Duke Ellington News

?The Kennedy Center today announced R&B singer Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds and Broadway star Leslie Odom, Jr. will replace Michael Buble as the headline talent for its upcoming Spring Gala, How Sweet It Is: A Tribute to Marvin Gaye, on Sunday, June 5, 2016 in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Due to required vocal cord surgery, Buble has withdrawn from this performance.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for June 6-12, featuring Maria Schnieder Orchestra, ShowBiz After Hours with Frank DiLella, Mari Koga Quintet, and more!

The League of Professional Theatre Women is pleased to present CARMEN DE LAVALLADE, actress, dancer, choreographer, for the next Oral History interview. She will sit down with dance journalist Deborah Jowitt to discuss her large body of work. The event will take place on Monday, June 27, 2016 at 6:00 pm in the Bruno Walter Auditorium of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts on 65th Street & Amsterdam Avenue. Admission is free, but seats will be on a first-come-first-seated basis.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was thrilled to present 'A Sophisticated Reunion' on Monday, May 23. The one-night-only event starred Terri Klausner, Valarie Pettiford and Ty Stephens, who met in Sophisticated Ladies, a Broadway musical review based on the music of Duke Ellington, which opened in March of 1981.

The Winter Park Playhouse Spotlight Cabaret Series features the immensely popular and uniquely talented Ms. Carol Stein Wednesday, June 15 and Thursday, June 16. Premiering her new solo cabaret entitled, Travels With Carol, she will take you on a musical travel adventure with, as expected, Carol at the piano and microphone!

Dance Parade New York is pleased to announce that contemporary dance choreographer Garth Fagan, KS 360 aka 'Kwikstep' street dance veteran and global DJ, and B-Girl Rokafella, pioneer female hip-hop and break dancer, are headlining as Grand Marshals at the 10th Annual Dance Parade and Festival.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its lineup for May 30-June 5, featuring: Bill Charlap Trio, An Evening with Laura Osnes, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more!

This Today, May 20, 11-piece Ethiopian funk-rock group, Debo Band, releases their sophomore album, Ere Gobez.

Debo Band raises the roof on the Ethiopian musical past, picking up where political upheaval of the 1970s and 1980s quenched the energy of one of East Africa's most prolific, vibrant scenes.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet interprets two incomparable Rock Music innovators who both transcended the limits of Rock And Roll music.

The 24th International Duke Ellington Study Group Conference will be presented by the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts (DECFA) in New York City starting tomorrow (Thursday, May 19) Duke Ellington and continuing through Sunday, May 22, 2016.

Eight plays will be presented on each day of the Spring Playwrights Festival at the studio of WOMR Radio (494 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA).

The summer sizzles at the Community College of Baltimore County. Join the fun! Take a campus tour; enroll in a summer class, send your children to Summer Learning Adventures Camp. If you are looking for entertainment, get out of the heat and into a seat for Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre's 44th season, or spend an evening with a Pulitzer Prize winner during this year's Chautauqua at CCBC Catonsville. 

Poway OnStage invites you to mark your calendar for a special evening of music, dining and celebration! Taste of Our Towne brings together local food, wine and beer, live music, dancing, silent and live auctions and much more, all under the summer night sky on the beautiful Plaza of the Poway Center for the Performing Arts!

The Western Wind vocal sextet will present Flowing Light - New American Music for Voices on Saturday, June 4 at 7:30 PM in Abigail Adams Smith Auditorium, 417 East 61st Street in Manhattan.

Following their 2011 and 2013 sold out Australian tours, the brassy, all-singing-all-dancing-all-American celebration of Swing Jazz returns to our shores on a massive coast to coast run throughout September and into October.

Corky Hale presents I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU - The Life and Lyrics of Al Dubin, which opened May 13 at the Montalban Theatre, 1615 Vine St. in Hollywood. This new musical features lyrics by Al Dubin, music mostly by Harry Warren, book by Jerry Leichtling and Arlene Sarner, and musical direction by Gerald Sternbach. The production is directed and choreographed by Kay Cole. BroadwayWorld has photos from the starry opening festivities below!

This Friday, May 20, 11-piece Ethiopian funk-rock group, Debo Band, releases their sophomore album, Ere Gobez.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its June 2016 schedule, featuring: Bill Charlap Trio, Maria Schneider Orchestra, Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Mike Stern and Bill Evans Quartet, Bucky Pizzarelli, Ravi Coltrane, ShowBiz After Hours with Frank DiLella, Birdland Big Band, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more.