Charlie Parker News

August storms in to Phoenix with a blast of incredible jazz, as local and visiting artists fill the calendar at The Nash. BIRDSEED brings an all - Charlie Parker concert, the new funky band MR. PEOPLE hit the stage for First Friday, and PAPA DEFRANCESCO shows audiences where son Joey got his chops from.

Arizona Musicfest announces the lineup for its 25th Anniversary year, with superstar violinist Joshua Bell to headline the 6 week-long music event.  

TED, the nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, and PBS are thrilled to announce the first ever TED TALKS LIVE, a six?night speaker event featuring TED Talks, short films and performances at The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street) in New York's famed Theater District.

The St. James Studio is delighted to announce 16 events taking place over ten days in November as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival 2015. The St. James has been involved with the festival every year since the studio opened in October 2012, each year presenting more events than the last. Collaborating with established producers JBGB Events, Fane Management and Word Theatre, the St. James is proud to present a broad programme of lunchtime, evening and late night performances, catering for all tastes and bringing the finest artists to the St. James Studio stage.

Birdland Jazz Club's August 2015 schedule to feature Ben Allison Group, Steve Kuhn Trio, The Birdland Big Band, Ken Peplowski Quartet, Joe Lovano, Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more!

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is proud to present the fifth annual Pittsburgh JazzLive International Festival (PJLIF) this weekend, June 19 - 21, 2015.

After completing a 15th anniversary season which featured a critically heralded performance of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, David Bernard, Music Director of the award-winning Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, has announced the ensemble's 2015-16 season of concerts.  Highlights include a roster of superb soloists (pianist Jeffrey Biegel, jazz pianist  Ted Rosenthal, and cellist Inbal Segev,) insightful programs spanning music from Beethoven through Bartók, and a new concert format where the audience sits among the players of the orchestra for a performance of Beethoven's  Fifth Symphony.

Legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was “a genius who lived fast and died young, revolutionizing an art form in a few short years” (NPR). The Grammy Award-winning bebop legend is the subject of Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, the first world premiere in almost four decades for Opera Philadelphia, recognized by Opera News as “one of the leading instigators of new work in the country.” The new chamber opera was created for American tenor Lawrence Brownlee, a nominee for the 2015 International Opera Male Singer of the Year Award, by composer Daniel Schnyder, whose “thrilling classical-tinged jazz blend…constantly pushes the envelope” (Jazz Times), to a libretto by award-winning poet and playwright Bridgette Wimberly. Directed by Ron Daniels under the leadership of Music Director Corrado Rovaris, Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD premieres in Opera Philadelphia's Aurora Series for Chamber Opera, crowning the company's 40th Anniversary Season with a five-performance run in the Kimmel Center's intimate Perelman Theater (June 5–14). Tickets are available from Ticket Philadelphia at 215.893.1018 or operaphila.org.

Legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was "a genius who lived fast and died young, revolutionizing an art form in a few short years" (NPR). The Grammy Award-winning bebop legend is the subject of Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, the first world premiere in almost four decades for Opera Philadelphia, recognized by Opera News as "one of the leading instigators of new work in the country." The new chamber opera was created for American tenor Lawrence Brownlee, a nominee for the 2015 International Opera Male Singer of the Year Award, by composer Daniel Schnyder, whose "thrilling classical-tinged jazz blend…constantly pushes the envelope" (Jazz Times), to a libretto by award-winning poet and playwright Bridgette Wimberly. Directed by Ron Daniels under the leadership of Music Director Corrado Rovaris, Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD premieres in Opera Philadelphia's Aurora Series for Chamber Opera, crowning the company's 40th Anniversary Season with a five-performance run in the Kimmel Center's intimate Perelman Theater (June 5-14). Tickets are available from Ticket Philadelphia at 215.893.1018 or operaphila.org.

One of the fastest rising jazz singers in Northern California, with a tradition-rooted yet thoroughly modern style, Tiffany Austin brings a wealth of experience to her debut CD 'Nothing But Soul,' scheduled for release by her Con Alma Music label today, June 2.

 June is getting Jazzy as The Nash's calendar heats up for the summer. The jazz club brings some new groups to the venue including Rachel Eckroth performing with Holly Pyle, Sloth Moth for First Friday and the fascinating Nautabot. 

The weekend is upon us and that means that tonight is opening night for a couple of new shows (with performances continuing through the weekend) and closing performances of several others, including Newsies (at TPAC), Circle Players' The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and the farewell production of GroundWorks Theatre's Starlite Waltz. Meanwhile, John Chaffin's Cliffhanger continues at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre and Cumberland County Playhouse continues its 50th anniversary season with a whole slate of terrific shows.

Disney's Newsies will claim Nashville as their own hometown with a weeklong run at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center beginning Tuesday, Osborne and Eppler's Southern Fried Nuptials takes the stage in Woodbury, and local favorite Geoff Davin unveils his latest theatrical creation - Adamenses Huckster…and there's plenty of theater continuing this week to keep you occupied all week long!

It's the official kick-off to summer, what with the Memorial Day Weekend upon us already - seriously, where did the time go? - and while we're certain your calendar is filled with cookouts, fireworks (we don't save all the sparklers for July 4th do we?) and swimming (if it warms up enough here in frosty Tennessee, where it's in the 50s as I type). But being the theatrical fanatic that we (using either the editorial "we" or the royal "we"…just take your pick) are, we would like to humbly suggest you make your way to the theater in the next few days to get some artistic inspiration.

Bruce Lundvall, former CEO of Blue Note Records who signed artists such as Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Natalie Cole and Norah Jones, passed away today, May 19, 2015, due to complications from a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 79.

It's been a busy spring in Tennessee and as we head into summer, you can rest assured that things are only going to get busier - and more interesting. Our advice? Hydrate yourself (drink plenty of water before heading out), dress comfortably (but tasteful) and head out for a night at the theater. You'll be inspired, entertained and possibly even transported to some far-away world of wonder and imagination. 

One of the fastest rising jazz singers in Northern California, with a tradition-rooted yet thoroughly modern style, Tiffany Austin brings a wealth of experience to her debut CD 'Nothing But Soul,' scheduled for June 2 release by her Con Alma Music label.

Gotham Chamber Opera announces Edward Barnes as the company's new Executive Director, effective June 1, 2015. Mr. Barnes will succeed Gotham's previous executive director, David Bennett, who will become general director of the San Diego Opera. In addition, David Rubeo has been promoted to Associate Director.

The weekend is upon us, which means you have just a few hours to figure out a game plan so you don't miss out on all the fun that's happening all around you. We've got the goods on theatrical events this weekend, to save wear and tear on your brain, and we can offer some sound advice: Just do as we say and everything will be fine. Resistance is futile.

The Center for the Arts presents the musical Bonnie and Clyde May 15 - 31, 2015. Frank Wildhorn's electrifying story of love, adventure and the crimes that captured the attention of the country is fearless in its betrayal of the reckless young lovers.