Harlem Stage Presents ELLA - A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

On January 16, 2018 at 7:00pm, join Harlem Stage -- the legendary uptown venue that for over 30 years has been promoting the creative legacy of Harlem and artists of color -- for a special winter benefit performance that will honor the life and work of Ella Fitzgerald. This intimate evening will feature jazz icon Dee Dee Bridgewater and singing sensation Wé McDonald, of The Voice fame, as they pay tribute to the legendary Ella Fitzgerald in honor of her centennial. In the spirit of the best traditions in jazz, both of these artists will perform their own inimitable interpretations of the songs made famous by Ella.

This special event supports Harlem Stage's critical mission to exclusively commission and present works by visionary artists of color and also supports the thousands of New York City schoolchildren Harlem Stage serves each year through the Frances Davis/Harlem Stage Arts Education Program.

Over the course of a multifaceted career spanning four decades, Grammy and Tony Award-winning Jazz giant Dee Dee Bridgewater has ascended to the upper echelon of vocalists, putting her unique spin on standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics. Ever the fearless voyager, explorer, pioneer and keeper of tradition, the three-time Grammy-winner most recently won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee. Bridgewater’s career has always bridged musical genres. She earned her first professional experience as a member of the legendary Thad Jones/Mel Louis Big Band, and throughout the 70’s she performed with such jazz notables as Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon and Dizzy Gillespie. Releasing a series of critically-acclaimed CD's, all but one, including her wildly successful double Grammy Award-winning tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Dear Ella - have received Grammy nominations. Her newest CD “ Memphis...Yes, I’m Ready” was released in September 2017.

Wé McDonald is a Harlem native, who grew up taking vocal lessons at Harlem School of the Arts. She has performed at The Apollo and was a contestant on The Voice, where she received much acclaim from the judges and audience. McDonald credits the late singer Etta James as one of her biggest influences along with Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Janice Joplin and Billie Holiday. In 2017, Wé McDonald was the recipient of the inaugural Harlem Stage Emerging Artist Award.

EVENT DETAILS:

January 16, 2018

7:00PM

HARLEM STAGE GATEHOUSE

150 Convent Avenue (at West 135th Street)

Special Event

Tickets: Tiered pricing

$250 - Benefit Concert ticket

$500 - Benefit Concert ticket, Invitation to private after party

$1,000 - VIP Concert ticket, Invitation to private after party, VIP shuttle transportation to the private after party, Benefit Committee listing in event materials, Harlem Stage Medallion Membership

Harlem Stage is the performing arts center that bridges Harlem’s cultural legacy to contemporary artists of color and dares to provide the artistic freedom that gives birth to new ideas.For over 30 years Harlem Stage has been one of the nation’s leading arts organizations, achieving this distinction through its work with artists of color and by facilitating a productive engagement with the communities it serves through the performing arts. With a long-standing tradition of supporting artists and organizations around the corner and across the globe, Harlem Stage boasts such legendary artists as Harry Belafonte, Max Roach, Sekou Sundiata, Abbey Lincoln, Sonia Sanchez, Eddie Palmieri, Maya Angelou and Tito Puente, as well as contemporary artists like Bill T. Jones, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Tamar-kali, Vijay Iyer, Mike Ladd, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jason Moran, José James, Nona Hendryx and more. Its education program each year provides over 4,000 New York City children with introduction and access to the rich diversity, excitement and inspiration of the performing arts. In 2006, Harlem Stage opened the landmarked, award-winning Harlem Stage Gatehouse. This once abandoned space, originally a pivotal source for distributing fresh water to New York City, is now a vital source of creativity, ideas and culture. Harlem Stage is a winner of the William Dawson Award for Programming Excellence and Sustained Achievement in Programming (Association of Performing Arts Presenters).

For more information on Harlem Stage, visit: www. harlemstage.org.

For a full list of donors, please visit: https://www.harlemstage.org/support/

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