If you haven’t visited the outdoor terrace at the Museum City of New York on Fifth Avenue, along with listening to live music, tonight is your last chance. The music series ends with The Knox Band. Tickets are $10 bucks for members and $15 for non-members. Hope to see you there!
The Museum of the City of New York is located at 1220 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10029.
Posted in art and culture, Community, drinks, entertainment, Events, Harlem, music, New York, New York City, NYC
Tagged 10029, 103rd Street, 104th Street, Fifth Avenue, Harlem, Live@1220 Fifth, Museum of the City of New York, music, Spanish Harlem
Harlem’s 125th Street is back in the news again. Back in July the City announced the redevelopment of two major, vacant sites on Harlem’s 125th Street. Today, we are hearing from The New York Times that the redevelopment of Victoria Theater “is back on track and will break ground in the second half of next year.” The delay was due to the financial crisis back in 2008.
The entire project, which is being designed by the same architect firm that built the Livmor Condos on Frederick Douglass Blvd., will include two towers above the theater: a rental building in one tower and hotel in the other tower. The first floor will become the new home of the Classical Theater of Harlem, Jazzmobile, the Harlem Arts Alliance and the Apollo Theater Foundation.
If you’re wondering if all this good news that’s been announced about 125th Street is a coincidence, it’s not. According to the Times article, all these changes being announced is due to the city rezoning the street replacing buildings along 125th with “office towers, residential high-rises and cultural institutions. The rezoning was approved just as the real estate market collapsed, and many of the developments did not get off the ground. Several are starting up again.”
This is great news. Who cares about the timing. We will take it! To read the entire article by the Times, click here.
Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, business, commercial real estate, Community, education, entertainment, Events, film, Harlem, history, jazz, music, New York, New York City, NYC, shopping
Tagged 125th street, 125th Street Equities LLC., Classical Theater of Harlem, Harlem, Harlem Arts Alliance, Harlem Brewing Company, HarlemTavern, jazzmobile, Mayor Bloomberg, Photo by The Observer, Sugar Hill Beer, The Apollo Theater Foundation, The New York Times, The Victoria Theater in Harlem
West 122nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenue
Today is the King of Pop’s birthday-Michael Jackson. He would have been 53 years old. He passed away two years ago. If you want to remember Michael Jackson and his connection to Harlem, there are two ways to pay tribute to him.
First suggestion is to stop by the Apollo Theater. They have their own Walk of Fame, which features Michael Jackson.
Another suggestion is to take a stroll down West 122nd street between 8th Avenue and 7th Ave, also known as Frederick Douglass Blvd and Adam Clayton 
Powell Jr., Blvd. There you can see the actual place where the ‘Bad- The Full Version’ video was filmed. There is a sign hanging on a fence on that street, which states, “Michael Jackson spent a few days on our block.”
If you haven’t seen the full version of Bad, which was filmed in Harlem, take a look here. It shows an entire different chapter of Harlem’s history.
And let’s take a moment to remember the person who brought us magical music for several decades, Michael Jackson!
Posted in 125th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, film, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, history, music, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater
Tagged Bad Full Version Video, Harlem, history, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson's birthday, music, The Apollo Theater., West 122nd Street
Our beloved Harlem is featured bright and big again in the media, but this time in the UK’s travel section of The Independent. According to the article the reporter/ photographer visited Harlem recently and took direction from Thelma Golden, the Director of Studio Museum Harlem, on what to see in Harlem.
Per Golden’s instructions, Chris Coplans stayed at The Aloft Harlem and he raves about it in the article. He also went to the Apollo Theater, El Museo del Barrio, Studio Museum Harlem, and more. Golden encouraged the reporter to visit the Duke Ellington sculpture and to try Senegalese food at Les Ambassades.
What’s interesting about this article is the reporter covered a lot of Harlem ground-from East to West. He also gives Lenox Avenue big props by saying, “If 125th St is the traditional Harlem, then Lenox Avenue between 125th and 126th is very much the emerging “New Harlem”, with an arty vibe and “Village” sidewalk culture.”
To read the full article, click here. To see additional photos on Harlem from the reporter, go here.
Posted in 125th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., art and culture, Bars, business, commercial real estate, Community, drinks, education, entertainment, fashion, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Free!, Harlem, history, jazz, Lenox Avenue, music, New York, New York City, NYC, real estate, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants, shopping, spending, The Apollo Theater
Tagged 10026, 10029, 10030, Aloft Hotel Harlem, Apollo Theater, Chris Coplans, Duke Ellington Memorial Circle, El Museo del Barrio, Lenox Avenue, Les Ambassades, The Independent, The Studio Museum Harlem, Thelma Golden
I received notice that the video feature of Gospel for Teens that aired on 60 Minutes awhile back will be airing again this coming Sunday, August 28 starting at 7 p.m.
If you missed seeing the two-part segment where Leslie Stahl interviews Vy Higginsen and some of her students in Gospel for Teens, there is another opportunity. Don’t miss it. It was very good, emotional and inspiring to see.
Gospel for Teens on 60 Minutes
August 28 at 7 p.m. ET/PT
To read prior blog coverage on Gospel for Teens, click here.
Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, Free!, Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, music, New York, New York City, NYC
Tagged 149 West 126th Street, 60 Minutes, Christiane Amanpour, Gospel for Teens in Harlem, Harlem, How Sweet the Sound:The Search for the Best Church Choir in America, Mama Foundation, Stephen Belber, Universal Pictures, Verizon, Vy Higginsen, Walker Memorial Baptist Church
The Museum of the City of New York’s music series continues tonight on its outdoor terrace overlooking Fifth Avenue and Central Park. DJ Devon Craig Johnson is tonight’s musical guest at LIVE@1220 Fifth. “Jazz guitarist, rock drummer, and DJ Devon Craig Johnson will treat audiences to jazz, classical, hip hop, and modern pop. This artist brings an eclectic mix of contemporary styles to his performances.”
The event starts at 6:00 and ends at 9:00 pm. Admission includes after-hours access to the Museum as well as one complimentary cocktail or refreshment.
Live@1220 Fifth ends August 31. Check it out while you can!
Posted in art and culture, Community, drinks, entertainment, Events, food, Harlem, jazz, music, New York, New York City, NYC
Tagged 10029, 103rd Street, 104th Street, Fifth Avenue, Harlem, Live@1220 Fifth, Museum of the City of New York, music, Spanish Harlem
For all you jazz aficionados, this event is for you! The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival is happening this coming weekend in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park. The annual jazz music festival assembles some of the finest musicians in the world, who reflect on Charlie Parker’s “musical individuality and genius, to promote appreciation for this highly influential and world-renowned artist.” The two-day event of free concerts takes place in neighborhoods where Charlie Parker actually lived and worked-and one of those places is Harlem!
On Saturday, the line up will include Toots Thielmans, James Carter, Tia Fuller, and Cecile McLorin Salvant. The music starts at 3:00 p.m. in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park! See additional details here!
Yesterday, I told you about how Gospel for Teens based in Harlem is headed to the big screen. Today, its about winning the best choir in America competition. The Vy Higginsen program is competing in How Sweet the Sound:The Search for the Best Church Choir in America.
Gospel for Teens is representing Walker Memorial Baptist Church in the competition. It started August 17 and one can vote as many times as they want each day all the way up to August 31.
How can you vote for Gospel for Teens Harlem? Follow these steps:
1. Click on this link which will take you to How Sweet the Sound choir competition
2. Sign up
3. Then click on the Washington, DC Market (The competition is divided up into regions. This is where Gospel for Teens is located)
4. Then click the 4th square for Walker Memorial Baptist Church and watch Vy Higginsen explain who is Gospel for Teens
5. And finally click the button to “VOTE” under the video. That’s it!
I voted today. Join me and vote for Gospel for Teens Harlem as the best choir in America!
Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, Free!, Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, music, New York, New York City, NYC
Tagged 149 West 126th Street, 60 Minutes, Christiane Amanpour, Gospel for Teens in Harlem, Harlem, How Sweet the Sound:The Search for the Best Church Choir in America, Mama Foundation, Stephen Belber, Universal Pictures, Verizon, Vy Higginsen, Walker Memorial Baptist Church
Remember the movie The Pursuit of Happiness with Will Smith? Apparently the idea to turn that subject into a movie came from a TV segment on ABC’s 20/20. Universal Studio is taking that same approach with Vy Higginsen’s Gospel for Teens, which is based and founded in Harlem.
Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment are teaming up to develop a feature film based on the 60 Minutes segment on Gospel for Teens, which aired a few months ago. Stephen Belber will write the script. He has several writing credits and last directed Jennifer Aniston in Management. There is no word yet on who will star in this film. However, whoever it will  be will definitely have to have some singing chops. The subject is about singing with passion in a gospel choir. I think Ruben Studdard, the winner of American Idol should audition? How about one of the cast members from Glee? Or maybe one of the real life teenagers who actually sings in Gospel for Teens?
Overall, this is huge news for Higginsen, the young people who are in Gospel for Teens, and for Harlem as well. I’ll pay to see this movie! Can’t wait till it opens!
Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, film, Harlem, history, music, New York, New York City, NYC
Tagged 149 West 126th Street, 60 Minutes, Christiane Amanpour, Gospel for Teens in Harlem, Harlem, Mama Foundation, Stephen Belber, Universal Pictures, Vy Higginsen
Posted in art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, Free!, Harlem, Lenox Avenue, music
Tagged Central Park Conservancy, free, Harlem Meer, jazz, jazzmobile, music, NYC events
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