Billy Strayhorn News

The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus is pleased to announce a diverse array of holiday-themed programming & family-friendly events, including: returning favorites from the Kimmel Center's esteemed Resident Companies like The Philadelphia Orchestra, Pennsylvania Ballet, and The Philly POPS; FREE Gospel events; and opportunity for community outreach & city-wide celebrations like the FREE 15th annual New Year's Day celebration. This year, the Kimmel Center partners with Urban Affairs Coalition for 'Warmth for the Holidays 2019' donation drive, collecting new hats, scarves, mittens and gloves for children and adults. This collection supports Grand Central and Center For H.O.P.E.

THE NEW YORKER NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG presents a new show that sheds light on Harlem's gay underground: Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do: Songs from Gay Harlem

Just in time for the holidays, The Joyce Theater Foundation (Linda Shelton, Executive Director) welcomes the return of the always-thrilling Dorrance Dance for three weeks of merriment and cheer. With a festive world premiere capping off each evening of three mixed-bill programs, Michelle Dorrance and her collaborators will play The Joyce Theater from December 17-January 5. Tickets, ranging in price from $10-$105, can be purchased at www.Joyce.org, or by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at West 19th Street. For more information, please visit www.Joyce.org.

Midtown Direct and Triple Birch Media present an exclusive preview reading of NOVEL: An Audio Drama Series, created by Aimee Parrott and William Bienes.

This December, Chicago Philharmonic and the Marcus Roberts Trio turn up the heat at Harris Theater with a hot take on George Gershwin's Concerto in F. The Marcus Roberts jazz trio (Marcus Roberts, piano; Jason Marsalis, drums; Rodney Jordan, bass) is renowned for its new approach to jazz performance with each of the talented musicians contributing equally to the trio's musical texture, form, and direction.

Bringing her Grammy-nominated Jolene back to Birdland Nicole Zuraitis sets the standard for Blues. Along with Inbar Paz, Dan Pugach, and Dave Stryker, she turns the melancholic into something hypnotic with classics like 'Ode to Billy Joe' and 'Reverie' while bringing life to her own original songs.

Regular folks use business cards, websites, and advertisements to let you know about their services and products. Cabaret artists have by far the most effective and entertaining way of telling you who they are. An autobiographical musical show!

Classical music, jazz, and dance combine when the Music Institute of Chicago collaborates with Dance Chicago to present a family concert, a?oeDuke It Out Nutcracker,a?? Saturday, December 7 at 2 p.m. at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston.

 The Duke Ellington Center Big Band, conducted by multi-Grammy nominated Bobby Sanabria, will perform CrackerJazz, the third of a monthly performance series honoring jazz icon Duke Ellington on Sunday, November 3 at Birdland Jazz Club, 315 West 44th Street, NYC. Doors open at 4:30pm; performance at 5:30pm.

Listening to Sylvia Brooks' album The Arrangement is a thrilling experience. Attending her live performance onstage is even more so. On Saturday October 26, Brooks brought her fascinating jazz/pop/Latin sounds to Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's for a sold out concert. What a pleasure to see this lovely woman dressed to the nines in an evening dress rarely worn by performers in today's circle and singing passionately with a 7 piece orchestra. Brooks poured her heart out and really had a grand time...meaning her enjoyment reached over the footlights and pulled her audience in, held on to them and never let go for 90 minutes. That in my book is a truly great performer, who leaves you begging for more.

Fiery Balkan brass, irresistible beats, Roma accordion wizardry and great jazz chops make Slavic Soul Party! America's No. 1 brass band for Balkan-soul-gypsy-funk. This dynamic nine-piece brass/percussion ensemble is recognized for virtuosity blended with spontaneous fun. At the Lakewood Cultural Center performance on Nov. 22, Slavic Soul Party! reimagines Duke Ellington's iconic a?oeFar East Suitea?? by combining Eastern European brass with the uniquely American sound of jazz in what TimeOut NY calls a?oea pretty heavenly match.a??

The School at Jacob's Pillow, a world-renowned center for artistic growth and excellence, announces 2020 professional advancement programs in Contemporary Ballet, Street & Club Dances, Contemporary, and Musical Theatre Dance; and professional development programs in Choreography and Dance Photography. Situated in the heart of Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the longest-running dance festival in the United States, The School has been instrumental in furthering the careers of dance artists for over 80 years and offers innovative programs each year with its roster of renowned and sought-after choreographers and dance leaders who serve as faculty. Dancers selected to attend The School at Jacob's Pillow join one of the most influential international dance networks in the field. 

The Duke Ellington Center Big Band, conducted by multi-Grammy nominated Bobby Sanabria, will perform CrackerJazz, the third of a monthly performance series honoring jazz icon Duke Ellington on Sunday, November 3 at Birdland Jazz Club, 315 West 44th Street, NYC. Doors open at 4:30pm; performance at 5:30pm.

The Duke Ellington Center Big Band, conducted by multi-Grammy nominated Bobby Sanabria, will perform CrackerJazz, the third of a monthly performance series honoring jazz icon Duke Ellington on Sunday, November 3 at Birdland Jazz Club, 315 West 44th Street, NYC. Doors open at 4:30pm; performance at 5:30pm.

On Friday, November 1, the venue will welcome the star for an intimate and elegant evening spotlighting Christian's vivid theatrical life in London and New York. His autobiographical performance features songs by Noel Coward, Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim, Paul McCartney, Sting, Annie Lennox, and Al Green. These are interwoven with personal and surprising anecdotes and stories that illuminate the musical material. Christian was a star dancer with The Joffrey Ballet in New York in the 60s and 70s. He has choreographed and designed costumes for ballet companies across the US and Europe, as well as designing stage wardrobe for Ann Reinking and Tina Turner.

Jacob's Pillow announces this season's artist residencies offered at the Pillow Lab, its year-round incubator of new work. The annual season of customizable residencies supports U.S.-based and international dance artists during crucial development, research, and technical stages of choreography-driven projects. The 2019-2020 recipients include Kyle Abraham, Aszure Barton, Brian Brooks, Milka Djordjevich, Alice Gosti, Kinetic Light, Stephanie McKee-Anderson, Aakash Odedra, RUBBERBAND, Didy Veldman, and Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre. 

The Chamber Music Society of Detroit is presenting the Harlem Quartet in two diverse concert programs ranging from classical to contemporary, Latino and jazz.  On Friday, October 11 at 8:00 PM, the quartet performs music of African-American composers at Schaver Music Recital Hall, located at 480 W. Hancock in Detroit, on the campus of Wayne State University.  Then on Saturday, October 12 at 8:00 PM, 14-time Grammy Award winning clarinetist and composer Paquito D'Rivera joins the quartet at Seligman Performing Arts Center, located at 22305 W. 13 Mile Road in Beverly Hills.

The Philly POPS announced today the annual schedule for The Philly POPS Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia, under the direction of Artistic Director for Jazz, Terell Stafford. The season will feature the beloved holiday performance of The Harlem Nutcracker with legendary guest artists Jeff Hamilton and Randy Brecker, and another performance in the spring, which will feature internationally recognized GRAMMY Award-winning vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant.

Black Theatre Troupe opens its 2019-20 season with Sheldon Epps' Broadway blockbuster, BLUES IN THE NIGHT. Tracing the American musical art form of the blues, BLUES IN THE NIGHT features 26 blockbuster songs including Duke Ellington's I'm Just a Lucky So-And-So, Jimmy Davis' Lover Man, Bessie Smith's Reckless Blues and Baby Doll,Billy Strayhorn's Lush Life and Blues in the Night by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer.

Birdland will kick-off their great week of programming with the following acts: