Tulsa Community College’s theater department presents “The Last Five Years” by Jason Robert Brown. The production is directed by Vernon L. Stefanic, playwright and former critic for the Tulsa World.
Performance times are at 8 p.m. Feb. 12-13; 18-20 and 2 p.m. Feb. 14 and 21 in the Studio Theatre at TCC VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education, 10300 E. 81st St. (81st St. and Highway 169) in Tulsa, OK. The Thursday, Feb. 18 performance will be sign interpreted for the deaf.
According to a news release, “The Last Five Years” is “a uniquely staged multimedia production, featuring the combined talents of the TCC’s theatre, music, and film departments. “The Last Five Years” is a contemporary, ambitious and emotional musical that ingeniously chronicles the five-year life of a marriage, from meeting to break-up … or is it from break-up to meeting? Audiences have to decide, because “The Last Five Years” is an intensely personal and creative look at the relationship between a writer and an actress told simultaneously from both points of view – one telling the story from first date to eventual divorce, and the other story arc from divorce back to the magical first date. It is bittersweet; it is sweetly bitter?”
For more information, visit the PACE Ticket Office, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday or call (918) 595-7777.
Category: United States
Muskogee Little Theatre presents “The Foreigner” at 8 p.m. Feb. 12-13 and Feb. 18-20. There is a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14.
Advance tickets may be purchased at Soundworld, 123 E. Okmulgee in Muskogee, OK, or by calling (918) 683-4901. Tickets are also available one hour prior to curtain time at the Muskogee Little Theatre box office.
“The Foreigner” is an inspired comedy that celebrates curiosity and empathy for the outsider. Many people would relish the opportunity to be a fly on the wall, making themselves privy to private conversations. However, pretending to be a foreigner who doesn’t speak the language is possible. When Charlie, a shy Englishman, comes to a rural lodge in Georgia, he pretends to be a foreigner from an exotic country who doesn’t know English so he won’t have to talk to the locals. “The Foreigner” is a feel-good play where the characters grow and change before the audience’s eye. According to a news release, “The Foreigner” is one of the most beloved and crowd-pleasing comedies in community theatre repertory.
“The Foreigner” is sponsored by Creek Nation Casino. All productions at Muskogee Little Theatre are presented with the assistance from The Oklahoma Arts Council. For additional information, go to www.muskogeelittletheatre.com or call (918) 816-0688.
According to a news release, the “Shoutin’ Down the Aisles” release by Time Life is rocking the church rafters. It has debuted at #8 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart.
Opening with Vickie Winans’ 1997 smash “As Long As I Got King Jesus,” the collection takes on the aura of a Pentecostal church service with such up-tempo favorites as Fred Hammond’s “Jesus Be a Fence Around Me”, the Chicago Mass Choir’s “Holy Ghost Power” with Lemmie Battles’ earth-quaking hoops and hollers, Jimmy Hick’s “Born Blessed”, Shirley Caesar & Tonex’s “I Know the Truth”, Keith Wonderboy Johnson’s quartet staple “Let and Let God” and Bryan Wilson & the Bapolstogic band’s burner “If You’re Talking About Jesus.”
The compilation rounds out with two bonus cuts not featured on the previous Shoutin’ set. The Blind Boys of Alabama’s rootsy “Down in the Hole” and Deniece Williams’ praise jam “Glory to Glory to Glory” complete this must have album for any fan of traditional gospel music.
Jazz vocalist Jackie Ryan will release a collection of 15 love songs in time for Valentine’s Day, according to a news release. Proceeds from the compact disc “Best of Love Songs” will go to Oxfam for ongoing Haiti Relief fund.
Ryan is best known as a “musician’s singer.” She has performed, recorded, or toured with Clark Terry, Toots Thielemans, Barry Harris, Cyrus Chestnut, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco, Red Holloway, Eric Alexander, Jeremy Pelt, Ernie Watts, Benny Green, Tamir Hendelman, Jeff Hamilton, Amina Figarova, Mike Wofford, Jon Mayer, Larry Vuckovich, and Jon Hendricks.
Ryan’s 2009 release “DOOZY” was the third most played jazz CD on radio for the entire year, finished at #3 on JazzWeek‘s Top 100 CDs of 2009, received four-star reviews from both “DownBeat” and “All Music Guide,” and sat atop many critics’ end of year lists. Jackie was one of 5 vocalists voted by critics to make “JazzTimes‘” “Top 50 CDs of the Year.”
Selected from three recordings released from 2002 to 2006, “Best of Love Songs” reflects Ryan’s myriad of musical talent. Joining Ryan on the project is legendary two-time Grammy-Award nominees Ernie Watts and Red Holloway, backed by Jon Mayer, Tamir Hendelman, Larry Vuckovich, Jeff Hamilton, Jeff Chambers and others.
The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, in collaboration with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, presents “From The Tulsa Sound to the British Invasion” at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010 at the Jazz Depot, 111 E. First Street (Upper Level), in Tulsa, OK.
There will be live cabaret entertainment highlighting music from the Tulsa Sound to the music of the Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Groups performing include the Jambalaya Jass Band, vocalist Jack Brady, Brady Orchestra with Tulsa Symphony Orchestra strings and horns.
The Friday night show includes drinks and a buffet, catered by Just Catering by Orr. Tickets for this event are $85.
The Saturday night show has the same great music, but with drinks and a buffet available at an additional cost. Tickets for Saturday are $25 per person.
Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame inductee John Wooley will emcee both evenings.
To purchase tickets, call (918) 584-3615 or go to myticketoffice.com.
Gospel group The Brown Sisters (consisting of Vanessa, Phyllis, Lavette,
Adrienne & Andrea Brown) continue to win new fans and accolades with their debut CD “The Brown Sisters Live in Chicago” on Kingdom Records. According to a news release, the group recently won Best Gospel Entertainer of the Year and Best Gospel Album of the Year Awards at the 29th Annual Chicago Music Awards (CMA) that took place at the Windy City’s Alhambra Palace.
Other winners included Jennifer Hudson, Jeremih, R. Kelly, jazz great Ramsey Lewis, rapper Common, classic soul legends The Chi-Lites, blues star Buddy Guy and rock band Smashing Pumpkins.
The Brown Sisters have developed a sterling reputation in the Chicago for their riveting gospel stage performances that date back to the early 1990s. They have appeared onstage with stellar acts as Aretha Franklin, Bobby McFerrin and Mavis Staples, among others. They have performed in Europe for a decade (and recorded
a successful traditional gospel CD of hymns and church standards for the European market) and have appeared at the prestigious Montreux Jazz and New Orleans Jazz Festivals. They also spent a decade as the house background vocal group for the nationally syndicated “Testify” television program.
a successful traditional gospel CD of hymns and church standards for the European market) and have appeared at the prestigious Montreux Jazz and New Orleans Jazz Festivals. They also spent a decade as the house background vocal group for the nationally syndicated “Testify” television program.
Marvin Winans Jr. has won a Gospel Music Channel Music Video Award as Best Soul Video of 2009 for the concept clip of his radio hit “You Never Let Me Down” from his latest CD “Image of a Man.” Thousands of fans voted in a
people’s choice sort of procedure where the fans decided the winner.
Other nominees included other Christian artists such as Mary Mary and Kirk Franklin to Skillet and tobyMac.
Rodney Jerkins (Brandy, Jennifer Lopez, Backstreet Boys) produced the Caribbean-styled radio single “You Never Let Me Down.”
“It’s the joy you feel when you know that you have someone with you that will never fail you, never let you fall, never let you down,” Winans said in a news release.
Some of Chicago most renowned music artists, politicians and clergy will join forces to raise funds for three nonprofit organizations in Haiti.
“Chicago’s Hope for Haiti” will feature Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn Illinois State Sen. the Rev. James T. Meeks and representatives from the hip-hop, poetry, gospel, jazz and R&B music communities. The event will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at The House of Hope, 752 E. 114th Street in Chicago. Charles Jenkins, pastor of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, is spearheading this effort and has enlisted Grammy-winning recording artist/producer Donald Lawrence to organize the music for the “Chicago’s Hope for Haiti” benefit concert.
“I woke up early Tuesday morning and said to myself, I’ve heard what the NFL, the NBA and what the government is doing for Haiti but I haven’t heard anything about what the church community is doing.” Jenkins said in a news release. “I saw the need to have every part of the Chicago community come together for this tragedy.”
“Chicago’s Hope for Haiti” will be aired live on WJYS. The confirmed talent includes actor/rapper Common on behalf of the Common Ground Foundation, Grammy winner Donald Lawrence and Co., the legendary Shirley Caesar, platinum recording artist Marvin Sapp, Urban AC artist Lalah Hathaway, Comedian George Wilborn, Karen Clark Sheard, poet J. Ivy, Tarrey Torae, jazz saxophonist Steve Cole, gospel artist John P. Kee, and BET TV personality Dr. Bobby Jones.
The proceeds will benefit Yele Haiti (www.yele.org), Samaritan’s Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org) and Hospitals for Humanity (www.hospitalsforhumanity.org)
World renowned drummer Cindy Blackman pays tribute to mentor Tony Williams in her upcoming February 23 release “Another Lifetime.”
Williams was the “spark” that dazzled the sets behind the late jazz maestro Miles Davis’ ’60s quintet. Considered one of the greatest jazz fusion drummers of all time, Williams died at age 51. Blackman, known as one of contemporary music’s most creative drummers, is a witness to Williams’ collective talents. “Another Lifetime” is a compilation of Williams’ songs from his seminal group Lifetime, which he helmed from 1969-1976. Blackman is a top-drawer jazz drummer whose resume includes a lengthy association with rocker Lenny Kravitz (1993-2004, 2005-2007).
“It’s true that this album celebrates him, but really this is only a documentation of the recording sessions that make up ‘Another Lifetime,’” said Blackman in a news release. “Tony’s impact was so great on me that I celebrate him every day of my life. Every time I think about music, I celebrate Tony because I celebrate that level of virtuosity. I’m here to let it be known what that man created and how in his drumming he carried the entire history of all the great jazz drummers. He was an incredibly schooled drummer who set up the direction for me. When I first heard him, I knew that’s how I wanted it to go for me. I remember thinking I’ve got to get to that. Celebrating Tony is not just one day or one album, but it’s a way of living, a way of being-creative, spontaneous, thoughtful and diligent in pushing the envelope.”
Accompanying Blackman are four different teams of collaborators. The first support group comprises guitarist Mike Stern, organist Doug Carne and bassist Benny Reitvald, who appear on seven of the 11 tracks. On two tunes, there is guitarist Fionn O Lochlainn and organist Carlton Holmes; while the final track on “Another Lifetime,” “Wildlife,” features guitarist Vernon Reid, keyboardist Patrice Rushen and bassist David Santos. There’s also a guest appearance by saxophonist Joe Lovano in Blackman’s duo rendition of “Love Song,” one of the CD highlights.
Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame inductee and Tulsa saxophonist Grady Nichols will perform at the Westside Community Center’s annual fundraiser “All That Jazz” at 8 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Hillcrest County Club, 1901 Price Road in Bartlesville, OK. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for dinner.
Nichols, best known for several CD releases including “Sophistication” and “Take Me with You,” presents a kaleidoscope of smooth jazz, pop, adult contemporary and even a dance mix. “My influences are so varied and I try to reflect that in my music,” Nichols said. “As I’ve matured as a songwriter, that growth has allowed me to infuse more of myself into each record. Using this mixture of flavors has helped me to create a sound with widespread audience appeal. As a result, you’ll see people of all ages at my shows.”
Nichols has collaborated with notable artists such as Grammy nominated producer and keyboardist Jeff Lorber, trumpeter Chris Botti, guitarist Paul Pesco, the late bass guitarist Wayman Tisdale, producer Zac Maloy and Grammy nominated songwriter Toni Estes.
“All That Jazz” features Cajun-style cuisine and opening entertainment by the Bartlesville High School Jazz Band. A cash-bar is available, and door prizes (1 ticket per admission) will be given away.
Tickets are $100 and must be purchased in advance by calling the Westside Community Center at (918) 336-6760. Proceeds from “All That Jazz” benefit local community programs at the Westside Community Center, a United Way agency since 1951.