Apollo Theater, Harlem Stage and Jazzmobile
Announce Schedule Updates for
HARLEM JAZZ SHRINES FESTIVAL
May 9-15, 2011
7 Days · 35 Events · 8 Venues
The prestige of the past. The pulse of the present.
All Events are $10 or Free!
MONDAY, MAY 9—SATURDAY, MAY 14, 10 A.M.-6 P.M.
ENVISIONING JAZZ
Photographs by Kwame Brathwaite, curated by Erica Agyeman
Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts
Free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.
The rich history and diverse expressions of jazz can be attributed to a dedication to musical innovation and improvisation. Kwame Brathwaite, a photographer with over 50 years of photojournalistic experience in Harlem, captures some of the pivotal moments of innovation and improvisation in jazz history. This special exhibition is on view in the lobby of the Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts. Artwork on display is for sale by the artist.
MONDAY, MAY 9, 9 P.M.
MONKS AT MINTON'S
Minton's Playhouse
$10 Tickets at Door; Cash Bar
Descendant of jazz royalty, T.S. Monk re-creates a classic cutting contest and long-into-the-night jam session with an all-star house band.
TUESDAY, MAY 10, 7 P.M.
BLAZING TONGUES: THE SINGERS & WRITERS OF LENOX LOUNGE
Queen Esther, vocals; Farrah Griffin, words
Lenox Lounge
No cover charge. Two drink minimum
The music of Billie Holiday and writings of Zora Neale Hurston.
TUESDAY, MAY 10, 8:30, 10 & 11:30 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ
Akiko Tsuruga Trio
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Akiko Tsuruga is a jazz composer, Hammond B-3 organist and pianist from Osaka, Japan. She made the “Rising Star Organist" ranking in the Downbeat top ten for young talent in 2010.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 7 P.M.
BATTLE OF THE BIG BANDS & SWING DANCE COMPETITION
featuring the George Gee Big Band and the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra
with special guest artists
The Alhambra Ballroom
$10 Tickets; Cash Bar & Food Available
Two of the biggest, “baddest" bands around duel for bragging rights in this classic battle. Swing dance enthusiasts from throughout New York City hit the dance floor to show off their moves egged on by the crowd's cheers. Best dancers walk away with a cash prize. (Register in advance at jazzmobile.org)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 7 P.M.
Blazing Tongues: The Singers & Writers of Lenox Lounge
Marcelle Davies-Lashley, vocals; Carl Hancock Rux, words
Lenox Lounge
No cover charge. Two drink minimum
The music of Dinah Washington and writings of James Baldwin.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 7:30 P.M.
AMATEUR NIGHT AT THE APOLLO
Apollo Theater
$19, $25, $29 Tickets
The Apollo Amateur Night debuted in 1934 and launched the careers of jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and is still today the world's quintessential talent competition. Who will be the next Apollo legend? Who will win the $10,000 grand prize? At Amateur Night, you tell the performers to be good or be gone!
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 8:30, 10 & 11:30 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Jerry Weldon Trio
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Jerry Weldon, a tenor saxophonist and veteran of the New York Jazz scene, is known as a thoughtful soloist whose subtle swing has plenty of fiber.
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 7 P.M.
INSPIRED INNOVATION: STANLEY CROUCH
Minton's Playhouse
$10 Tickets at Door; Cash Bar; Seating at 6 p.m.
An intimate dinner and straight ahead conversation with celebrated cultural critic and journalist Stanley Crouch: unfiltered and on point.
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 8:30, 10 & 11:30 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Derrick James Trio
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Derrick James's sound is a powerful melding of classic acoustics, rogue gypsy street music, and clever, catchy lyrics.
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 9 P.M.
INSPIRED INNOVATION: JONATHAN BATISTE QUINTET with Joe Saylor, drums; Phil Keune, bass; Eddie Barbash, alto sax; Chris “The Monster" Kapich, bass clarinet; Matt “Silky Soul," tenor sax Minton's Playhouse
$10 Tickets st Door; Cash Bar
This young pianist, composer and bandleader delivers a set of standards from Armstrong to Ellington to Monk, plus startlingly original riffs on his own Louisiana roots.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 8 P.M.
WYCLIFFE GORDON'S JAZZ à LA CARTE featuring Wycliffe Gordon, music director, with Carla Cook and Nikki Yanofsky, vocals; Savion Glover, tap; Grace Kelly, sax; Corey Wilcox, trombone; Temple University Big Band, Robbie Todd, MC
Apollo Theater
$10 Tickets
In the 1930's Frank Schiffman and Leo Brecher opened the Apollo with “Jazz à la Carte," a variety show featuring Ralph Cooper, Benny Carter Big Band and “16 Gorgeous Hot Steppers." Now, this classic Apollo entertainment makes a comeback under the guiding genius of composer, performer, arranger extraordinaire, Wycliffe Gordon. A medley of music by Benny Carter, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway opens the show, followed by a hit parade of top contemporary talent. Ken Roberson provides the evening's show-stopping choreography.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 9 P.M.
FATS WALLER DANCE PARTY: SMALL'S PARADISE TRIBUTE featuring Jason Moran, piano & Meshell Ndegeocello, vocals/bass, with Mark Kelley, bass; Marvin Sewell, guitar; Charles Haynes, drums; Lisa Harris, vocals; Leron Thomas, trumpet; Corey King, trombone
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
$10 Tickets
With its first-class musical acts, elaborate floorshows, dancing waiters and famously integrated audience, Small's personified the excitement of Harlem nightlife during the “Roaring Twenties." It was a magnet for top talent and Fats Waller, stride master and composer of countless standards, was a star among stars. MacArthur Genius Award-winner Jason Moran and multiple Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello and, along with a full band and DJ, re-imagine Waller's historic style and swing tunes in a 14-karate tribute that mixes music, social dancing, and a Small's-inspired sense of “only-in-Harlem."
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 9 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Seleno Clarke/Harlem Groove Band with David Lee Jones, alto sax; Roger Coles, drums; Gerald Brazel, trumpet; Joe Friedman, guitar
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Seleno Clarke, a fixture in Harlem clubs for 30 years, hammers the Hammond with sweet swelling sounds and arrangements that elicit passionate solos from all hands.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 10 P.M.
GERI ALLEN “JAMS" WITH TIMELINE
Featuring Geri Allen, piano
with Kenny Davis, bass; Kassa Overall, drums; Maurice Chestnut, tap; and special guests Don Byron, clarinet; Jaimeo Brown, drums; JD Allen, sax; Chris Sholar, guitar
Apollo Music Café
$10 Tickets; Cash Bar opens at 9 p.m.
The Harlem jazz scene of the 40s and 50s was notorious for its after-hours “jam sessions," fertile improvisational proving grounds for established soloists and new talent. American post bop, jazz pianist and producer Geri Allen takes the “jam" to new ground with her band and special guests Don Byron and Jaimeo Brown Transcendence.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 10 P.M.
REVIVE DA LIVE: LATE NIGHT AT MINTON'S
Minton's Playhouse
$10 Tickets; Cash Bar
Saxophonist Greg Osby, a shining beacon among the current generation of jazz musicians handpicks the houseband for an invigorating night of non-stop music that conjures up the spirit of the jazz tradition that forged the Minton's legacy.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 11 P.M.
FATS WALLER DANCE PARTY: SMALL'S PARADISE TRIBUTE featuring Jason Moran, piano & Meshell Ndegeocello, vocals/bass
with Mark Kelley, bass; Marvin Sewell, guitar; Charles Haynes, drums; Lisa Harris, vocals; Leron Thomas, trumpet; Corey King, trombone
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
$10 Tickets
With its first-class musical acts, elaborate floorshows, dancing waiters and famously integrated audience, Small's personified the excitement of Harlem nightlife during the “Roaring Twenties." It was a magnet for top talent and Fats Waller, stride master and composer of countless standards, was a star among stars. MacArthur Genius Award-winner Jason Moran and multiple Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello and, along with a full band and DJ, re-imagine Waller's historic style and swing tunes in a 14-karate tribute that mixes music, social dancing, and a Small's-inspired sense of “only-in-Harlem."
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 11 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Seleno Clarke/Harlem Groove Band with David Lee Jones, alto sax; Roger Coles, drums; Gerald Brazel, trumpet; Joe Friedman, guitar
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Seleno Clarke, a fixture in Harlem clubs for 30 years, hammers the Hammond with sweet swelling sounds and arrangements that elicit passionate solos from all hands.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1 P.M.
VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF JAZZ
Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts
Free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.
Since its inception, jazz music has inspired artists to represent the arrangements of its rhythms and nuances of its tone through photography, painting, collage, and other media. Join curator, scholar, and author Professor Robert O'Meally, photographer Kwame Brathwaite, and curator Erica Agyeman for a brief discussion addressing the visual representations of jazz.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2 P.M.
JAZZ AND THE SPIRIT: THE ARTS OF HARLEM IN THE AMERICAN RELIGIOUS IMAGINATION
Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts
Free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.
From the Spirituals, through Blues and Jazz and right on up to Hip Hop, religion has occupied a place of privilege in black musical repertoires. At the same time, Harlem-that premier staging ground of African-American cultural expression-has in many ways figured pre-eminently as a sacred place and space in American history. Wedding these themes together, Professor Marcellus Blount, composer, pianist, arranger Courtney Bryan, Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III and historian Josef Sorett explore the spiritual dimensions of Harlem's aesthetic legacies and contemporary vitality.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 5 P.M.
WYCLIFFE GORDON'S JAZZ à LA CARTE featuring Wycliffe Gordon, music director
with Carla Cook and Nikki Yanofsky, vocals; Savion Glover, tap; Grace Kelly, sax; Corey Wilcox, trombone; Temple University Big Band, Robbie Todd, MC
Apollo Theater
$10 Tickets
In the 1930's Frank Schiffman and Leo Brecher opened the Apollo with “Jazz à la Carte," a variety show featuring Ralph Cooper, Benny Carter Big Band and “16 Gorgeous Hot Steppers." Now, this classic Apollo entertainment makes a comeback under the guiding genius of composer, performer, arranger extraordinaire, Wycliffe Gordon. A medley of music by Benny Carter, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway opens the show, followed by a hit parade of top contemporary talent. Ken Roberson provides the evening's show-stopping choreography.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 7 P.M.
(COUNT) BASIE'S LOUNGE RE-CREATED Hosted by Cynthia Holiday
Nectar Wine Bar
$10 Tickets; Cash Bar
Legendary band leader, Count Basie, gave legitimacy to a tiny neighborhood hang, known for its potent combo of jazz and whiskey. One of the few neighborhood spots run by a woman, jazz luminaries—Dizzy, Big Nick, Sarah and Carmen, even Ray Robinson—frequented the packed place. This special night, re-creating the sensational élan of the original, features an open mic for jazz vocalists hosted by Cynthia Holiday, with special appearances by finalists from the Jazzmobile Vocal Competition: Lynette Washington, Brianna Thomas and Ty Stephens.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 8 P.M.
WYCLIFFE GORDON'S JAZZ à LA CARTE featuring Wycliffe Gordon, music director with Carla Cook and Nikki Yanofsky, vocals; Savion Glover, tap; Grace Kelly, sax; Corey Wilcox , trombone; Temple University Big Band, Robbie Todd, MC
Apollo Theater
$10 Tickets
In the 1930's Frank Schiffman and Leo Brecher opened the Apollo with “Jazz à la Carte," a variety show featuring Ralph Cooper, Benny Carter Big Band and “16 Gorgeous Hot Steppers." Now, this classic Apollo entertainment makes a comeback under the guiding genius of composer, performer, arranger extraordinaire, Wycliffe Gordon. A medley of music by Benny Carter, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway opens the show, followed by a hit parade of top contemporary talent. Ken Roberson provides the evening's show-stopping choreography.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 9 P.M.
FATS WALLER DANCE PARTY: SMALL'S PARADISE TRIBUTE featuring Jason Moran, piano & Meshell Ndegeocello, vocals/bass
with Mark Kelley, bass; Marvin Sewell, guitar; Charles Haynes, drums; Lisa Harris, vocals; Leron Thomas, trumpet; Corey King, trombone
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
$10 Tickets
With its first-class musical acts, elaborate floorshows, dancing waiters and famously integrated audience, Small's personified the excitement of Harlem nightlife during the “Roaring Twenties." It was a magnet for top talent and Fats Waller, stride master and composer of countless standards, was a star among stars. MacArthur Genius Award-winner Jason Moran and multiple Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello and, along with a full band and DJ, re-imagine Waller's historic style and swing tunes in a 14-karate tribute that mixes music, social dancing, and a Small's-inspired sense of “only-in-Harlem."
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 9 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Cynthia Scott, vocalist
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Vocalist Cynthia Scott's most recent CD, “Let the Devil Take Tomorrow," has been called “a must for any jazz connoisseur."
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 10 P.M.
GERI ALLEN “JAMS" WITH TIMELINE Featuring Geri Allen, piano
with Kenny Davis, bass; Kassa Overall, drums; Maurice Chestnut, tap; and special guests Don Byron, clarinet; Jaimeo Brown, drums; JD Allen, sax; Chris Sholar, guitar
Apollo Music Café
$10 Tickets; Cash Bar opens at 9 p.m.
The Harlem jazz scene of the 40s and 50s was notorious for its after-hours “jam sessions," fertile improvisational proving grounds for established soloists and new talent. American post bop, jazz pianist and producer Geri Allen takes the “jam" to new ground with her band and special guests Don Byron and Jaimeo Brown Transcendence.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 11 P.M.
FATS WALLER DANCE PARTY: SMALL'S PARADISE TRIBUTE featuring Jason Moran, piano & Meshell Ndegeocello, vocals/bass
with Mark Kelley, bass; Marvin Sewell, guitar; Charles Haynes, drums; Lisa Harris, vocals; Leron Thomas, trumpet; Corey King, trombone
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
$10 Tickets
With its first-class musical acts, elaborate floorshows, dancing waiters and famously integrated audience, Small's personified the excitement of Harlem nightlife during the “Roaring Twenties." It was a magnet for top talent and Fats Waller, stride master and composer of countless standards, was a star among stars. MacArthur Genius Award-winner Jason Moran and multiple Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello and, along with a full band and DJ, re-imagine Waller's historic style and swing tunes in a 14-karate tribute that mixes music, social dancing, and a Small's-inspired sense of “only-in-Harlem."
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 11 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Cynthia Scott, vocalist
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Vocalist Cynthia Scott's most recent CD, “Let the Devil Take Tomorrow," has been called “a must for any jazz connoisseur."
SUNDAY, MAY 15, 5 & 7 P.M.
HABANA/HARLEM: PARK PALACE AND THE AFRO-CUBAN LEGACY featuring Oscar Hernandez and The Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
$10 Tickets
Located in East Harlem at the northwest corner of 110th Street and Fifth Avenue, the Park Palace became the “go-to" place for the growing Latino population. It was here, in 1940, that Machito and his Afro Cubans made their debut. It was here that the dynamic “mambo" dance movement was born. This big band event and “salsa party" pays tribute to the influence of Afro-Cuban music as it made its way to New York and defined an era. Bring your favorite dance partner and be prepared to relive La Tradicion of El Rincón Caliente.
*Schedule and Artists Subject to Change
VENUES
The Alhambra Ballroom
2116 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard
Apollo Theater
253 W 125th Street
(212) 531-5305
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
150 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street
(212) 281-9240 Ext. 19 or 20
Lenox Lounge
288 Lenox Avenue/Malcolm X Boulevard
124th & 125th
Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts
2960 Broadway (at 116th Street)
(212) 854-7799
Minton's Playhouse
206 W 118th Street
Showman's Café
375 W 125th Street
(212) 864-8941
(Count) Basie's Lounge Re-created at Nectar Wine Bar
2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd at 121st Street
(212) 961-9622
Announce Schedule Updates for
HARLEM JAZZ SHRINES FESTIVAL
May 9-15, 2011
7 Days · 35 Events · 8 Venues
The prestige of the past. The pulse of the present.
All Events are $10 or Free!
MONDAY, MAY 9—SATURDAY, MAY 14, 10 A.M.-6 P.M.
ENVISIONING JAZZ
Photographs by Kwame Brathwaite, curated by Erica Agyeman
Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts
Free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.
The rich history and diverse expressions of jazz can be attributed to a dedication to musical innovation and improvisation. Kwame Brathwaite, a photographer with over 50 years of photojournalistic experience in Harlem, captures some of the pivotal moments of innovation and improvisation in jazz history. This special exhibition is on view in the lobby of the Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts. Artwork on display is for sale by the artist.
MONDAY, MAY 9, 9 P.M.
MONKS AT MINTON'S
Minton's Playhouse
$10 Tickets at Door; Cash Bar
Descendant of jazz royalty, T.S. Monk re-creates a classic cutting contest and long-into-the-night jam session with an all-star house band.
TUESDAY, MAY 10, 7 P.M.
BLAZING TONGUES: THE SINGERS & WRITERS OF LENOX LOUNGE
Queen Esther, vocals; Farrah Griffin, words
Lenox Lounge
No cover charge. Two drink minimum
The music of Billie Holiday and writings of Zora Neale Hurston.
TUESDAY, MAY 10, 8:30, 10 & 11:30 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ
Akiko Tsuruga Trio
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Akiko Tsuruga is a jazz composer, Hammond B-3 organist and pianist from Osaka, Japan. She made the “Rising Star Organist" ranking in the Downbeat top ten for young talent in 2010.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 7 P.M.
BATTLE OF THE BIG BANDS & SWING DANCE COMPETITION
featuring the George Gee Big Band and the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra
with special guest artists
The Alhambra Ballroom
$10 Tickets; Cash Bar & Food Available
Two of the biggest, “baddest" bands around duel for bragging rights in this classic battle. Swing dance enthusiasts from throughout New York City hit the dance floor to show off their moves egged on by the crowd's cheers. Best dancers walk away with a cash prize. (Register in advance at jazzmobile.org)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 7 P.M.
Blazing Tongues: The Singers & Writers of Lenox Lounge
Marcelle Davies-Lashley, vocals; Carl Hancock Rux, words
Lenox Lounge
No cover charge. Two drink minimum
The music of Dinah Washington and writings of James Baldwin.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 7:30 P.M.
AMATEUR NIGHT AT THE APOLLO
Apollo Theater
$19, $25, $29 Tickets
The Apollo Amateur Night debuted in 1934 and launched the careers of jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and is still today the world's quintessential talent competition. Who will be the next Apollo legend? Who will win the $10,000 grand prize? At Amateur Night, you tell the performers to be good or be gone!
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 8:30, 10 & 11:30 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Jerry Weldon Trio
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Jerry Weldon, a tenor saxophonist and veteran of the New York Jazz scene, is known as a thoughtful soloist whose subtle swing has plenty of fiber.
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 7 P.M.
INSPIRED INNOVATION: STANLEY CROUCH
Minton's Playhouse
$10 Tickets at Door; Cash Bar; Seating at 6 p.m.
An intimate dinner and straight ahead conversation with celebrated cultural critic and journalist Stanley Crouch: unfiltered and on point.
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 8:30, 10 & 11:30 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Derrick James Trio
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Derrick James's sound is a powerful melding of classic acoustics, rogue gypsy street music, and clever, catchy lyrics.
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 9 P.M.
INSPIRED INNOVATION: JONATHAN BATISTE QUINTET with Joe Saylor, drums; Phil Keune, bass; Eddie Barbash, alto sax; Chris “The Monster" Kapich, bass clarinet; Matt “Silky Soul," tenor sax Minton's Playhouse
$10 Tickets st Door; Cash Bar
This young pianist, composer and bandleader delivers a set of standards from Armstrong to Ellington to Monk, plus startlingly original riffs on his own Louisiana roots.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 8 P.M.
WYCLIFFE GORDON'S JAZZ à LA CARTE featuring Wycliffe Gordon, music director, with Carla Cook and Nikki Yanofsky, vocals; Savion Glover, tap; Grace Kelly, sax; Corey Wilcox, trombone; Temple University Big Band, Robbie Todd, MC
Apollo Theater
$10 Tickets
In the 1930's Frank Schiffman and Leo Brecher opened the Apollo with “Jazz à la Carte," a variety show featuring Ralph Cooper, Benny Carter Big Band and “16 Gorgeous Hot Steppers." Now, this classic Apollo entertainment makes a comeback under the guiding genius of composer, performer, arranger extraordinaire, Wycliffe Gordon. A medley of music by Benny Carter, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway opens the show, followed by a hit parade of top contemporary talent. Ken Roberson provides the evening's show-stopping choreography.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 9 P.M.
FATS WALLER DANCE PARTY: SMALL'S PARADISE TRIBUTE featuring Jason Moran, piano & Meshell Ndegeocello, vocals/bass, with Mark Kelley, bass; Marvin Sewell, guitar; Charles Haynes, drums; Lisa Harris, vocals; Leron Thomas, trumpet; Corey King, trombone
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
$10 Tickets
With its first-class musical acts, elaborate floorshows, dancing waiters and famously integrated audience, Small's personified the excitement of Harlem nightlife during the “Roaring Twenties." It was a magnet for top talent and Fats Waller, stride master and composer of countless standards, was a star among stars. MacArthur Genius Award-winner Jason Moran and multiple Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello and, along with a full band and DJ, re-imagine Waller's historic style and swing tunes in a 14-karate tribute that mixes music, social dancing, and a Small's-inspired sense of “only-in-Harlem."
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 9 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Seleno Clarke/Harlem Groove Band with David Lee Jones, alto sax; Roger Coles, drums; Gerald Brazel, trumpet; Joe Friedman, guitar
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Seleno Clarke, a fixture in Harlem clubs for 30 years, hammers the Hammond with sweet swelling sounds and arrangements that elicit passionate solos from all hands.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 10 P.M.
GERI ALLEN “JAMS" WITH TIMELINE
Featuring Geri Allen, piano
with Kenny Davis, bass; Kassa Overall, drums; Maurice Chestnut, tap; and special guests Don Byron, clarinet; Jaimeo Brown, drums; JD Allen, sax; Chris Sholar, guitar
Apollo Music Café
$10 Tickets; Cash Bar opens at 9 p.m.
The Harlem jazz scene of the 40s and 50s was notorious for its after-hours “jam sessions," fertile improvisational proving grounds for established soloists and new talent. American post bop, jazz pianist and producer Geri Allen takes the “jam" to new ground with her band and special guests Don Byron and Jaimeo Brown Transcendence.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 10 P.M.
REVIVE DA LIVE: LATE NIGHT AT MINTON'S
Minton's Playhouse
$10 Tickets; Cash Bar
Saxophonist Greg Osby, a shining beacon among the current generation of jazz musicians handpicks the houseband for an invigorating night of non-stop music that conjures up the spirit of the jazz tradition that forged the Minton's legacy.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 11 P.M.
FATS WALLER DANCE PARTY: SMALL'S PARADISE TRIBUTE featuring Jason Moran, piano & Meshell Ndegeocello, vocals/bass
with Mark Kelley, bass; Marvin Sewell, guitar; Charles Haynes, drums; Lisa Harris, vocals; Leron Thomas, trumpet; Corey King, trombone
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
$10 Tickets
With its first-class musical acts, elaborate floorshows, dancing waiters and famously integrated audience, Small's personified the excitement of Harlem nightlife during the “Roaring Twenties." It was a magnet for top talent and Fats Waller, stride master and composer of countless standards, was a star among stars. MacArthur Genius Award-winner Jason Moran and multiple Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello and, along with a full band and DJ, re-imagine Waller's historic style and swing tunes in a 14-karate tribute that mixes music, social dancing, and a Small's-inspired sense of “only-in-Harlem."
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 11 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Seleno Clarke/Harlem Groove Band with David Lee Jones, alto sax; Roger Coles, drums; Gerald Brazel, trumpet; Joe Friedman, guitar
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Seleno Clarke, a fixture in Harlem clubs for 30 years, hammers the Hammond with sweet swelling sounds and arrangements that elicit passionate solos from all hands.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1 P.M.
VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF JAZZ
Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts
Free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.
Since its inception, jazz music has inspired artists to represent the arrangements of its rhythms and nuances of its tone through photography, painting, collage, and other media. Join curator, scholar, and author Professor Robert O'Meally, photographer Kwame Brathwaite, and curator Erica Agyeman for a brief discussion addressing the visual representations of jazz.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2 P.M.
JAZZ AND THE SPIRIT: THE ARTS OF HARLEM IN THE AMERICAN RELIGIOUS IMAGINATION
Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts
Free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.
From the Spirituals, through Blues and Jazz and right on up to Hip Hop, religion has occupied a place of privilege in black musical repertoires. At the same time, Harlem-that premier staging ground of African-American cultural expression-has in many ways figured pre-eminently as a sacred place and space in American history. Wedding these themes together, Professor Marcellus Blount, composer, pianist, arranger Courtney Bryan, Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III and historian Josef Sorett explore the spiritual dimensions of Harlem's aesthetic legacies and contemporary vitality.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 5 P.M.
WYCLIFFE GORDON'S JAZZ à LA CARTE featuring Wycliffe Gordon, music director
with Carla Cook and Nikki Yanofsky, vocals; Savion Glover, tap; Grace Kelly, sax; Corey Wilcox, trombone; Temple University Big Band, Robbie Todd, MC
Apollo Theater
$10 Tickets
In the 1930's Frank Schiffman and Leo Brecher opened the Apollo with “Jazz à la Carte," a variety show featuring Ralph Cooper, Benny Carter Big Band and “16 Gorgeous Hot Steppers." Now, this classic Apollo entertainment makes a comeback under the guiding genius of composer, performer, arranger extraordinaire, Wycliffe Gordon. A medley of music by Benny Carter, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway opens the show, followed by a hit parade of top contemporary talent. Ken Roberson provides the evening's show-stopping choreography.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 7 P.M.
(COUNT) BASIE'S LOUNGE RE-CREATED Hosted by Cynthia Holiday
Nectar Wine Bar
$10 Tickets; Cash Bar
Legendary band leader, Count Basie, gave legitimacy to a tiny neighborhood hang, known for its potent combo of jazz and whiskey. One of the few neighborhood spots run by a woman, jazz luminaries—Dizzy, Big Nick, Sarah and Carmen, even Ray Robinson—frequented the packed place. This special night, re-creating the sensational élan of the original, features an open mic for jazz vocalists hosted by Cynthia Holiday, with special appearances by finalists from the Jazzmobile Vocal Competition: Lynette Washington, Brianna Thomas and Ty Stephens.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 8 P.M.
WYCLIFFE GORDON'S JAZZ à LA CARTE featuring Wycliffe Gordon, music director with Carla Cook and Nikki Yanofsky, vocals; Savion Glover, tap; Grace Kelly, sax; Corey Wilcox , trombone; Temple University Big Band, Robbie Todd, MC
Apollo Theater
$10 Tickets
In the 1930's Frank Schiffman and Leo Brecher opened the Apollo with “Jazz à la Carte," a variety show featuring Ralph Cooper, Benny Carter Big Band and “16 Gorgeous Hot Steppers." Now, this classic Apollo entertainment makes a comeback under the guiding genius of composer, performer, arranger extraordinaire, Wycliffe Gordon. A medley of music by Benny Carter, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway opens the show, followed by a hit parade of top contemporary talent. Ken Roberson provides the evening's show-stopping choreography.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 9 P.M.
FATS WALLER DANCE PARTY: SMALL'S PARADISE TRIBUTE featuring Jason Moran, piano & Meshell Ndegeocello, vocals/bass
with Mark Kelley, bass; Marvin Sewell, guitar; Charles Haynes, drums; Lisa Harris, vocals; Leron Thomas, trumpet; Corey King, trombone
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
$10 Tickets
With its first-class musical acts, elaborate floorshows, dancing waiters and famously integrated audience, Small's personified the excitement of Harlem nightlife during the “Roaring Twenties." It was a magnet for top talent and Fats Waller, stride master and composer of countless standards, was a star among stars. MacArthur Genius Award-winner Jason Moran and multiple Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello and, along with a full band and DJ, re-imagine Waller's historic style and swing tunes in a 14-karate tribute that mixes music, social dancing, and a Small's-inspired sense of “only-in-Harlem."
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 9 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Cynthia Scott, vocalist
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Vocalist Cynthia Scott's most recent CD, “Let the Devil Take Tomorrow," has been called “a must for any jazz connoisseur."
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 10 P.M.
GERI ALLEN “JAMS" WITH TIMELINE Featuring Geri Allen, piano
with Kenny Davis, bass; Kassa Overall, drums; Maurice Chestnut, tap; and special guests Don Byron, clarinet; Jaimeo Brown, drums; JD Allen, sax; Chris Sholar, guitar
Apollo Music Café
$10 Tickets; Cash Bar opens at 9 p.m.
The Harlem jazz scene of the 40s and 50s was notorious for its after-hours “jam sessions," fertile improvisational proving grounds for established soloists and new talent. American post bop, jazz pianist and producer Geri Allen takes the “jam" to new ground with her band and special guests Don Byron and Jaimeo Brown Transcendence.
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 11 P.M.
FATS WALLER DANCE PARTY: SMALL'S PARADISE TRIBUTE featuring Jason Moran, piano & Meshell Ndegeocello, vocals/bass
with Mark Kelley, bass; Marvin Sewell, guitar; Charles Haynes, drums; Lisa Harris, vocals; Leron Thomas, trumpet; Corey King, trombone
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
$10 Tickets
With its first-class musical acts, elaborate floorshows, dancing waiters and famously integrated audience, Small's personified the excitement of Harlem nightlife during the “Roaring Twenties." It was a magnet for top talent and Fats Waller, stride master and composer of countless standards, was a star among stars. MacArthur Genius Award-winner Jason Moran and multiple Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello and, along with a full band and DJ, re-imagine Waller's historic style and swing tunes in a 14-karate tribute that mixes music, social dancing, and a Small's-inspired sense of “only-in-Harlem."
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 11 P.M.
SHOWMAN'S LATE NIGHT JAZZ Cynthia Scott, vocalist
Showman's Jazz Club
No cover charge. Two drink minimum per set, per person
Vocalist Cynthia Scott's most recent CD, “Let the Devil Take Tomorrow," has been called “a must for any jazz connoisseur."
SUNDAY, MAY 15, 5 & 7 P.M.
HABANA/HARLEM: PARK PALACE AND THE AFRO-CUBAN LEGACY featuring Oscar Hernandez and The Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
$10 Tickets
Located in East Harlem at the northwest corner of 110th Street and Fifth Avenue, the Park Palace became the “go-to" place for the growing Latino population. It was here, in 1940, that Machito and his Afro Cubans made their debut. It was here that the dynamic “mambo" dance movement was born. This big band event and “salsa party" pays tribute to the influence of Afro-Cuban music as it made its way to New York and defined an era. Bring your favorite dance partner and be prepared to relive La Tradicion of El Rincón Caliente.
*Schedule and Artists Subject to Change
VENUES
The Alhambra Ballroom
2116 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard
Apollo Theater
253 W 125th Street
(212) 531-5305
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
150 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street
(212) 281-9240 Ext. 19 or 20
Lenox Lounge
288 Lenox Avenue/Malcolm X Boulevard
124th & 125th
Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts
2960 Broadway (at 116th Street)
(212) 854-7799
Minton's Playhouse
206 W 118th Street
Showman's Café
375 W 125th Street
(212) 864-8941
(Count) Basie's Lounge Re-created at Nectar Wine Bar
2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd at 121st Street
(212) 961-9622
For more information contact Carolyn McClair Public Relations.
