Tony Williams News

The Lakewood Playhouse is proud to present Two Productions in Repertory as part of our Landmark 80th ANNIVERSARY SEASON: "ANGELS IN AMERICA - Parts I & II"  We are honored to Present the PIERCE COUNTY PREMIER of the Epic Two-Part Theatrical Event that includes shows which have received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama and three Tony Awards for Best Play & Revival to their 25 Year History!

The Lakewood Playhouse is proud to present Two Productions in Repertory as part of our Landmark 80th Anniversary Season: "Angels in America  - Parts I & II"  We are honored to Present the Pierce County Premier of the Epic Two-Part Theatrical Event that includes shows which have received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama and three Tony Awards for Best Play & Revival to their 25 Year History!

The Lakewood Playhouse is proud to present Two Productions in Repertory as part of our Landmark 80th ANNIVERSARY SEASON: "ANGELS IN AMERICA - Parts I & II" We are honored to Present the PIERCE COUNTY PREMIER of the Epic Two-Part Theatrical Event that includes shows which have received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama and three Tony Awards for Best Play & Revival to their 25 Year History!

The Lakewood Playhouse is proud to present Two Productions in Repertory as part of our Landmark 80th ANNIVERSARY SEASON: "ANGELS IN AMERICA - Parts I & II"  We are honored to Present the PIERCE COUNTY PREMIER of the Epic Two-Part Theatrical Event that includes shows which have received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama and three Tony Awards for Best Play & Revival to their 25 Year History!

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.

Ronn David McPhatter, the son of two rhythm and blues greats, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Ruth Brown and Clyde McPhatter, will perform his new show "The Son of Legends" at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood on Thursday, Dec. 27 at 8:30 PM.   McPhatter has toured for several years as lead singer of the Drifters, the group that his famous father led back in the 1950's. 

With drumming chops more lethal than most drummers one-third of his age, Greg Kanaga holds court with his bandmates Matthew Loren Cohen and Larry Treadwell making kick-ass music for The Groundlings Friday/Saturday night shows (Next Friday/Saturday night show GROUNDLINGS MIX TAPE opens November 2, 2018). It was only a matter of time before I caught up with Greg to pick his musical brain, as I had already interviewed Matthew and Larry earlier.

Those of us who can remember the tumultuous 1960s will certainly see moments of our own lives in the World Premiere of A 60's TRILOGY by Tommy Carter which connects race relations and the Vietnam War to present day. And on this 50th Anniversary of the Tet Offensive and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr and Robert F. Kennedy, this first project between USVAA Vets Repertory and Revenant Stage (formerly The Elephant Theatre), directed by David Fofi, is sure to add fire to the flame of social revolution in the air today.

As a follow-up to 2017's acclaimed Ballet: The Music of Michael Gibbs, Seattle-based trumpeter Cuong Vu joins forces once again with guitar great Bill Frisell, bassist Luke Bergman and drummer Ted Poor on the boundary-pushing quartet outing for RareNoiseRecords, Change in the Air. With all the members of the quartet contributing compositions, this one finds the four participants on equal footing on ten adventurous originals. From Poor's dreamy, noirish opener 'All That's Left of Me Is You' and his lonesome echo-laden waltz 'Alive' to Bergman's dynamic 'Must Concentrate,' Frisell's delicate 'Look, Listen' and his beguiling heartland melody 'Long Ago' and Vu's angular 'Round and Round' and his edgy and electrified 'March of the Owl and the Bat,' these four stellar musicians are truly on one accord and dealing with a rare level of nuance and depth of communication on Change in the Air.

USVAA Vets Repertory and Revenant Stage (formerly The Elephant Theatre) present the world premiere of A 60's Trilogy, written by playwright and screenwriter Tommy Carter (Hellz Kitchen Ablaze, Remake for BET).

RareNoiseRecords was founded in 2008 by two Italians, entrepreneur Giacomo Bruzzo and music producer Eraldo Bernocchi. Located in London, the label's mission is to detect and amplify contemporary trends in progressive music, by highlighting their relation to the history of the art-form, while choosing not to be bound by pre-conceptions of genre. It seeks to become a guiding light for all those enamored by exciting, adventurous and progressive sounds. For further information and to listen to excerpts, please go to www.rarenoiserecords.com.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legends The Drifters, Cornell Gunter's Coasters and The Platters are coming to Hershey Theatre on Sunday, October 28, 2018 at 7:00 PM.

USVAA Vets Repertory and Revenant Stage (formerly The Elephant Theatre) present the world premiere of A 60's Trilogy, written by playwright and screenwriter Tommy Carter (Hellz Kitchen Ablaze, Remake for BET).

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced the selection of four Honorees who will receive the 2018 Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements, and a special Honors distinction for a work of art and its co-creators. Recipients to be honored at the 41st annual national celebration of the arts are: singer and actress Cher, composer and pianist Philip Glass, Country music entertainer Reba McEntire, and jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter. This year, the co-creators of Hamilton-writer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, director Thomas Kail, choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler, and music director Alex Lacamoire-will receive a unique Kennedy Center Honors as trailblazing creators of a transformative work that defies category.

July is back to back action with a parade of local and national acts at Blue Note Hawaii. The "Concert King of the Philippines" Martin Nievera returns by popular demand for a three-night series, legendary folk artist Bruce Cockburn performs for two nights only and the Blue Note Comedy series explodes with superstar Marlon Wayans for two shows only. Other national acts include Alex Bugnon and Karla Bonoff.

Time is Los Angeles-based singer songwriter, producer and multi instrumentalist Louis Cole's third album - a casual but addictive blend of quickfire, hook-laden electrofunk bullets and wistful, soft-focus balladry - and it's compelling. 'A lot of it is little thoughts, that I made into big songs... blasts of inspiration that I was lucky enough to receive,' Cole explains. 'But it all comes back to my mission to create deep feelings through music,' he says of his debut Brainfeeder outing, set for release August 10th, 2018.

The Drifters, Cornell Gunter's Coasters and The Platters will be together, singing all of their hits at the Fox Cities P.A.C. on October 21 at 3 p.m.

Jazz-funk drummer and worldwide recording artist Isaiah Stewart announces the release of his fifth album “Summer Beat,” featuring world-renowned jazz trumpeter Randy Brecker.

Jazz flutist and Jersey City resident Andrea Brachfeld and Insight celebrate the release of her newest CD 'If Not Now, When?' at Trumpets Jazz Club in Montclair today, May 18. In addition to Ms. Brachfeld, Insight features pianist Bill O'Connell, bassist Harvie S, and drummer Jason Tiemann.