS INCLUDE Natalie Joy Johnson, GREENE GIRL, Cole Escola, David Ilku, CARLA RHODES, AMY BEZUNARTEA, & ANGELA DECARLO
January 25 at 9:30pm
February 29 at 9:30pm
March 28 at 9:30pm
$20
Our Hit Parade is a live top-ten countdown show created by Tony nominee and Obie winner Kenny Mellman (Kiki & Herb), carnal chanteuse Bridget Everett (At Least It's Pink at Ars Nova), pop song opera impresario Neal Medlyn (Neal Medlyn's Unpronounceable Symbol at P.S. 122), producer and MTV cameraman Brendan Kennedy, and writers Ada Calhoun and Peter Schjeldahl. The show is inspired by the musical sketch series Your Hit Parade that ran on radio and then television from 1935 to 1959. On that show, cast members performed the week's most popular songs as comically literal skits. In this show, the hosts and special guest stars from the local performance scene present their renditions of current popular hits live on stage! January guests include Natalie Joy Johnson, Greene Girl, Cole Escola, David Ilku, Carla Rhodes, Amy Bezunartea, and Angela DeCarlo.

MARK RAPP & DEREK LEE BRONSTON’S
THE SONG PROJECT
January 26 at 7:00pm
$15
The Song Project is a group whose contemporary reinventions of popular songs, jazz standards and innovative originals are redefining jazz for a new generation. Their live shows continue to ignite audiences, extending jazz interpretations into music ranging from Radiohead, Paul McCartney, AC/DC to Cole Porter, MiLes Davis and more. Using didgeridoo, guitar, trumpet and rhythm section enhanced with raw, emotional vocals, The Song Project explores the art of the song as written and improvised. Each artist embraces multiple genres of American musical culture and displays virtuosity and Signature Sounds on their instruments. Masters of their instruments, Mark Rapp (trumpet) and Derek Lee Bronston (guitar), are also technology wizards. They created an iPad application dubbed "The Applum" as a means of releasing their first recording together, Art of the Song, vol. 1. Its repertoire was born out of instant messaging Garage Band tracks, which turned into a full blown interactive music application.

TOSHI REAGON
Cover Me With Love: Toshi Plays BIGLovely Hits and Covers - January 26 at 9:00pm
Toshi Reagon & BIGLovely Rocks The House – January 27 at 9:00pm
Toshi Reagon with Special Guest Michael Arthur Draws Live – January 28 at 9:00pm
Toshi Reagon Sacred Music Show with Bernice Johnson Reagon – January 29 at 7:00pm
$25
Toshi Reagon has had the pleasure of working with Lenny Kravitz, Lizz Wright, Ani DiFranco, Carl Hancock Rux, Nona Hendryx, Pete Seeger, Chocolate Genius and many other amazing artists, including her favorite collaborator, her mom, Bernice Johnson Reagon. Toshi has been the recipient of a NYFA award for Music Composition, The Black Lily Music and Film Festival Award for Outstanding Performance. She is a National Women's History Month Honoree, and is the 2010 recipient of OutMusic's Heritage Award.

TRIBECASTAN:
‘NEW DELI’ CD RELEASE
January 27 at 7:00pm
$20
A few years ago two American nomads began exploring a music without rules or regard to borders. The glue was simply their mutual enthusiasm for novel sounds, unusual instruments, and the diverse musicians that inspired them. Now, with the release of their third album, New Deli, TriBeCaStan has matured into a large tight-knit ensemble, complete with power horns, rocking bass lines, catchy vocal riffs, and wickedly ingenious solos. With cover art by Zappa’s favorite artist Cal Schenkel, the group—led by co-founders John Kruth and Jeff Greene—has concocted their most dance-friendly record to date, a heady brew of gritty, funky new grooves from the world’s deepest musical roots, thanks to an all-star “FolkLorkeStra” of globally-inspired jazz and rock music veterans.

GAIDA
January 28 at 7:00pm
$20
Along with her outstanding ensemble - oudist Zafer Tawil, pianist George Dulin, buzuk player Tareq Abboushe, percussionist Hector Morales, trumpet and santoor player Amir ElSaffar and bassist Jennifer Vincent. Gaida performs innovative interpretations of Syrian folk songs, originals, and freestyle improvisations over Arabic grooves. The wide range of musical styles heard within Gaida’s music reflects the diversity of her background. One song may capture the vocal finesse and tenderness of Fairuz, or highly ornate vocal stylings reminiscent of Oum Kalthoum, contrasted by a slow, sultry blues number, followed by a Brazilian, samba-like piece. These various styles flow together organically and naturally; tied together by Gaida's depth of soul and her evocative and expressive voice, which transcends genre and drives directly into the listener's heart.

Audra Mae
January 28 at 11:30pm
$12
Audra Mae is a natural treasure. Once the Oklahoma native opens her mouth and lets loose with that voice, pure and strong, with a hint of country twang and a twinkle of good humor, you realize this is what she’s meant to do… Stand in front of an audience and entertain, not just with her singing, but a distinctive songwriting voice, one that’s capable of relating fully developed characters and stories, all of which can be heard on her debut, The Happiest Lamb.

James Jackson JR…AND OTHER LIES
January 29 at 9:30pm
$20
James Jackson, Jr. was undergraduately reared by lesbians in the New England Berkshires after artistically growing up in Boston. The shoes; Birkenstocks. The music; Indigo, Simone, Franklin, and Difranconian. The relationships; many, lost, and strong. After being deposited in New York City almost a decade ago, the real work began. Dance belts, regional stage yelts, and working for demanding Brits have lead him to discover his artistic truth on prestigious stages like New York's Radio City Music Hall as well as Carnegie Hall. After spending several years on the road and performing in some of the great theatres across the country (featuring a rather unfortunate stop in Branson, Missouri), James' razor-sharp wit, talent, and on & off stage persona have become an artistic force to be reckoned with as well as a voice that people want to hear. A sucker for song- interpretation and storytelling, James' unique sense of humor is now aimed at changing the face of the concert stage.