Ella Fitzgerald News

Al Hirschfeld gets a tome of his own!

Al Hirschfeld immortalized celebrities, politicians, Broadway productions, films, television shows and beyond with his iconic linear drawings for nine decades, establishing himself as one of the most important contemporary portrait artists. Over a decade since the legendary artist drew his final line drawing, he continues to inspire. This spring and summer, Hirschfeld is being celebrated with the publication of a new book and a major exhibition at the New-York Historical Society.

Metropolis and Michael Ingersoll present the electrifying musical event Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song starring jazz chanteuse Karen Marie Richardson on August 6, 2015.

'A New York Minute with Jim Caruso,' heard at 8:20 a.m. every Wednesday on 'The Morning Lounge' with Rich and Jill Switzer on Legends 100.3 FM radio and online, has been extended through April 2016.

Music Mountain, America's oldest continuing summer chamber music festival, continues its 86th season with Swingtime Big Band on Saturday, July 25th (6:30pm) playing the best music of the Swing Era! Plus pre-concert dinner at Falls Village Inn (5pm). The weekend continues on Sunday, July 26th (3pm) with the Avalon String Quartet performing Faure, Debussy, and Ravel with guest artists Jan Opalach, Bass-Baritone and Jonathan Yates, Piano and Music Mountain's new Musical Director. For the second season, Music Mountain is offering an extended summer program filled with Music Mountain debuts, first time guests, brand new series', and returning favorite bands and ensembles! Chamber, country, opera, jazz, and folk concerts are scheduled thru September 27th.

No Name producer Eric Vetter wraps up the   Uptown Cabaret Second Monday'  monthly singers showcase  at Manhattan's Indian Road Cafe on Monday, July 13 with a featured performance by vocalist / actress  Amanda Baker.  

The Kimmel Center announces four new shows added to the stellar line-up of pop and jazz performances, as part of the 2015-16 season. Tickets are now available for performances ranging from rising star jazz chanteuse Cecile McLorin Salvant performing an intimate solo jazz recital (Oct. 17), 10 time Grammy Award-winning Latin jazz duo Arturo Sandoval & Poncho Sanchez making their debut (Nov. 8), the return of international touring sensation Canadian Brass with Jeffrey Brillhart (Oct. 17), and the Philadelphia premiere of Potted Potter -- the Unauthorized Harry Experience (Oct. 20-25) performing a stage adaptation of family-friendly wizardry. 

'Unforgettable', 'Incredible', 'Sophisticated Lady'...all words that appropriately describe the 'incomparable' Natalie Cole, who appeared at the Belk Theater this past Thursday, June 25. The big band sound filled the entire room with echoes of symphonic music. Impressively dressed in a white 'princess like' formal dress, accessorized with 'bling' on her shoes, bracelets, belt and even on her microphone, Natalie opened the first part of her melodious performance with such classic jazz numbers such as 'Summertime', 'Fever', and who could forget the Ella Fitzgerald's nursery rhyme 'A Tisket, A Tasket'. She also dazzled us with timeless songs that her legendary dad, Nat King Cole popularized such as 'Route 66', 'Smile' and of course the posthumous duet with her father 'Unforgettable'. Her smooth octave voice and appreciation for different styles of music took us on a 'toe-tapping', 'finger-snapping' journey. She even surprised us with a Country tune entitled, 'Your Side of the Bed'. Her versatility extended to singing a few Latin tunes from her 'Natalie Cole En Espanol' musical compilation.

'The Gospel Tradition: In Performance at the White House' showcases an evening of celebration with President and Mrs. Obama at the White House in honor of gospel music and its profound influence on American music.

The Spire Center for Performing Arts, the entertainment mecca of Plymouth, presents The Greg Hopkins Jazz Orchestra with special guest vocalist Renese King, tonight, June 25, 8 pm, sponsored by Rockland Trust, at The Spire Center for Performing Arts, 25 ½ Court Street, Plymouth.

 Michael Ingersoll and Metropolis present the next season of Artists Lounge Live at Metropolis, featuring top Broadway and Broadway in Chicago stars in solo concerts.

Neil Tesser, a Chicago-based jazz journalist, broadcaster, author, educator, former chair of the board of trustees of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences (NARAS) and current board member of the Jazz Journalists Association, was honored with the JJA's 2015 Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Journalism Award on Tuesday, June 16 at a cocktail reception at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City. Tesser's Award topped 2015 JJA Jazz Awards for excellence in media, winners of which were announced at the party.

Michael Feinstein and the Pasadena POPS open their one of a kind, popular outdoor summer concert series with vocalists Marilyn Maye and Michael Andrew in BIG BAND SWING tonight, June 20th in a show sure to get all ages dancing in the aisles at the Los Angeles Arboretum.

The Ensemble Theatre in Houston, Texas, is offering Trav'lin - the 1930s Harlem Musical as its season finale, Artistic Director Eileen J. Morris has announced. Official opening is June 25, 2015 with performances from tonight,  June 20 through July 26. The new staging follows a sold-out run of the show at the 2010 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and a successful 2013 production at the Jubilee Theatre in Fort Worth, Texas.

Jazz sax player JEAN PHILIPPE VIDAL will make a rare Manhattan appearance with his wife, vocalist VERONIKA RODRIGUEZ at The Metropolitan Room tonight, June 20th at 7pm and Sunday June 21st at 4:00 pm.

Principal Pops Conductor Michael Feinstein and the Pasadena POPS announce their one of a kind, popular outdoor summer concert series at the Los Angeles Arboretum with five events sure to make your summer sizzle.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Grep Cooper Productions, LLC LLC have announced that Virginia Woodruff (Violet, Leap of Faith, The Color Purple, All Shook Up, Smokey Joe's Cafe), Cheryl A. Freeman (The Who's Tommy , Disney's Hercules), Tyler Hardwick , Anthony Chatmon II , Miche Braden and Darilyn Castillo have joined the cast of ACAPPELLA. Rounding out the company are Katrina R. Dideriksen, Gavyn Pickens, Emily Goglia, Rachel Gavaletz, Janelle McDermoth, Darryl Williams, Alex Koceja and Garrett Turner.

Journey with us through the illustrious history of New York's Algonquin Hotel, as told by a man who grew up there. Michael Colby's grandparents, Ben and Mary Bodne, owned the hotel from 1946 to 1987.

The standard of performances this year was as high as we have come to expect from these marvellous young artists.