NYC ~ Geri Allen & Friends Celebrate the Great Jazz Women of the Apollo on Saturday, MAY 11 at the Apollo Theater!
May 3, 2013 at 11:30 PM
Donna M in Afro-Blue Jazz Chorus, Announcement, Artists, DJ Val Jeanty, Dianne Reeves, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Geri Allen & Friends Celebrate the Great Jazz Women of the Apollo, Karen Malina White, Lizz Wright, Marvin Sewell, Maurice Chestnut, S Epatha Merkerson, Terri Lyne Carrington, Tia Fuller
Geri Allen and The Timeline QuartetPianist-composer-educator Geri Allen will present a special program titled "Geri Allen & Friends Celebrate The Great Jazz Women Of The Apollo," at The Apollo Theater in New York on Saturday, May 11.

 

Under Allen's musical direction, this concert production pays homage to the legendary women singers and instrumentalists who have graced the Apollo stage (celebrating such legacies as Nina Simone, Betty Carter, Nancy Wilson, Mary Lou Williams, Hazel Scott, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, Melba Liston and other great jazz women).

 

Staged by celebrated actress-director-filmmaker S. Epatha Merkerson, through the words and historical narrative of acclaimed author Farah Jasmine Griffin, the program will feature performances by Allen's Timeline Quartet (which showcases tap dancer Maurice Chestnut), GRAMMY® winners - vocalist Dianne Reeves and drum master, Terri Lyne Carrington, as well as saxophonist, Tia Fuller, premier vocalist Lizz Wright, DJ Val Jeanty, and Howard University's award winning AfroBlueJazzChorus (directed by Connaitre Miller), and other surprise guests round out the production's list of performers. Also joining Allen for the performance is guitarist Marvin Sewell, tap dancer Alexandria Bradley, and comedian Karen Malina White. 

 

"I am humbled to share the stage with such an amazing group of artists, and I feel very privileged to be collaborating with S. Epatha Merkerson, and Farah Jasmin Griffin, both brilliant trailblazer's in their respective fields," reflects Allen. "Laura Greer at the Apollo has given us a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to the beloved Grand Dames of the Iconic Apollo Theatre, while acknowledging the significant contributions being made by our present day great jazz women. These women are authentically connected to this time-honored legacy, and it is so very gratifying to join them on stage in celebration and song."

 

 Performances will take place at 3:00PM & 8:00PM.

For more information on Geri Allen, please visit: GeriAllen.com 

For more information on Motéma Music, please visit: Motema.com

For more information on The Apollo Theater, please visit: ApolloTheater.org

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Article originally appeared on Exploring Jazz Music One Musician at a Time (https://www.elementsofjazz.com/).
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