Ray Charles News

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Colt Chambers, most notably known nationally as 'America's Youngest Theatre Producer,' has been confirmed to host and perform at the 2013, inaugural, IMEA Awards. The IMEA Awards will be presented on November 2, 2013 at the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, Kentucky. The IMEA Awards were designed to honor and recognize the best in independent music and community and regional theatre and are presented by the International Music and Entertainment Association, Inc., and produced by Colt D. Chambers Theatrical Enterprises.

The Pasadena Playhouse announces 'Fostering the Memories,' an open house event for the community and general public on Sunday, October 20, 2013, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The free event, hosted by Playhouse Board Member Darrell Brooke in partnership with the Friends, Alumni & Associates and the Ambassadors, invites everyone and anyone interested in learning about The Playhouse's history, its current programming, volunteer opportunities and general information. Red, White and Bluezz will be providing free food and beverages, and entertainment. Concessions to purchase will also be available.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Continuing October 5 and 11, Tony DeSare brings My Generation: The Contemporary American Songbook to 54 Below. Tony's brand new show celebrates the genius of writers who have expanded the Great American Songbook in recent times like Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Carole King and Michael MacDonald, as well as 'adopted' American songwriters like Paul McCartney, Elton John and Barry Gibb. Everyone knows the brilliance of the Great American Songbook - which has been performed for many years, and in many different ways. But that songbook has expanded beyond 1955 - and now is the time to celebrate other writers who have created iconic music in the past half century. As always - Tony will have some exciting new material of his own - and a few wonderful surprises to share with the audience.

Stornoway is set to release their second collection of tracks in 2013 in the way of a Mini-Album entitled You Don't Know Anything. The tracks on the Mini-Album aren't leftovers or B-Sides but tracks the band wanted to include on their release from earlier this year, Tales From Terra Firma but felt they deserved their own showcase. Vocalist, Brian Biggs explains:

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein have announced the upcoming lineup at the all-new Feinstein's at the Nikko for the months of October, November and December. Artists include Emmy Award winning actress Megan Mullally ('Will and Grace) and actress Stephanie Hunt ('Friday Night Lights,' 'Californication') and their band Nancy & Beth; actress, producer and singer Rita Wilson; Broadway star and recording artist Linda Eder; soul and jazz vocalist Oleta Adams; and more!

Written and performed by singer songwriter Shelley Fisher, it is a one woman musical which chronicles Ms Fisher's Hollywood odyssey that begins in the heart of the Mississippi Delta in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll, Blues and Bar-b-cue. Growing up Jewish in the deep South with a flamboyant mother who frowned on her dating the local redneck boys, The Hebrew Hillbilly begins singing as a little girl and never stops. From her early years as a blonde bombshell, through her current incarnation as The Memphis Belle of L.A., Ms Fisher has been on a show business rollercoaster that slows down just long enough for her audience to climb on board this deeply personal, yet universally appealing and hilarious ride. The production is directed by Rory Mitchell with 14 original songs written by Shelley Fisher, Kenneth Hirsch (musical director), and Harold Payne. The Hebrew Hillbilly will be shown at the Santa Monica Playhouse, (1211 4th St, Santa Monica) October 12 - November 3.

Albert Schultz, Founding Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre Company, today announced details of the sixth annual Global Cabaret Festival. From Thursday, October 24 to Sunday, October 27, the Young Centre for the Performing Arts once again becomes home to over 150 of Canada's leading performance artists staging over 15 original one-hour songbooks and cabarets.

Eric Burdon of The Animals and special uest Frankenstein 3000 will play bergenPAC on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 8pm. Tickets are $99, $69, $49, $39, and available at www.ticketmaster.com or www.bergenpac.org or the Box Office (201) 227 1030.

This week at Joe's Pub, Sept. 23-29, features ALBUM OF THE MONTH CLUB: RAY CHARLES BIRTHDAY BASH, SANDRA ST. VICTOR, GRANDMOTHERS OF INVENTION, THEO BLECKMANN: SONGS IN KEY OF D, JOSH ROUSE, REBELLUM CD RELEASE, JUSTIN VIVIAN BOND, KENYON PHILLIPS & THE LADIES IN WAITING, and STORIES I WANT TO TELL YOU IN PERSON.

In 1962, Ray Charles made history when he brought soul music and country music together in the same album: Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music. Now, more than 50 years later, just in time for the late legend's 84th birthday, Joe's Pub and the Album of the Month Club expand the palette by adding jazz, cabaret, Broadway, folk music, and bluegrass into Brother Ray's classic mix. On Today, September 23 at 9:30 pm, Joe's Pub will present the first in a ongoing series of shows celebrating great pop and jazz albums, during which classic songs will be explored and re-examined by a rotating cast of singers and musicians in styles covering jazz, pop, Broadway, cabaret, and blues.

On Sunday, November 3rd at 3:00 p.m. at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, conducted by Jeff Lindberg, will present trumpeter Jon Faddis in the Chicago premiere of the Miles Davis/Gil Evans landmark recording, Miles Ahead.

In celebration of this extraordinary legacy on the occasion of the series' 40th anniversary on PBS, a stellar roster of diverse alumni gather to share their personal stories of what Great Performances has meant to them, with reminiscences and performances by Julie Andrews, Audra McDonald, Don Henley, David Hyde Pierce, Josh Groban, Itzhak Perlman, Peter Martins, Patti Austin and Take 6, Met Opera star El?na Garan?a and Michael Buble. The evening, taped at Lincoln Center last November, will be televised on Great Performances, Friday, October 18 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

The Development Wing which has dedicated itself to nurturing new musicals via partnerships with regional, not for profit theaters will hold its exclusive, intimate one-night-only benefit concert featuring Broadway stars singing songs from several new musicals at the historic Tewksbury, New Jersey home of Cherie King, President, The Development Wing and her husband composer, lyricist and book writer, Jonathan Brielle, Artistic Director of The Development Wing and Vice Chairman, The Johnny Mercer Foundation.

Monday, September 23, marks the first in a ongoing series of shows celebrating the great pop and jazz albums, in which classic collections of songs will be explored and re-examined by a rotating cast of singers and players from a wide range of styles: jazz, pop, Broadway, cabaret, blues.

THE LEGENDS SERIES is returning to Bay Street Theatre tonight, September 20 at 8 pm. Film maker and archivist Joe Lauro will host his all new show, LEGENDS OF ROCK VOLUME 5 featuring amazing rare footage of some of the undisputed legends of American music.

The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church presents 'Faith & Culture,' a ministry to inaugurate its first major programming endeavor this fall: a music-based lecture series titled Tastemakers & Pioneers curated by Marina Harrison. Serving to introduce the community to many creative disciplines of the humanities, 'Faith & Culture' focuses on music, literature, history, film and theatre, and fine art. Several prominent individuals in the music community, considered innovators and highly-regarded experts, have committed to be a part of this season. All lectures will take place at 7pm and attendees are invited to special Meet-and-Greet Receptions with the artists afterwards.