Count Basie News

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Jacques Lacombe present Beethoven's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies on a program that features the U.S. premiere of Andre Previn's Concerto for Cello and Orchestra with Daniel Muller-Schott, the cellist for whom the concerto was written. NJSO Associate Concertmaster Brennan Sweet and Principal Oboe Robert Ingliss perform Edward T. Cone's Cadenzas for Oboe and Violin as part of the New Jersey Roots Project.

The Chicago Jazz Orchestra (CJO) under the direction of Jeff Lindberg is excited and honored to have been chosen to perform at the 36th Annual Kennedy Center Honors Gala tonight, December 8, 2013 in Washington, D.C. This performance marks the 25th consecutive year that the CJO has been chosen for this singular honor.

The five-time Grammy-winning San Francisco Girls Chorus-Lisa Bielawa, Artistic Director, and Valerie Sainte-Agathe, Music Director and Principal Conductor-- will present two holiday concerts, today, December 6 and the 22nd at First Congregational Church in Berkeley and Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, respectively.

BIRDLAND RECORDS has just announced the release of 'A Swinging Birdland Christmas' CD. The CD was recorded live in winter 2012 during a performance of this annual holiday show at historic Birdland Jazz Club in Midtown Manhattan. 'A Swinging Birdland Christmas,' stars Birdland regulars Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch with special guest jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein. In the tradition of beloved seasonal specials, Blackhurst, Caruso and Stritch perform swinging arrangements by Billy Stritch of Kay Thompson's classics 'It's The Holiday Season,' 'Sleigh Ride,' and 'I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm,' among other favorites. The record also features Billy Stritch on piano, John Hart on guitar, Paul Gill on bass, Carmen Intorre on drums. The album is executive produced by Birdland's Gianni Valenti.

Stoneham Theatre is "jazzing up" January with three concerts: The Jay Geils Jazz & Blues Revue, Florence LaRue & the 5th Dimension, and Loretta LaRoche's new show, Life Is Not A Stress Rehearsal. This exciting line-up has something for everyone and gives audiences a chance to experience well-known acts up-close and personal in Stoneham Theatre's intimate, theatrical setting.

Legendary drummer and NEA Jazz Master Foreststorn 'Chico' Hamilton died on Monday, November 25, 2013, in New York City at the age of 92.

Ella Fitzgerald's vocal style was as incredible and diverse as the material that she sang. She started out a swing singer, moved to bebop, sang perfect scat, was an extraordinary jazz vocalist and had no fear of modern material as the 60s and 70s came along

When the legendary performer Lena Horne told Maurice Hines to 'Love them [the audience], make it real' you can tell he took that advice to heart when conceiving Tappin' Thru Life currently playing at Arena Stage. For Tappin' Thru Life seems determined not only to love the audience, but to entertain them, and it succeeds at doing just that! While Tappin' Thru Life does have some flaws, it's hard to find anyone who isn't won over by Hines showmanship, humor, timing and above all else, talent.

Jack Jones celebrates his fiftieth anniversary in show business in a special one night only concert at The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert tonight, November 23, at 8 p.m.

As New York City bandleader George Gee says, “Swing Makes You Happy” and that's the title of the George Gee Swing Orchestra's Kickstarter campaign to fund a double CD of new music. The campaign runs through December 12th on Kickstarter.com. When their goal is reached the recording process begins in New York and continues until the final CD is ready in May of 2014. Says Gee “The GGSO is making this CD to honor the swingin' BIG BAND sound and its creators, as well as give voice to modern, yet eminently danceable compositions featuring the arrangements and original writing by the band's highly-regarded Music Director and Trombonist David Gibson.” The band aims to record their new music and continue the tradition of swingin' big bands.

Bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs and piano rock icon Bruce Hornsby form an undeniable duo as they draw from the deep roots of mountain music to rework Hornsby originals as bluegrass songs as well as perform traditional favorites at Mayo Performing Arts Center tonight, November 21, 2013 at 8 pm.

An oral history of Chicago's African American theatre and dance communities in the last 40 years is only the third book to explore the long history of Chicago's dynamic theatre scene and the first to focus exclusively on black theatre artists.

More than 50 years after it premiered on the ABC network, the variety shows Here's Edie and The Edie Adams Show (www.edieadams.com) are set for release on DVD and digital formats.

The Chicago Jazz Orchestra (CJO) under the direction of Jeff Lindberg is excited and honored to have been chosen to perform at the 36th Annual Kennedy Center Honors Gala on December 8, 2013 in Washington, D.C. This performance marks the 25th consecutive year that the CJO has been chosen for this singular honor.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced their zesty line-up of impressive talent for the month of December 2013. Featuring: Michael Feinstein, Stacey Kent, Jazz Stories with Eddie Gomez, Kenny Barron, Al Foster, Wallace Roney, Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Cabaret, Cheyenne Jackson, Donna McKechnie, Frank Wildhorn & Friends with Jeremy Jordan, Laura Osnes, Jane Monheit and more, A Swinging Birdland Christmas, Native Soul, Victoria Shaw, Natalie Toro, Shoshana Bush, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more!

Yoshi's San Francisco announces updated calendar for club and restaurant through December 15, plus new shows through February 2014.

Community Folk Art Center will be hosting a concert featuring dynamic rhythm and blues ensemble Lemon Elefant on November 21st at 7pm. The concert will be held as part of our highly anticipated music series, A Journey through Music of the African Diaspora (JMAD).