Oscar Brown, Jr. News

Joanna Pickering's brand-new plays have found development success and plans for staged runs commencing in fall 2024 to 2025.

Jazz veteran Sheila Jordan, full of joy, was a joy to behold, owning the stage and the hearts of her fans in another memorable night at Birdland Theater.

Renowned vocalist and guitarist Allan Harris will release his new album, Live at Blue LLama.

Court Theatre has announced the extension of the critically acclaimed hit The Gospel at Colonus due to overwhelming demand.

Court Theatre - under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director - will present the fourth and final production of its 2022/23 season: The Gospel at Colonus. 

Harlem Stage has announced full programming for Spring 2023, continuing its Black Arts Movement: Examined series examining the 1960s/70s cultural movement led by Black artists, activists, and intellectuals.

Vocalist-composer Sarah Elizabeth Charles looks toward new beginnings on blank canvas, the latest album from her acclaimed band scope, out today via stretch music/ropeadope records.

Academy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne appeared on the “Destination Freedom Black Radio Days” podcast, in a 3-part series featuring Byrne’s immersive theatrical experience, THEATER OF THE MIND. The episode is available to listen to here!

The album features Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and the aria “Memorial de Tlatelolco” from John Adams’s El Niño – featuring London’s Philharmonia Orchestra and conductor Christian Reif. With Reif as pianist, Bullock performs “City Called Heaven” and songs by Oscar Brown, Jr., Billy Taylor, Sandy Denny, and Connie Converse.

Harlem Stage has announced highlights of its 2022-2023 season, whose centerpiece is a seven-event series devoted to deepening and unpacking understandings of the Black Arts Movement, its intersections with the larger Black Power Movement, and its historic and cultural relevance in today’s America.

Black Ensemble Theater’s is continueing the 2022 Season of Excellence: The Season of Healing and Joy with the world premiere of My Brother Langston, written and directed by Rueben D. Echoles, The production runs August 13-September 18, 2022. Get a first look at photos and video here!

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center is offering a stellar series of jazz performances with more than two dozen musicians, vocalists, and dancers appearing in West Chester this September through December, hosted by local jazz and blues artist, Sara Michaels.

The Richmond County Orchestra will be presenting TWO groups, The Dal Segno Trio and Utopia Winds, Sunday June 5th at 3pm at the Conference House, 298 Satterlee Street, Staten Island, NY 10307   in a FREE concert open to the public. Bring a lawn chair, bring a blanket, bring a friend.

The Richmond County Orchestra will be presenting TWO groups, The Dal Segno Trio and Utopia Winds, Sunday June 5th at 3pm at the Conference House, 298 Satterlee Street, Staten Island, NY 10307   in a FREE concert open to the public. Bring a lawn chair, bring a blanket, bring a friend. For information visit: https://fb.me/e/3nNLDlSyp. 

The DC Jazz Festival today announced the three bands chosen as the 2022 DCJazzPrix Finalists, all of whom will perform Saturday, September 3, 2022 during the DCJazzPrix Finals at Union Stage, part of the 18th Annual DC JazzFest. The finalists are:

Black Ensemble Theater’s Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor continues the 2022 Season of Excellence: The Season of Healing and Joy with the world premiere of Grandma’s Jukebox, written and directed by Michelle Reneé Bester. 

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, will present The Great American (and French) Songbook performed by Suzy Petri and guests as part of its month music series “The Garage.”

Chuck Cooper and Lilli Cooper are stopping by the Seth Rudetsky Concert Series this weekend! We're looking back at past performances and interviews before their show on Sunday!

Actor/Director Charles Weldon, who was Artistic Director of The Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) since 2005, died December 7 at Mt. Sinai Hospital, NYC. He was 78.

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry Presents African American Puppetry in New York City with Nehprii Amenii and Brad Brewer Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.