Elvis Costello News

Honoring the work and legacy of one of the great jazz composers and collaborators, the Music Institute of Chicago presents a Billy Strayhorn Festival October 26-28. The festival, presented in partnership with Billy Strayhorn Songs Inc., a family corporation of the Strayhorn heirs, includes two star-studded concerts featuring trumpet great Terell Stafford and a screening of the award-winning film Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life followed by a panel discussion. The festival takes place at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston.

Bay Street Theatre announced three HarborFest Weekend events taking place Sept. 14 and 15. Plans include the screening of the classic Clark Gable film IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT on Friday, Sept. 14 at 8 pm; $5 at the door. A free community event takes place in the afternoon with a screening of the documentary film JOYOUS GARDE, about John Steinbeck's time in Sag Harbor, on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 12 pm - 4 pm. Then later that evening at 8 pm, see Nancy Atlas live in concert. Tickets are $15 per person available at the door.

The producers of FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL, the stage adaptation of the 1983 smash hit movie that defined a generation, have just announced that the production will arrive on Broadway in August 2013 with a theater, dates and casting to be announced.

As we come to the end of August and make our way on into September (is this weekend REALLY Labor Day Weekend … already?!), I trust you are planning to take in one or more of the wonderful productions playing at some of the many theatre and live performance establishments that make their home and ply their artistic trade here on the California Central Coast! And speaking of WONDERFUL …

The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York's premiere French cultural center, opens the 2012 Crossing the Line festival with three unique concerts by Grammy Award-winning guitarist and composer Bill Frisell. In a career spanning more than 35 years and more than 250 recordings-including over 40 albums of his own-the guitarist, composer and bandleader has established himself as a visionary presence in American music.

The only show with producers and cast members who have real ties to the real Rat Pack, 'Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show" has entertained millions of people worldwide. The most successful show of its kind, with over 70 performance dates across the country last year while maintaining its home base in Las Vegas, the talented ensemble (in association with Orin Wolf/OBB NYC - Off Broadway Booking) kicks off its 2012-13 U.S. Theatre Season and Casino tour at the Spirit Lake Casino in Spirit Lake, N.D. on August 31, 2012.

Some of the biggest names on Broadway have graced the Joe's Pub stage. The tradition continues this month and into the fall when some of Broadway's finest vocalists and performers, including Sasha Allen and Ute Lemper, head downtown from the Great White Way to dazzle at Joe's.

As we move toward the latter portion of August and the end of summer (sigh ... some schools are already back at it!), I hope you are making plans to attend a few of the wonderful shows currently (or soon to be) running at any of the numerous live performance and theatre venues so readily found here on the Central Coast of California!

Palladia, Viacom Media Networks' high-definition music channel, is adding two highly-acclaimed series to its regular line-up. The legendary BBC series 'Later... with Jools Holland' premieres on Palladia on Thursday, September 6 at 10pm ET/PT and born-on-the-internet hit 'Live From Daryl's House' immediately follows, premiering at 11pm ET/PT.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the new performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54thStreet, will present Victor Garber, Natalie Joy Johnson and more.

Landmark on Main Street has announced its 2012-13 season. Tickets and information at the box office phone516-767-6444 or www.landmarkonmainstreet.org.

Join singer-songwriter Rachael Sage at Lot 10 in Ithaca, NY, tonight, July 29th at 10pm on her CD release tour for her new album HAUNTED BY YOU. Sage will be joined by her band The Sequins including Quinn on drums (Tracy Chapman) and Ward Williams on cello (Brandi Carlile).

Join singer-songwriter Rachael Sage at Lot 10 in Ithaca, NY, on Sunday, July 29th at 10pm on her CD release tour for her new album HAUNTED BY YOU. Sage will be joined by her band The Sequins including Quinn on drums (Tracy Chapman) and Ward Williams on cello (Brandi Carlile).

On Sunday July 29th, for the first time in NYC, Lincoln Center Out of Doors will present a day long, multifaceted festival of Irish culture. "Our Land" will celebrate the artistic, literary and musical heritage of Ireland, the mark it made on America and the continuing cross-cultural ties that bind the two countries.

Nigel Redden, Director of Lincoln Center Festival, announced the Festival's line-up, which runs from tonight, July 5 through August 5, 2012. Theater offerings include Mikhail Baryshnikov in Dmitry Krymov's staging of a new play, In Paris, as well as Sydney Theatre Company's acclaimed production of Uncle Vanya directed by Tamas Ascher and adapted by Andrew Upton. The stellar cast includes John Bell, Cate Blanchett, Hayley McElhinney, Richard Roxburgh, and Hugo Weaving.

To celebrate the release of her eighteenth album, Another Country, out now on eOne Music, genre-defying vocalist Cassandra Wilson will take part in this summer's Blue Note Jazz Festival. She will perform two shows nightly on June 28, 29, 30 and with two new July 1 shows at The Blue Note.

To celebrate the release of her eighteenth album Another Country, out on eOne Music June 25, vocalist Cassandra Wilson will take part in this summer's Blue Note Jazz Festival. She will perform two shows nightly on June 28, 29 and 30 at The Blue Note.

To celebrate the release of her eighteenth album, Another Country, out now on eOne Music, genre-defying vocalist Cassandra Wilson will take part in this summer's Blue Note Jazz Festival. She will perform two shows nightly on June 28, 29, 30 and with two new July 1 shows at The Blue Note.

Tift Merritt's highly anticipated Yep Roc Records label debut Traveling Alone is due October 2. The album was recorded in Brooklyn with Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket, Spoon) and features a guest appearance by Andrew Bird as well as performances by Marc Ribot, Rob Burger (Lucinda Williams, Iron & Wine, Rufus Wainwright), John Convertino (Calexico), Eric Heywood (The Jayhawks, Son Volt, Alejandro Escovedo) and Merritt's longtime collaborator Jay Brown.

Feinstein's at Loews Regency will continue its Spring 2012 season with the return engagement of pop music legend Peter Asher and his multimedia show "A Musical Memoir of the 60s and Beyond" from tonight, June 19 through June 23. When the program made its New York debut at Feinstein's last year, it played to packed houses and critical acclaim. The two-time Grammy Award winner for "Producer of the Year" first rose to international acclaim through the global smash 'World Without Love' as one half of the British Invasion duo Peter & Gordon, Peter moved effortlessly to Music Executive with The Beatles' Apple Records, then famously to producer and manager, handling the careers of James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt and a host of others. Among his more recent projects is the upcoming Dreamworks movie Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. In addition to producing the soundtrack, he performs the film's only original song "Love Always Comes As A Surprise," co-written with Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, which he will also perform at Feinstein's.