Clint Holmes News

GEORGIA ON MY MIND: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles was welcomed by The Venetian Las Vegas with a star-studded event coinciding with the birthday of Ray Charles. The groundbreaking new show features a host of esteemed stars including Emmy award-winner Clint Holmes, 10-time GRAMMY award-winning vocal group TAKE 6, six-time GRAMMY nominee and DownBeat artist of the year Nnenna Freelon, and Stella Gospel Award and GRAMMY award-winning saxophone star Kirk Whalum. The show also features the Las Vegas Mass Choir, under the direction of James R. Smith and Edie Aikels, and features the Las Vegas All-Star Big Band, under the direction of pianist and conductor, David Loeb. Scroll down for photos from the opening!

Over the past few years, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch have been taking Cast Party, their 'extreme' open mic, all over the country. This past week, they took the Party to Las Vegas for the sixth time. The venue, once again, was the glorious Smith Center, a half-billion dollar performing arts center that has become a vital force in the Las Vegas musical and theatrical community. Scroll down for photos!

The Venetian Las Vegas will GEORGIA ON MY MIND: Celebrating The Music of Ray Charles. Starring award-winning artists Clint Holmes, TAKE 6, Nnenna Freelon, Kirk Whalum, with special guests The Las Vegas Mass Choir and Las Vegas All-Star Big Band, the show runs today, September 18 through October 29.

The Venetian Las Vegas will GEORGIA ON MY MIND: Celebrating The Music of Ray Charles. Starring award-winning artists Clint Holmes, TAKE 6, Nnenna Freelon, Kirk Whalum, with special guests The Las Vegas Mass Choir and Las Vegas All-Star Big Band, the show runs September 18 through October 29.

On Monday, August 11, Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso took to the Birdland stage for the first time. OK, not exactly. They've been hosting Cast Party in the historic music room every week for eleven years - but this was the swinging duo's first time to be booked in concert! Thanks to their faithful Cast Party following, and the fact that Jim has been booking the Broadway at Birdland concert series for a decade, the room was packed with friends, fans and fellow performers. Caruso and Stritch were joined by Steve Doyle on bass, and jazz vocalist superstar Jane Monheit made a surprise musical cameo. Scroll down for photos!

The Venetian Las Vegas and GOMM Productions, LLC have partnered to bring a special engagement - GEORGIA ON MY MIND: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles - to The Venetian Theatre this fall. This groundbreaking new show will feature a host of esteemed stars including Emmy award-winner Clint Holmes, 10-time Grammy award-winning vocal group TAKE 6, six-time Grammy nominee and DownBeat Vocalist of the Year Nnenna Freelon, and Stella Gospel Award and Grammy award-winning saxophone star Kirk Whalum. The show also introduces the Las Vegas Mass Choir, under the direction of James R. Smith and Edie Aikels, and features the Las Vegas All-Star Big Band, under the direction of pianist and conductor, David Loeb. This dynamic ensemble of all-star performers will celebrate the genius of American music, Mr. Ray Charles, through GEORGIA ON MY MIND, in the Venetian Theatre September 18 through October 29, 2014.

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts will present a star-studded evening celebrating Nevada's sesquicentennial on Monday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. as part of the year-long observance of the state's 150th anniversary. The year will culminate on Nevada Day 2014.

The 2014 Jazz at the Bowl Series begins tonight, July 9, 2014 as The Count Basie Orchestra and special guests celebrate the music of Ella Fitzgerald. The series also features, among others, Boz Scaggs, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Herbie Hancock, a Christian McBride-directed James Brown Celebration, John Legend recreating Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, Peter Frampton, Marcus Miller, and more. The season marks Herbie Hancock's fifth year as Creative Chair for Jazz.

Since I attended more than 50 shows over the past eight months (a few more than once)--the large majority of which were reviewed on these web pages—I felt I had more than enough cabaret show inventory to present my second-annual “Mid-Year Cabaret Review” citing the “20 Best Cabaret Shows and Performances” for the first half of 2014. Since the eligibility period for 2014 BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Award consideration begins with shows staged since last November (late October if it was the first of a run), I've included a few of those late 2013 shows in this group. And with the announcement of the BWW Award nominees just four months away, I've offered some projections on the Award categories for which these shows very well might receive consideration.

The 2014 Jazz at the Bowl Series begins July 9, 2014 as The Count Basie Orchestra and special guests celebrate the music of Ella Fitzgerald. The series also features, among others, Boz Scaggs, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Herbie Hancock, a Christian McBride-directed James Brown Celebration, John Legend recreating Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, Peter Frampton, Marcus Miller, and more. The season marks Herbie Hancock's fifth year as Creative Chair for Jazz.

Two estranged brothers face off in search of the truth about the troubled legacy of their shared past. Larry Moss directs the Los Angeles premiere of In A Dark Dark House by Neil LaBute, opening July 26 at the Matrix Theatre.

Check below for a list of events at The Smith Center for July and August 2014.

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts announces the highly acclaimed JAZZ ROOTS - A Larry Rosen Jazz Series to play in the Walt Disney Theater for the inaugural 2014-2015 season. The concert and educational Jazz series includes GEORGIA ON MY MIND: Celebrating Ray Charles, PINK PANTHER 50: Tribute to Henry Mancini, AN EVENING WITH CHRIS BOTTI and A NIGHT IN RIO.

World-famous duo and longtime local HIV/AIDS advocates Penn & Teller presented Golden Rainbow executives with the key to their theater as the nonprofit prepares for its 28th annual "Ribbon of Life" spectacular. The organization's largest fundraiser of the year will be held on Sunday, June 22 at The Penn & Teller Theater at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. Scroll down for a photo!

By popular demand, Sam's Town Live's signature weekly show, "Toast of the Town," is moving to Sundays at 1 p.m., starting June 1. The weekly variety show features an ever-changing lineup of popular Strip performers and is free to B Connected members.

Leslie Uggams performed 'Now I Have Everything' from the musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Symphony Space's FIDDLER AT 50 gala celebration on April 28. Watch her sing in the video below!

Clint Holmes brought his critically acclaimed show "This Thing Called Love" to Landmark On Main Street on May 10th. The show imagines the two songwriters, Cole Porter and Paul Simon, meeting at a bar and brings together such classics as Night & Day, The 59th Street Song, Have A Good Time and It's Alright with Me plus many more.

Jim Caruso's Cast Party never disappoints music lovers - especially if they are fans of the Broadway scene.

Johnny Carson knew and featured great singers, including one he called 'Super Singer' - - The multi-talented Marvelous Marilyn Maye. Ms. Maye appeared on The Tonight Show a record 76 times, more than any singer. Cabaret legend Marilyn Maye continues her latest 54 Below show, A Tribute to Johnny Carson, on May 9, 10 & 13, 2014.

Liza Minnelli gave a spontaneous performance at New York's Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle last night.