JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES Features Natalie Weiss, First Ladies of Disco and Aretha Franklin Tribute This Week

Joe's Pub, a program of The Public Theater, continues JOE'S PUB LIVE!, its free series of live-streamed and archived performances from their iconic stage in New York City. Designed to facilitate social connection during this time of physical distancing, Joe's Pub will share multiple events with audiences worldwide each week.

This week's schedule of performances features a heavenly-voiced trio performing timeless holiday classics with a few of their world-famous high-energy hits with First Ladies of Disco Holiday Show on Thursday, July 9 at 8PM; an evening of pop and musical theatre classics from YouTube sensation and Broadway's Natalie Weiss on Friday, July 10 at 8PM; and Joe McGinty and his eclectic cast of downtown entertainers providing their own unique take on the music of the "Queen of Soul" with The Loser's Lounge Tribute to Aretha Franklin on Saturday, July 11 at 8PM.

July sees the return of live performances with a live-streamed performance from home instead of their album release concert that was planned to take place at Joe's Pub from Priya Darshini, Max ZT, and Jake Charkey on Friday, July 17 at 8PM and an evening of music from mmeadows, one of the most exciting new indie duos around, live from their home on Friday, July 31 at 8PM. Also, a series of four live performances from the energetic and eclectic troupe of global artists Mwenso and the Shakes will begin on Friday, July 24 at 8PM and occur once every two weeks.

Other confirmed shows include an alternative celebration of Pop music's guiltiest pleasures through the lens of the New York Jewish Experience with The Jewbadours' The Last Schmaltz on Thursday, July 16 at 8PM; a one-night-only encounter with unbridled musical exploration, fully bonkers comedic storytelling, and Lady of a Certain Age pathos with Mrs. Smith's Grief & Rage Holiday Cabaret and Encounter Group on Saturday, July 18 at 8PM; a banjo-driven celebration of the holiday season with Of A Winter's Night from Tony Trischka on Thursday, July 23 at 8PM; a showcase of performances celebrating the launch of Gregory Kramer's photo project with Downtown: Book Launch and Celebration on Saturday, July 25 at 8PM; a virtuosic evening of mesmerizingly eclectic music with award-winning guitarist Stephane Wrembel's Django/Debussy with Jean-Michel Pilc on Thursday, July 30 at 8PM; an exploration of love, lust, and heartbreak through reimagined R&B hits and jazz standards with Kathryn Allison on Thursday, August 6 at 8PM; and folk-style literary lyricism, Americana spirit, and orchestral experimentation from Beta Radio on Saturday, August 8 at 8PM.

In addition to these presentations, Joe's Pub presents Joe's Pub Live! Artist IG Live Takeovers, which occur daily on Joe's Pub Instagram. The current schedule includes:

Mondays at 4PM: Mireya Ramos

Tuesdays at 4PM: Ikechuwu Ufomadu

Wednesdays at 4PM: Roopa Mahadevan

Thursdays at 4PM: Julian Velard

Fridays at 4PM: Isaac Oliver

Saturdays at 4PM: Celisse Henderson

Sundays at 4PM: Justin Elizabeth Sayre

JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES

FIRST LADIES OF DISCO HOLIDAY SHOW

Thursday, July 9 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

Viewers are encouraged to attend stream premiere to interact with the artist(s) and audience members. This stream will be available for repeat viewing until archives close.

The holidays are a whole lot earlier and hotter this July as the First Ladies of Disco deliver the gift of music and song!

Already the most talked about heritage group of the twenty-first century, First Ladies of Disco is comprised of legendary, award-winning artists whose hits span multiple decades. The ensemble includes two-time Grammy nominee Martha Wash ("It's Raining Men"), Grammy and Oscar nominee, and R&B/dance icon Linda Clifford ("Runaway Love"), and the exciting Norma Jean Wright (formerly of the multi-million-selling group Chic, "Dance, Dance, Dance"). With this, their first Christmas-themed special, these heavenly-voiced performers will delight audiences with timeless holiday classics, as well as a few of their world-famous high-energy hits. James Arena (author of the book First Ladies of Disco) narrates this performance.

Recorded live at Joe's Pub on November 29, 2018.

JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES

Natalie Weiss

Friday, July 10 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

Viewers are encouraged to attend stream premiere to interact with the artist(s) and audience members. This stream will be available for repeat viewing until archives close.

Natalie Weiss brought her unique brand of pop and musical theatre classics for her Joe's Pub solo debut last July! Best-known for her hit YouTube series, "Breaking Down the Riffs," the international performer and vocal coach gets frank about her inner fangirl, search for love in a ghosting world, and bends the pitch like a Beckham!

Recorded live at Joe's Pub on July 15, 2019.

JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES

THE LOSER'S LOUNGE TRIBUTE TO Aretha Franklin

Saturday, July 11 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

Viewers are encouraged to attend stream premiere to interact with the artist(s) and audience members. UPDATED: This stream will be available for repeat viewing through 1:00PM Eastern on August 10, 2020.

Joe McGinty & The Loser's Lounge were honored to perform a series of six sold-out shows celebrating the life and music of Aretha Franklin, the "Queen of Soul," at Joe's Pub. The band's founder and Musical Director, Joe McGinty, and his eclectic cast of downtown entertainers have been providing their own unique take on the music of a wide variety of artists from the 1960s-1980s at sold out shows in New York City for over 25 years. Their tribute to Aretha Franklin was performed with The Loser's Lounge traditional combination of appreciation, respect, and irreverence. Band leader McGinty says, "Aretha Franklin is such an inspiration to singers. The songwriting and musicianship on her recordings are top notch. It was very moving to pay tribute to her incredible catalog. We're thankful to Aretha for her music, and we're thankful to Joe's Pub for hosting and streaming this event." This show includes hits and deep cuts from the catalog of one of the greatest voices in recorded music history. Please join us to watch this very special tribute, by The Loser's Lounge-New York City's favorite house band-to the one and only Aretha Franklin.

The Loser's Lounge Band:

Joe McGinty - Band Leader/ Keyboards

Jeremy Chatzky - Bass

Clem Waldmann - Drums

Julian Maile - Guitar

David Terhune - Guitar

Eddie Zwieback - Percussion

Jeff Hermanson - Trumpet

Justin Flynn - Sax/ Woodwinds

Connie Petruk - Backing Vocals

Katia Floreska - Backing Vocals

Julia Joseph - Backing Vocals

Recorded live at Joe's Pub on February 23, 2019 at 7pm.

JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES

THE JEWBADOURS: THE LAST SCHMALTZ

Thursday, July 16 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

Viewers are encouraged to attend stream premiere to interact with the artist(s) and audience members. This stream will be available for repeat viewing until archives close.

After a two-year hiatus brought on by the passing of the Torah to the next generation (aka the birth of their children), The Jewbadours recently revived their annual holiday farewell show, The Last Schmaltz. Staged on the first night of Hanukkah, The Last Schmaltz is an alternative celebration of Pop music's guiltiest pleasures through the lens of the New York Jewish Experience. Joined by a cavalcade of guest stars, Jew-ish luminaries from the across the music and comedy worlds, The Jewbadours will retell the story of the Maccabees as only they can: through the eyes of two Jewish native New Yorkers with minimal knowledge of the actual story of Hanukkah.

Ariel Hammerstein (Ari Hest) and Yakob Veivelman (Julian Velard) grew up grew up obsessed with the smooth sounds of the post-disco, pre-new wave era. Devoted to the halcyon days of Pop radio, it became their life's mission to bring the hits and lesser-known classics of the '70s and '80s back to the masses. Their catalog is a virtual A to Z of the Billboard charts from three and half decades past: Ambrosia to Xanadu, all interpreted through the prism of the New York Jewish experience. As always, they will be backed by The Full Minyan Band, a group of NYC's finest Semitic sidemen who've played with the likes of Joe Jackson, Christopher Cross, Suzanne Vega, Joe Jackson, Rod Stewart, Rob Thomas, The Lords of 52nd Street, any many more.

Recorded live at Joe's Pub on December 22, 2019.

JOE'S PUB LIVE!
PRIYA DARSHINI

featuring Max ZT & Jake Charkey
Friday, July 17 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube
Viewers are encouraged to view the live stream. However, a recording of the stream will be available for repeat viewing until the archives close.

Priya Darshini, Max ZT, and Jake Charkey offer a live-streamed performance from home in place of their album release concert that was planned to take place at Joe's Pub. Darshini's Periphery is elegant, tranquil, intricately layered, timeless, and virtuosic. Blending elements of traditional Indian music and improvisation with American folk and pop music, the result is an alluring treat for the senses and a World music album for the ages.

Periphery explores the various connotations of what "home" means to Darshini, as she introspects on her cultural identity as a South Indian growing up in Mumbai and transplanted to New York City. In the backdrop of the current anti-immigrant rhetoric, this album is a shining example of the beauty of cross-cultural collaboration. The diverse influences on the album reflect her journey and the varied musical influences that Darshini has absorbed along the way, that have now become a part of her very distinct musical identity.

Taking her roots from Indian Classical music, Darshini's knowledge of music from all over the world has resulted in a fresh, imaginative, and fascinating new sound. She displays an exciting combination of range, technique, unconventional compositions, a feminist perspective, and a prodigious voice that truly sets her apart from other vocalists. Darshini has collaborated with a wide range of artists from Pearl Jam; Grammy Award winners Roy "Futureman" Wooten, Jeff Coffin, Philip Lassiter, and Silk Road Ensemble's Shane Shanahan; virtuoso ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro; Karsh Kale, and many more.

Based out of Brooklyn, Darshini has sung for over 100 television and radio commercials, as well as recorded for several award-winning and chart-topping Indian movie soundtracks. She is also an actor, ultra-marathoner, entrepreneur, and is deeply involved in human rights and social justice. She is a trustee of the Mumbai-based non-profit organization Jana Rakshita-an NGO working with underserved pediatric cancer patients, and building infrastructure for schools, with a focus on education for girls. Darshini is also an environmentalist and is working with a New York-based sustainable couture fashion startup that aims at slowing down fast fashion inspired by cradle-to-cradle design. Darshini has been featured in several distinguished newspapers and magazines, including Vogue India.

"In the backdrop of the current anti-immigration rhetoric, artist Priya Darshini's album, Periphery, stands out as a beacon of hope for cultural unanimity." - Elle India

To listen to or purchase Periphery, please visit http://hyperurl.co/62jiyl.

This event will be broadcast live.

JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES

MRS. SMITH'S GRIEF & RAGE HOLIDAY CABARET AND ENCOUNTER GROUP

Saturday, July 18 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

This stream is a one-night-only event. It is only available to be viewed as it premieres.

Noted philanthropist, tone poet, and world's most unlikely guitar hero, Mrs. Smith returns to Joe's Pub for an encounter with unbridled musical exploration, fully bonkers comedic storytelling, and Lady of a Certain Age pathos. Hot off her appearance in a GUCCI commercial, Mrs. Smith will sonically delve into the traumatic life events that have made her the guitarist she is today. From her Little House on the Prairie-style childhood to her kidnapping at the hands of a Norwegian Death Metal band, Mrs. Smith will leave no stone unturned and no note unplayed. Featuring the music of Joe Satriani, Queen, Metallica, Judy Garland, and more.

Mrs. Smith is a philanthropist, cat lover, and the world's most unlikely guitar hero. Kidnapped and held for ransom by a Norwegian Death Metal Band, she suffered the Stockholm Syndrome which granted her extraordinary musical ability which she uses to raise awareness about her missing cat, Carlyle. Mrs. Smith's music videos, online content, and explosive live shows are a hilarious and astounding combination of legit rock virtuosity and razor-sharp wit, all served with a healthy dose pathos.

Mrs. Smith's madcap mashup of high-camp comedy and authentic musicianship is a favorite with audiences and critics alike, and she's been hailed by Guitar World Magazine as "America's next guitar savior," named "Best in Music," by the Vogue Editorial Board, and dubbed "compelling" by Rolling Stone.

Mrs. Smith's unique form of musical performance comedy has been seen on "America's Got Talent," PBS Television, and international ads for GUCCI. She has also performed at Bowery Ballroom, Joe's Pub, The Cutting Room, Williamsburg Music Hall, St. Vitus, and Zebulon LA, among many others. Her psychodramatic guitar clinics and gear demonstrations have been seen at The NAMM Show (LA), St. Louis College of Music in Rome, Musique Max in Montreal, and the legendary House of Guitars. She is endorsed by Ibanez Guitars, DiMarzio Pickups, Ernie Ball strings, and Mezzabarba Amps.

Recorded live at Joe's Pub on December 17, 2018.

JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES

Tony Trischka: OF A WINTER'S NIGHT

Thursday, July 23 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

Viewers are encouraged to attend stream premiere to interact with the artist(s) and audience members. This stream will be available for repeat viewing until archives close.

Of A Winter's Night is Tony Trischka's banjo-driven celebration of the season where he turns his considerable melodic inventiveness loose on Bluegrass and Americana music for the holidays.

Trischka is joined by shape-note singer and multi-instrumentalist Tim Eriksen, vocalist and fiddle player Phoebe Hunt, Dominic Leslie on mandolin, Elizabeth LaPrelle on vocals and banjo, and Larry Cook on bass and vocals. Special guest appearances by Tracy Bonham and Jill Sobule.

A diverse, highly textural seasonal collection, Trischka also revels in songs long forgotten and little known. Truly a sumptuous feast for the ears presented as only Tony Trischka can.

Recorded live at Joe's Pub on December 18, 2018.

JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES

DOWNTOWN: BOOK LAUNCH AND CELEBRATION

Saturday, July 25 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

This stream is a one-night-only event. It is only available to be viewed as it premieres.

A showcase of performances celebrating the launch of Gregory Kramer's photo project Downtown. Performers include Bridget Everett, Amanda Duarte, Daphne Always w/James Sheppard, Nath Ann Carrera, Miss Dirty Martini, Jenn Harris, Gays Against Guns, Ikechukwu Ufomadu, Gloria Swansong, Bowen Yang, and The Illustrious Blacks. Hosted by Sir Richard Castle. ASL interpretation provided.

"With DRAGS, Kramer made the current pantheon of gender revolutionaries look like old Hollywood royalty. In his new collection Downtown, he immortalizes the artists and performers of the downtown arts scene in stripped-down portraits. Downtown is a rich tribute to the city's luminaries-old, new, and always timeless." - David Goldberg, writer, Vulture and Time Out New York

Recorded live at Joe's Pub on July 23, 2019.

JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES

STEPHANE WREMBEL: DJANGO/DEBUSSY

with Jean-Michel Pilc

Thursday, July 30 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

Viewers are encouraged to attend stream premiere to interact with the artist(s) and audience members. This stream will be available for repeat viewing until archives close.

Award-winning guitarist Stephane Wrembel released The Django Experiment IV on his own Water is Life Records on January 23, 2019, the 109th anniversary of the birth of French guitarist Django Reinhardt, who is widely considered one of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century. Wrembel, most known for his Grammy Award-winning composition "Bistro Fada" from the Woody Allen movie, Midnight In Paris, is one of the preeminent guitarists in the world specialized in the Reinhardt style.

Wrembel is quite simply one of the finest guitar players in the world. The breadth and range of his playing and compositions are unmatched. To say that Wrembel-who learned his craft at campsites in the French countryside-has already had a remarkable career would be an under-statement. This prolific, virtuoso guitarist from France has been releasing a steady stream of music since 2006 and has truly made his mark as one of the most original guitar voices in contemporary music.

David Frick at Rolling Stone called him "a revelation." Wrembel performed the irresistibly catchy "Bistro Fada" live during the 2012 Academy Awards ceremony. He has headlined Lincoln Center, played major festivals, recorded with mandolin legend David Grisman, toured with master violinist Mark O'Connor, and shared stages with everyone from Elvis Costello to Patti Smith to The Roots. The Gitane guitar company has even named a model after him.

Praised for his improvisations, pianist and composer Jean-Michel Pilc has performed with numerous jazz giants including Roy Haynes, Billy Hart, Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, Jean Toussaint, Marcus Miller, John Abercrombie, and the Mingus Dynasty & Big Band, among others. He worked with Harry Belafonte as his musical director and pianist and performed a duet with the legendary opera singer Jessye Norman.

An active solo performer on the international scene, Pilc has released four critically-acclaimed solo piano records: Follow Me (2004), Essential (2011), What Is This Thing Called? (2015), and his solo double CD, Parallel (2018). He regularly performs in trio with both Montreal and NYC-based ensembles at top venues throughout both cities.

A dedicated pedagogue, Pilc founded the Improvisation Workshop Project with Rémi Bolduc, Kevin Dean, and Jean-Nicolas Trottier, an educational research project funded by the Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Société et Culture (FRQSC). In September 2015, he was named Associate Professor at The Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal.

Stephane Wrembel - guitar

Jean-Michel Pilc - piano

Thor Jensen - guitar

Ari Folman-Cohen - bass

Nick Driscoll - sax/clarinet/bass clarinet

Nick Anderson - drums

Recorded live at Joe's Pub on October 11, 2019.

JOE'S PUB LIVE!

MMEADOWS

Friday, July 31 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

Viewers are encouraged to view the live stream. However, a recording of the stream will be available for repeat viewing until the archives close.

Having gained acclaim from the likes of Wonderland, Paste, FLOOD, Brooklyn Vegan, and more, mmeadows have been quietly developing a reputation as one of the most exciting new indie duos around. Comprised of Kristin Slipp (Dirty Projectors, Cuddle Magic) and Cole Kamen-Green (who performed trumpet and horn arrangements on Beyonce's 4 and self-titled album), mmeadows wraps listeners in stunning waves of sound on their first EP, Who Do You Think You Are, their winning combination of gorgeous vocals and astral soundscapes creating a must-listen debut project.

This event will be broadcast live.

JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES

Kathryn Allison

Thursday, August 6 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

Viewers are encouraged to attend stream premiere to interact with the artist(s) and audience members. This stream will be available for repeat viewing through August 12, 2020.

Join Broadway artist Kathryn Allison for a stream of the first-ever live performance of her debut album, Something Real. Featuring reimagined R&B hits and jazz standards, Something Real is an exploration of love, lust, and heartbreak. Rediscover the songs you thought you knew as Allison guides you through a powerful symphonic journey.

Recorded live at Joe's Pub on April 7, 2019.

JOE'S PUB LIVE! FROM THE ARCHIVES

BETA RADIO

Saturday, August 8 at 8:00PM

Access to this stream will bea??FREE and available to all on YouTube

Viewers are encouraged to attend stream premiere to interact with the artist(s) and audience members. This stream will be available for repeat viewing until archives close.

Home represents more than just a physical place. It encompasses a state of being and an ideal. When you feel home, you feel whole. Humanity intrinsically seeks that feeling. This eternal search inspires Beta Radio's third full-length and first for NETTWERK, Ancient Transition. The Wilmington, NC duo-Benjamin "Ben" Mabry and Brent Holloman-transform a tumultuous two years of corporeal and existential wandering into 10 songs cast in folk-style literary lyricism, Americana spirit, and orchestral experimentation.

Rooted in vocal harmonies, acoustic and electric guitar, piano, banjo and an eclectic range of additional instrumentation and soulful arrangements, Beta Radio's Americana-folk sound is the result of a decade-long collaboration between Mabry and Holloman.

Recorded live at Joe's Pub on March 20, 2019.

Photo Credit: James Avance Photography