Vuyo Sotashe News

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the leadership of Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director Diane Paulus and Executive Producer Diane Borger, will present visionary artist Daniel Alexander Jones' concert and visitation with alter-ego Jomama Jones, Black Light at A.R.T.'s club theater space OBERON September 19 through September 20, 2019.

Today Kindness release their fourth single “Raise Up” from upcoming, highly-anticipated album Something Like A War, out September 6 on Female Energy. This uptempo gospel track was recorded in New York and features backing vocals from Vuyo Sotashe, Amanda Khiri and Bryndon Cook.

City Parks Foundation's SummerStage is proud to announce the 27th Anniversary celebration of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival. In the world of modern music, few figures loom as large or cast as long a shadow as saxophonist Charlie 'Bird' Parker, celebrated as a bebop pioneer and for bringing jazz into the modern era.

Harlem based band Mwenso & The Shakes' debut album, Emergence, is out now viaRopeadope Records. The new music is receiving early critical praise—JAZZIZ calls the group, “…a unique troupe of global artists presenting music that merges entertainment and artistry” while WBGO.org furthers, “Not many bands in the orbit of jazz today can begin to approach the crowd-pleasing threshold of Mwenso & The Shakes.” ALL ARTS presented by New York Public Media adds, “The music doled out by Mwenso and The Shakes is effusive, overflowing with elements of classical jazz, blues, world music and tap. When played live, this amalgam of ideas and musical references has garnered the spiritual jazz-outfit with a reputation for energetic sets and genre-pushing inventions.” 

Harlem based band Mwenso & The Shakes' debut album, Emergence, is set for release on August 2 via Ropeadope Records. The band's new single, “No Regrets,” premieres on JAZZIZ, who calls the group, “…a unique troupe of global artists presenting music that merges entertainment and artistry.” 

Sundance Institute's 2019 Theatre Lab convenes Monday, July 8; the Institute announced this year's participating acting company and creative advisors today.

On June 20, jazz prodigy Bryan Carter is proud to present JAZZ AT PRIDE, a one-night only concert event celebrating the LGBTQIA+ Community at (le) poisson rouge. The performance will feature a compilation of world-class musicians including Michael Blume, Linda Briceño, Cat Cohen, J. Hoard, Alphonso Horne, Brandon Lee, Sherrie Maricle, Michael Mwenso, Dida Pelled, Vuyo Sotashe, Charenee Wade, and 2019 Tony Award winner for Best Performance by a Leading Actor, Santino Fontana, all backed by the 22-piece Young Swangers Orchestra.

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and Joe's Pub team up again for the Kimmel Center Theater Residency. Under the guidance of Jay Wahl, Producing Artistic Director of the Kimmel Center, Shanta Thake, Senior Director of Artistic Programs for The Public Theater, and Alex Knowlton, Director of Joe's Pub, the Theater Residency program serves as an host for artists and their collaborators to create and develop music and theater projects. The residency will be held in the Kimmel Center's SEI Innovation Studio from June 18 29 with Public Readings, FREE and open to the public, on June 28 and 29. Readings will be followed by Q&A sessions with the artists.

City Parks Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2019 season of Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage, New York City's largest free outdoor performing arts festival, bringing nearly 100 free and benefit shows to Central Park and 17 neighborhood parks throughout the five boroughs. This year's festival will showcase 200 renowned artists and rising stars from around the world to local neighborhood parks, presenting distinctly New York genres -- salsa, jazz, and hip-hop -- alongside indie, reggae, Afrobeat, soul, contemporary dance, and much more. View the official SummerStage 2019 season announce video here.

City Parks Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2019 season of Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage, New York City's largest free outdoor performing arts festival, bringing nearly 100 free and benefit shows to Central Park and 17 neighborhood parks throughout the five boroughs. This year's festival will showcase 200 renowned artists and rising stars from around the world to local neighborhood parks, presenting distinctly New York genres -- salsa, jazz, and hip-hop -- alongside indie, reggae, Afrobeat, soul, contemporary dance, and much more. View the official SummerStage 2019 season announce video here.

City Parks Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2019 season of Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage, New York City's largest free outdoor performing arts festival, bringing nearly 100 free and benefit shows to Central Park and 17 neighborhood parks throughout the five boroughs. This year's festival will showcase 200 renowned artists and rising stars from around the world to local neighborhood parks, presenting distinctly New York genres -- salsa, jazz, and hip-hop -- alongside indie, reggae, Afrobeat, soul, contemporary dance, and much more.  

Overall, this show benefits from a solid thematic foundation and compelling stories, but suffers in the area of presentation.

Today, Lincoln Center has announced the 20th season of American Songbook, celebrating the ever-expanding American musical canon from January 30 to March 4, 2019. This year's 15-concert series includes legendary songwriters, contemporary storytellers and interpreters of song, and musical projects by multitalented performers pushing the boundaries of pop, alternative, soul, folk, musical theater, jazz, and more.

The return engagement of The Public Theater production of Black Light will conclude at the Greenwich House Theater (27 Barrow Street) on Sunday, November 11, following 13 previews and 30 performances. Altogether, Black Light will have played 68 performances in New York this year, starting at Joe's Pub earlier in 2018.

Producer Diana DiMenna (The Great Comet, Three Tall Women) is proud to present the return engagement of The Public Theater production of Black Light. Performances began at the Greenwich House Theater (27 Barrow Street) on September 24 and will continue through December 31, with an opening night set for October 10.

Broadway Unlocked founder Jessica Ryan announced today that the performance lineup for the sixth annual #giveback concert slated for Sunday, May 13 at 7.30pm at WNYC's The Greene Space (44 Charlton Street) has been updated.  Along with producers Kelly Weaver and Mike Borges, Broadway Unlocked is bringing Broadway favorites together to perform and raise funds for the Crime Victims Treatment Center, a not-for-profit organization committed to helping people heal from violent crime.  The live concert is directed by Nathan Tysen (Tuck Everlasting, Amelie). 

Broadway Unlocked founder Jessica Ryan announced today that the sixth annual #giveback concert is slated for Sunday, May 13 at 7.30pm at WNYC's The Greene Space (44 Charlton Street). Doors open at 6pm. Along with producers Kelly Weaver and Mike Borges, Broadway Unlocked is bringing Broadway favorites together to perform and raise funds for the Crime Victims Treatment Center, a not-for-profit organization committed to helping people heal from violent crime. The live concert is directed by Nathan Tysen (Tuck Everlasting, Amelie).

It took this year's two time Grammy Nominee Clint Holmes about 10 seconds of music to change the mood of the Jazz at Lincoln Center audience from disappointment to excitement as he moved from being the featured guest vocalist to becoming the host of Michael Feinstein's Jazz & Popular Song series in the Appel Room.

'I have a friend - She's a liberal. I don't know if there are any liberals here...'

Beginning today, Sept. 12, The Shops at Columbus Circle, New York's premier dining and entertainment destination, in partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) launches its five-week concert series 'Sessions at the Circle.' JALC celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and invites visitors to celebrate this milestone with free performances.