Terence Blanchard News

Christian McBride, Artistic Director of the Newport Jazz Festival presented by Natixis Investment Managers, today announced the Second Wave of artists. With more than half of these groups making their NJF debut as headliners, the 2019 festival takes place August 2-4 at Fort Adams State Park and the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino.

Simply stated, Zakir Hussain is one of the greatest musicians of our time. A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order, his consistently brilliant and exciting performances have led to historic collaborations with Shakti, which he founded with John McLaughlin and L. Shankar; Planet Drum with Mickey Hart; Sangam with Charles Lloyd and Eric Harland, and recordings and performances with artists as diverse as George Harrison, Yo-Yo Ma, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Mark Morris and Pharoah Sanders.

The renowned New Orleans Jazz Orchestra reflects on the wide-ranging influence of the Big Easy's own Allen Toussaint, the legendary composer, singer, pianist, and producer, with the March 29 digital release of "Songs: The Music of Allen Toussaint" on Storyville Records (physical release is set for April 19). The album features six songs by Toussaint and one associated with him, as well as two original tribute pieces. It also marks the NOJO leadership debut of drummerartistic director Adonis Rose, who assumed the mantle in 2016 to navigate the 18-piece orchestra out of the troubled waters surrounding its now-departed founder.

The Alexander & Buono Foundation is presenting the Twelfth Annual ABC Gala Monday evening, April 1, 2019, at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall (154 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019). The Gala cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m., followed by the concert at 7 p.m. and the dinner at 9 p.m.

Michigan Opera Theatre (MOT) announced today details of its 2019-20 season. The opera series features beloved classics "Don Giovanni" and "Pagliacci;" works long-absent from the MOT repertoire, "Sweeney Todd" and "Gianni Schicchi," and the highly-anticipated company premiere of "Champion," a contemporary American opera. The dance series features the return of American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlem, as well as the Detroit Opera House premiere of French contemporary ballet company Malandain Ballet Biarritz. An Oct. 12 gala concert, featuring acclaimed American Tenor Michael Fabiano and principal dancers from American Ballet Theatre, will serve to launch the season.

Powerful pianists, singing storytellers, swinging big bands, a beat scientist and some of the baddest ensembles on the jazz scene make up the First Wave of artists announced today for the 65th edition of the Newport Jazz Festival presented by Natixis Investment Managers. Curated by Artistic Director Christian McBride, the Festival takes place August 2-4 at Fort Adams State Park and the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino.

Caf Nordo is proud to present its first ever solo adaptation, Jitterbug Perfume at Caf Nordo's Culinarium in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square. The show runs from March 14 - May 12, 2019. Set during New Orleans' Mardi Gras, Jitterbug Perfume titillates the senses as it immerses you in the experience of living each day to its fullest; great food, passionate love, great sex, and passionate living.

Music's Biggest Night - the GRAMMYs - is here! Live from STAPLES Center, and hosted by Alicia Keys, the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. 

A Little Love, the striking debut album from vocalist extraordinaire Quiana Lynell, will be released by Concord Jazz on April 5th, 2019.

Champion is based on a true story, focusing on the life of welterweight prizefighting champion Emile Griffith, a respected and famous boxer whose life rapidly changed after accidentally killing his opponent, Benny Paret, in the ring. Griffith was also bisexual in a time when it was socially unacceptable and was known for having said: “I kill a man and most people understand and forgive me. However, I love a man, and to so many people this is an unforgivable sin.”

Sundance Institute will convene dozens of offscreen events, including inclusive and intersectional conversations on the next wave of storytelling, radical data transparency, the future of democracy at its intersection with the arts, behind-the-scenes panels on the art of filmmaking and musical performances that range from intimate to raucous at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival taking place in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Sundance, Utah, January 24 through February 3, 2019.

BMI® (Broadcast Music, Inc.®) unveils additional lineup for its programming at this year's Sundance Film Festival featuring the 21st edition of the Composer and Director Roundtable “Music & Film: The Creative Process,” on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019 at theKimball Arts Center, followed by the 17th annual BMI Snowball on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019 at The Shop.

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is pleased to announce programming for the 2019 Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family SOLUNA International Music & Arts Festival. Opening on April 4 and running through April 28, 2019, the festival will take place at venues in the Dallas Arts District and throughout the city. Tickets for SOLUNA events go on sale on January 18, 2019, at mydso.com/soluna.

BAFTA has announced the nominations for the EE British Academy Film Awards in 2019.

BMI® (Broadcast Music, Inc.®) is proud to announce it's programming at this year's Sundance Film Festival featuring the 21st edition of the Composer and Director Roundtable “Music & Film: The Creative Process,” on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019 at the Kimball Arts Center, followed by the 17th annual BMI Snowball on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019 at The Shop. Both the Composer and Director Roundtable and Snowball showcase exemplify BMI's focus on nurturing and sustaining relationships with emerging and established artist. 

80 years ago on January 6, 1939, a German immigrant and passionate Jazz fan named Alfred Lion produced his first recording session in New York City with two Boogie Woogie pianists, founding what would become the most-respected and longest-running Jazz label in the world. Blue Note Records has gone on to represent The Finest In Jazz, tracing the entire history of the music from Hot Jazz, Boogie Woogie, and Swing, through Bebop, Hard Bop, Post-Bop, Soul Jazz, Avant-Garde, and Fusion, and-after being relaunched by Bruce Lundvall in 1984-has remained the leading label dedicated to documenting today's vibrant and creatively thriving Jazz scene under the leadership of current President Don Was, who took the helm in 2012.

DOC LA - Los Angeles Documentary Film Festival, presented by the Parajanov-Vartanov Institute, opened this week submissions for its 2019 edition. After five successful editions, the film festival, which rapidly has positioned itself as one of the most coveted by documentary filmmakers in the USA and abroad, has launched its call for entries.

Park City Institute opens its 21st season on the Main Stage at the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Center, with GRAMMY Award-nominated female A Cappella vocal ensemble, Sweet Honey in the Rock.

Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) are pleased to announce that The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a new grant of $550,000 to renew funding for Opera Fusion: New Works and support two new initiatives to promote diverse voices in the arts.

Irish Arts Center (IAC), the multidisciplinary center dedicated to bringing people of all backgrounds together through the excellence and dynamism of Irish arts and culture, this year creates a thrilling intersection of musical traditions from Ireland and the Gulf of Mexico for its annual Winter Solstice Celebration (December 14 at Symphony Space). The beloved holiday gathering is hosted by NEA award winner and "one of the most important Irish musicians to emerge from the folk revival of the 1970s" (Time Out) Mick Moloney (banjo, mandolin, vocals) and acclaimed fiddler Athena Tergis.