Aretha Franklin News

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed "Best of New York" by New York Magazine and "an invaluable New York institution" by The New York Post will continue its Spring 2011 season with the debut of six time Grammy Award nominee NNENNA FREELON from May 10 through 14.

The Ailey Extension welcomes dance and theater enthusiasts to participate in a Contemporary dance workshop series with The Lion King cast member, Ray Mercer, on April 11th, 18th and 25th at the Joan Weill Center for Dance, located at 405 West 55th Street (at 9th Avenue).

Once upon a time, right here in New York City, storied clubs - swanky hotel supper clubs, zebra-striped celebrity showcases, smoky after-hour boîtes - ruled the night. Places like The Stork Club, Copacabana, Persian Room and Latin Quarter (run by Lou Walters, father of Barbara ) were meccas where songwriters, singers and society mingled and fueled American popular music. Author and Lyrics & LyricistsTM series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer takes the helm as artistic director/writer/host for The Crowd's at El Morocco: The Heyday of the New York Nightclubs, on April 30 and May 1, 2. Joining her are vocalists Debby Boone, La Tanya Hall, James Naughton, Billy Stritch and Karen Ziemba.

Hartt celebrates its Jazz alumni on Monday, April 25, when several alumni of Hartt's Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz join together for a concert and evening of fond reminiscence, followed by a special dessert reception.

Joe's Pub at The Public Theater debuted in October 1998 and has quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance.

Saxophonist, arranger/composer, educator and bandleader Bob Mintzer has a new website, http://www.bobmintzer.com.

The long overdue London premiere of the Broadway musical The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd, directed by acclaimed West End and RSC director Ian Judge, and designed by three time Olivier Award winner Tim Goodchild, opens for a four week limited season at the Finborough Theatre on Tuesday, 7 June 2011 (Press Night: Thursday, 9 June 2011 at 7.30pm).

Multi-platinum superstar Jennifer Hudson will make her debut Festival performance, joined by R&B/Funk icon Chaka Khan and the reunion of New Edition at the 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL celebrating the 'Roots of R&B' July 1, 2 and 3 in New Orleans.

Multi-platinum superstar Jennifer Hudson will make her debut Festival performance, joined by R&B/Funk icon Chaka Khan and the reunion of New Edition at the 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL celebrating the 'Roots of R&B' July 1, 2 and 3 in New Orleans. In addition, Kem, Miguel, Naughty By Nature, Doug E. Fresh, Marsha Ambrosius, Mavis Staples, Eric Benet, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Trin-i-tee 5:7 and Brian Courtney Wilson have been added to the previously announced line-up, which includes Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Trey Songz, Jill Scott, Charlie Wilson, Boyz II Men, Fantasia, George Clinton, Macy Gray and more.

The Pit Stop Players, a fourteen-member instrumental ensemble composed of veteran Broadway pit musicians, will perform at the recently completed, $37 million DiMenna Center for Classical Music on Tuesday, May 10, at 7:30 pm.

n an age of great division between fundamentalist churches and the gay community on the issue of gay marriage, Guyanese alternative soul singer Nhojj celebrates this Easter holiday with his traditional-gospel inspired 'Amazing Grace' - a groundbreaking gay music video which gives a new interpretation to the time-honored religious hymn. 'Amazing Grace,' arguably the most recognizable of all Christian hymns, was written in 1779 and is a staple in the American landscape. It has been recorded by such diverse artists as Mahalia Jackson, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Judy Collins, Aretha Franklin, Rod Stewart, and Johnny Cash. It has inspired hope in times of tragedy, uplifted African Americans during the era of slavery, rallied anti-war protesters during the Vietnam War, and encouraged countless individuals dealing with issues of alcoholism, drug addiction, illness and death.

The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park celebrates the fabulous girl groups and female singers of the 1960s as U.S. Bank presents the rafter-raising musical tribute, BEEHIVE.

The Ailey Extension welcomes dance and theater enthusiasts to participate in a Contemporary dance workshop series with The Lion King cast member, Ray Mercer, on April 11th, 18th and 25th at the Joan Weill Center for Dance, located at 405 West 55th Street (at 9th Avenue).

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) presents Beehive The 60's Musical by Larry Gallagher. This rafter-raising musical will be performed on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, March 16 through April 10, 2011.

Four performing troupes from the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) have been selected to perform at Walt Disney World during the upcoming April school vacation week.

B.B. King Blues Club & Grill is located at 237 West 42nd Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues) New York, NY 10036

It's hard to believe that over 40 years have flown by since Donnie "Mr. Downchild" Walsh and his late brother, Hock formed the renowned group that would be the inspiration behind the blues in Canada and the world famous Blues Brothers.

Madison Square Garden Entertainment announced today that the legendary Chicago Theatre will celebrate its 90th anniversary this year. Constructed in October of 1921 as the flagship in a series of opulent movie houses, the famed venue's six-story high marquee remains one of Chicago's most recognizable landmarks today.

We enter our 10th year of delivering quality, high end cabaret to Perth audiences and are thrilled to announce a bigger, bolder programme than ever before in this nineteen performance season, spanning from May to October.

The stars of Broadway's new hit PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT THE MUSICAL will appear at a special live performance at Barnes & Noble's upper east side flagship location (150 East 86th Street at Lexington Avenue) on Thursday, April 7 at 5:00pm to celebrate the release of the musical's Original Broadway Cast Recording.