Billie Holiday News

The Flea Theater presents Horizon Theatre Rep's production of the rarely-seen play BENITO CERENO - written by the late Robert Lowell and based on the Herman Melville novel of the same name -- Off-Broadway at the Flea Theatre (41 White St.) in Manhattan, with previews set to start September 22 prior to an official press opening on September 25.

The Flea Theater presents Horizon Theatre Rep's production of the rarely-seen play BENITO CERENO - written by the late Robert Lowell and based on the Herman Melville novel of the same name -- Off-Broadway at the Flea Theatre (41 White St.) in Manhattan, with previews set to start September 22 prior to an official press opening on September 25.

Following the September 26th release of Beth Hart's 'Don't Explain' album - a soul covers collaboration with guitarist Joe Bonamassa - the artist will perform two intimate UK concerts in November.

Due to Hurricane Irene and by city ordinance, all outdoor permitted events taking place after 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 27 through Sunday, August 28 have been cancelled.

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival featuring TOOTS THIELEMANS / JAMES CARTER TIA FULLER / CÉCILE McLORIN SALVANT set for Saturday, August 27 at Marcus Garvey Park, Manhattan

Zucchero ('Sugar') is Italy's most beloved rock star and one of the top Italian artists worldwide, having sold 40 million records over three decades.

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival featuring TOOTS THIELEMANS / JAMES CARTER TIA FULLER / CÉCILE McLORIN SALVANT set for Saturday, August 27 at Marcus Garvey Park, Manhattan

Sugo Music Group has announced the signing of Nancy LaMott and the release of her two new collections: The Best of Nancy LaMott, Vol. 1, American Popular Standards' and The Best of Nancy LaMott, Vol. 2, Great American Songbook'.

Organizers for the 2011 Scotiabank BuskerFest have announced new musical acts joining this year's festival, as well as the brand new BuskerBeats program, where musical acts will perform in bars throughout the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood during the festival.

To celebrate the release of the 'Don't Explain' album - a collaboration between American singer-songwriter Beth Hart and the acclaimed blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa, the duo are making their version of Delaney & Bonnie's classic 'Well, Well' available as a free MP3 download single.

This season, Dixon Place will offer special 25th Anniversary Pricing, featuring free, $5 and $10 tickets for most fall shows as well as lounge specials including $5 beer, wine & well, plus special cocktails nightly.

On Thursday, August 4, the 33rd annual Seaside Summer Concert Series at Coney Island, hosted by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, will proudly welcome the one and only Aretha Franklin.

SISTAS: The Musical is the story of African-American women told through popular music, from 'God Bless the Child' to Destiny's Child.

Equally at home in the world of jazz and cabaret, singer/pianist Daryl Sherman is internationally acclaimed for a stellar 14-year run at the Waldorf-Astoria where she played Cole Porter's Steinway. Last June, she headlined the annual Cole Porter Festival in his hometown of Peru, IN. Sherman has performed at The Algonquin's Oak Room where the Village Voice touted her as 'someone who fits the room like Derek Jeter fits the Yankees.' She's also worked at Feinstein's, Rose Hall with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Dizzy's Coca Cola and 59E59 Theaters where she was lauded for her band singer role in a centennial tribute to Artie Shaw.

Details have just been released on concerts featuring Broadway legends Elaine Stritch and Lorna Luft at New York City's Town Hall. Stritch will appear on October 22at 8Pm, while Luft will tribute Judy Garland and Gene Kelly on October 28 at 8PM.

On Thursday, August 4, the 33rd annual Seaside Summer Concert Series at Coney Island, hosted by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, will proudly welcome the one and only Aretha Franklin.

The Boca Raton Theatre Guild announced the plays it has selected for its 2011-2012 season: Sarah Jones' Bridge and Tunnel, Charles Busch's Tales of the Allergist's Wife, the musical Sweet Charity, and Paulette Dozier in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill. They will all play at the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton's Sugar Sand Park.

The Town Hall, New York City's landmark theatre and concert venue, concludes its acclaimed 5th Annual Summer Broadway Festival with All Singin' All Dancin' on Monday, July 25th at 8PM. The show is created, written, and hosted by Scott Siegel for The Town Hall.

Music icon Amy Winehouse passed away today at the age of 27. Looking back at her two solo albums - FRANK, and the multi-Grammy-winning BACK TO BLACK, produced by Mark Ronson - as well as her live concert DVD - I TOLD YOU I WAS TROUBLE - it seems difficult to believe an artist with this much cultural impact wrote and produced so little in her impossibly short life - yet, both albums are simply superb and the latter is on the level of the very best American pop/rock records of all time. Evoking Bilie Holliday, Janis Joplin and Courtney Love in almost equal measure - with a healthy dollop of The Shirelles and some Mary J. Blige on top - Amy Winehouse was a complete and total anomaly whose shtick was anything-but: when Amy put on, wore and sold that worn-down, worn-out beehive doo on her head while she sang one of her dirges you damn well bought it, honey - every note, lyric and follicle! From the sugary pop frivolity of 'Rehab' to the jaunty, haunting hip-hop beats of 'Back To Black'; from the searing heartache of 'I Wake Up Alone' to the clear-eyed plaintiveness of 'To Known Him is To Love Him'; all the way to the witty, jokey, grungy fun of 'Me & Mr. Jones' and 'F*ck Me Pumps' - Amy could certainly do it all. And, she did - maybe doing too much of some things in some areas of her life. This special SATURDAY SPECIAL is a generous look back at what and who she was and what she did in her short time on this planet and why she deserves a place at the top.

The City by the Bay is eagerly anticipating the triumphant return of one of the American music industry's most enduring and beloved artists. Diana Ross is set to appear Friday, September 16, 2011 at 8 PM at the Golden Gate Theatre in downtown San Francisco. This will be the recording superstar's first performance in San Francisco since 1969, when she performed with the Supremes at the Fairmont Hotel's Venetian Room.