Category Archives: jazz

Want a Harlem t-shirt? Keep Harlem, Harlem tees now available

On this Harlem blog, I use tees to feature the subject matter, ie Harlem. Sometimes readers ask, where can I buy a unique tee with the name Harlem on it? Here’s an option. One of my favorite Harlem sites, Harlem NYC, is now offering Harlem tees to purchase. The t-shirt says “Keep Harlem, Harlem.” Pretty cool…huh? If you’re interested in purchasing this Harlem tee, go here! And to check out Harlem NYC like I do, click here.

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What to do in Harlem this Friday? Casa Frela Gallery, Harlem School of the Arts, Harlem Salsa, Harlem Bar Crawl

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There are several Harlem happenings taking place this Friday evening, Jan 25. They’re lined up below for your consideration.

Casa Frela Gallery will present the works of furniture artist Yoav S. Liberman from 8-10 pm. In addition to showing Yoav’s fantastic furniture pieces, he will also speak about the art pieces currently in the gallery, as well as an informal Q&A to follow. To attend this FREE event, RSVP to events@casafrela.com.

Grammy Award-winning pianist, composer and Musical Director Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra will take the stage at the Harlem School of the Arts’ Winter Music Festival, located at 645 Saint Nicholas Avenue. This will be the first of several concerts presented by O’Farrill and the members of his jazz orchestra this year. This event starts at 6:30 pm and it is FREE.

Over on the Westside, it’s Harlem Salsa at Dinosaur BBQ, located 700 125th Street. One hour salsa classes are offered from 6-7 pm. Admittance for the evening is $10. See more details in picture below.

And the Harlem Bimonthly Bar Crawl continues on Lenox Avenue starting at 9 pm. Participating establishments for the 25th include: Les Ambassades Bar & Restaurant, Harlem Corner Social, Red Rooster Harlem, Cove Lounge, and Chez Lucienne.

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Read full statement on Lenox Lounge brand continuing in Harlem

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Back from holiday vacation and going through gazillion emails on Harlem. The big Harlem story that happened over the holidays was the continuing saga on Harlem’s Lenox Lounge. Several news outlets reported recently on how the Lenox Lounge brand will continue by moving a few blocks up on Lenox Avenue in Harlem-333 Lenox Ave to be exact. Stories were generated due to Alvin Reed’s peeps releasing a statement on January 3. This blog did receive the full statement Jan 3 while on vacation and wanted to share it in its entity.

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It’s goodbye for Harlem’s Lenox Lounge, may it RIP

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The days are numbered for Harlem’s famous Lenox Lounge. Grub Street.com double confirms today what Black Enterprise reported yesterday, which was the commercial space will now be rented out to Richie Notar. Also, the NYMag blog reports Robert De Niro is involved. See story below.

That’s it for Lenox Lounge in Harlem. It’s done. Over. Finished. Go there by December 31st to say your goodbyes. That’s the last day Lenox Lounge will be open! May it rest in peace.

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Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater to travel back in time

According to The New York Times, our beloved Apollo Theater plans to take a trip back in time or better yet, is going back to its core.  The Apollo Theater plans to transform our famous venue on 125th Street “into an old-fashioned nightclub for a new revue evoking the Harlem music clubs of the 1930s and 1940s”

In its heyday, the Apollo Theater was a venue that featured a “variety programs, such as big bands, singers, dancers, female impersonators, acrobats and comedians.” The Apollo aims to recapture that era and offer it up to consumers who are interested in experiencing this particular part of the Apollo’s history.  The article states “seats will be removed from the orchestra level and the audience will sit at cafe tables, tended by waiters and waitresses.”

Go back in time in Harlem at the Apollo Theater in February 2013 with three nights of shows: Feb. 18, Feb. 22 and Feb 23. Tickets go on sale on Nov. 19.

Esperanza Spalding in photos performing at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater

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Esperanza Spalding at the ApolloThe owner of SugarHill Beer & Friends at East Harlem Harvest Festival!Whose ready to smoke a hookah pipe at East Harlem Harvest Festival? Compliments of The Kiosk!I'm hanging out here today, aka beer tent, at East Harlem Harvest Festival. Gonna drink some SugarHill Beer!Plenty of pumpkins at the East Harlem Harvest Festival...and a ghost!Bright red awning at Melba's Restaurant in Harlem!

I went to see jazz singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding Friday night (Oct 26) at Harlem’s Apollo Theater. It was fantastic. This was my first time seeing her perform. There is no question in my mind Esperanza Spalding, the Grammy award winner, is the full package: extremely talented, unique and so gorgeous. Hopefully these pictures give you a sense of that! Enjoy.

Grammy Award Winner Esperanza Spalding to perform in Harlem October 26

Bassist, vocalist, composer and award winner Esperanza Spalding is coming to Harlem and she will be performing…where else, but the famous Apollo Theater, located on 125th Street between FDB and ACP Blvd. She is performing in Harlem October 26 and tickets go on sale to the public tomorrow, Friday, June 8. The presale is happening now for Amex cardholders and members of the Apollo Theater Foundation.

“Esperanza Spalding is an American multi-instrumentalist best known as a jazz bassist and singer.” Her latest release is Radio Music Society. Listen below to Black Gold from her new CD.

http://soundcloud.com/concordmusicgroup/black-gold

M.Shanghai String Band to perform at Kidberry in Harlem

Mekia Denby, the founder of Kidberry in Harlem, has given us the heads up that M.Shanghai String Band, one of the best string bands in New York City, will be performing live this Friday, May 4 at Kidberry from 5:30 to 8 pm. The cost of entrance is $20 per family.  Kidberry is located at 2046 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.

If you would like to attend, RSVP in advance to mekia@kidberrynyc.com.

Several Harlem named/themed songs make Time Out New York’s 100 Best Songs about New York City


Time Out New York recently released a ranked list of 100 songs dealing with the subject of New York City and several Harlem themed or named songs top the list, such as Take the A Train by Duke Ellington, Across 110th Street by Bobby Womack, Harlem Blues by Nat King Cole, Harlem Shuffle by Bob&Earl, Angel of Harlem by U2 and more. The list of 100 covers 50 years of tributes to the city that is known all over the world for inspiring artists across every musical genre.

In addition to the tracks, videos and commentary, Time Out New York is offering a Spotify playlist, so that readers can follow and stream the ranked songs on their own devices. Users will also be able to rerank the top 25 selections on the list by voting their choices up or down in the Readers’ Poll.

The Top NYC Song List can be seen at Time Out New York or go directly to Spotify, if you have an account.

OMG…Lenox Lounge in Harlem could close. Please no!


According to The New York Daily News, Harlem’s famed music establishment Lenox Lounge “could be on its last set.” The current owner, Al Reed, says the landlord of the property wants $20k a month from the prior $10k. The article states Reed is shopping the place around and that there are interested parties, such as Harlemite and celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. I hope that is really true about Samuelsson.

Overall, this is sad news to hear. Closing Lenox Lounge would be like closing the Apollo Theater. These establishments are Harlem/American icons. Our community and New York City needs to desperately try to hold on to these treasures. It’s part of NYC’s fabric of life. Lenox Lounge is so special cause of its long history. It’s vintage. I will go as far as saying it should be a landmark and should be preserved. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that an investor views it that way…soon!