Count Basie News

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) will be returning to Marine Park on the banks of the Navesink River at 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 1 to perform Broadway hits and rousing opera overtures during the 2nd annual Sunday in the Park... with the Symphony. This event is free and open to the public.

The Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum presents Danny Bacher and his All-Star Band in concert on Thursday, July 12, as part of the popular Summer JazzFest. The show, "Accentuate the Positive," draws on tunes from his soon-to-be-released "Still Happy" CD as well as his exciting salute to Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan and Louis Prima from his best-selling debut CD. Danny will also premiere several new arrangements including a tribute to the great Johnny Mercer. The All-Stars will feature Harry Allen on tenor sax, Charlie Caranicas on trumpet, Allen Farnham on piano, Bill Moring on bass, and Alvester Garnett on drums. The food truck picnic begins at 5:30 and the concert at 7:30.

Birdland will kick-off their exciting month of programming with Veronica Swift and the Emmet Cohen Trio, Django Reinhardt Festival Allstars, Tommy Igoe Sextet, Birdland Big Band, John Pizzarelli, Polly Gibbons, Carol Sloane, Memo Acevedo, Ronny Whyte, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more!

America's longest running summer chamber music festival, Music Mountain, continues its summer of Beethoven on Sunday, July 8 (3pm) when the Shanghai Quartet performs Beethoven Quartet Cycle Program #5. The Connecticut favorite Jive By Five kicks off the weekend playing the best of the jazz age on Saturday, July 7 (6:30pm)! Concerts are scheduled through September 23.

Birdland will kick-off their great week of programming with Ravi Coltrane, Larry Fuller, The Songs of Ken Laub, and more!

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra today announces internationally renowned conductor Xian Zhang has extended her initial four-year term as NJSO Music Director for an additional four years. The contract extension secures the acclaimed conductor's leadership of the NJSO through the 2023-24 season.

Birdland Jazz Club announces schedule for June 18-June 24:

Playwrights' Arena, Jon Lawrence Rivera, Artistic Director, the first and oldest theater dedicated to discovering, nurturing, and producing original works for the stage written exclusively by Los Angeles playwrights, is presenting the World Premiere of TAR by Tom Jacobson. It is directed by Edgar Landa and starring Noel Arthur, Adrian Gonzalez and Tim Ryan Meinelschmidt.

Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts is proud to present Grammy® winning producer, composer, keyboardist and vocalist Sergio Mendes on Sunday, July 1 at 8 p.m. and Grammy® nominated jazz pianist, vocalist and songwriter Judy Carmichael in 'Swing Time!' on Saturday, July 14 at 8 p.m. These performances are part of the Jazz Inspired series that Judy Carmichael has curated in partnership with Patchogue Theatre.

Presented by State Auto Insurance Companies, a Lincoln Theatre Walk of Fame induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, July 28, at 7pm, to memorialize the three visionaries responsible for the historic Lincoln Theatre's rescue, renovation, and 2009 reopening-Michael B. Coleman, Bill Conner, and Larry James.

This year's Wawa Welcome America festival, a weeklong July 4 celebration, will honor the 40th anniversary of The Philly POPS and its contributions to the community through its music education program and concert series honoring the military, veterans, and first responders.

BODY TRAFFIC is a well-established multi-themed contemporary dance company, made up of eight incredibly strong, amazingly agile dancers. They are known world-wide, but call Los Angeles their home. Their 3-night appearance at The Wallis Annenberg marks the conclusion of their 10th successful international tour, as well as the debut of a new work, entitled 'A Million Voices,' which is being world-premiered at their first-ever appearance at The Wallis.

Schimmel Center will present Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee Anna Deavere Smith's Obie Award-winning solo performance, Notes From the Field, for one weekend only on Friday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Today, June 2 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in preparation for a two week run at the Royal Court in London. The production is directed by Leonard Foglia and features original music composed and performed by bassist Marcus Shelby who joins Ms. Smith on stage.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra has named Jose Luis Dominguez Artistic Director of the NJSO Youth Orchestras, signing him to a two-year contract that extends through the 2020 fiscal year a relationship that began in September 2017 when Dominguez was named Interim Artistic Director of the youth orchestras. This season, he has worked closely with NJSO Youth Orchestras artistic faculty and conducted two of its four ensembles, the Academy Orchestra and Training Ensemble.

Phoenix Productions proudly presents one of Broadway's most raved-about sensations, In the Heights, sponsored by D'Agostino and Associates "The Injury Firm," from June 22nd to the 24th at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank.

Birdland will kick-off their great week of programming with Stacey Kent, Tiffany Austin Septet featuring special guest Carl Allen, Bruce Harris, and more!

To grasp the purpose of trumpeter Russell Gunn's newest creation, The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra, it's important to understand that the alchemist's recordings are cultural and historical amalgams as much as they are audacious musical experimentations rooted in jazz. His mission for the 19-piece Big Band slated to issue its debut album, “Get It How You Live” on the Ropeadope label on July 13, is to breathe new life into “traditional” jazz Big Bands by expanding its possibilities in the modern era. Adding voice to the collection produced by Gunn that incorporates all shades of jazz, R&B, pop, hip hop and funk is Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Dionne Farris.

After a highly successful run and a 2017 Broadway World nomination for Best Show, Lisa Yaeger, a 2018 Bistro Award Winner, is back with her show JERSEY GIRL for 1 night only! Monday June 18th, 7pm at Pangea Restaurant. JERSEY GIRL is a musical celebration of Lisa's home state with songs written, performed and even arranged by some of the greats who all grew up in NJ. Selections include legends from Frank Sinatra to Dionne Warwick, Bruce Springsteen to Count Basie and many more. Directed by Lina Koutrakos, Music Direction by Rick Jensen. With Matt Scharfglass on Bass and Sean Harkness on guitar. If you missed the run of Lisa's show come celebrate the legends from New Jersey at Pangea 178 2nd Ave, NY, NY. Tickets are on sale here: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3427028

Playwrights' Arena, Jon Lawrence Rivera, Artistic Director, the first and oldest theater dedicated to discovering, nurturing, and producing original works for the stage written exclusively by Los Angeles playwrights, is presenting the World Premiere of TAR by Tom Jacobson. It is directed by Edgar Landa and starring Noel Arthur, Adrian Gonzalez and Tim Ryan Meinelschmidt

For the seventh consecutive year, singers from around the world will gather online to compete in the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition (aka the 'SASSY' Awards) -- a 21st century version of the amateur night at the Apollo Theater that helped launch the career of a gifted teenager from Newark, Sarah 'Sassy' Vaughan, more than 75 years ago.