With yesterday’s good news that those who are vaccinated can go around without masks with the exception of a few specified areas, it seems like only a matter of time before live events will come roaring back.

The question now is whether or not all the streaming events of the past 15 months will become a relic of the era or a regular part of our cultural experience. Only time will tell.

For now, there are still plenty of great programs available for viewing. Topping our list is MCC Theater’s Miscast 2021 Gala. There are two other gala events, a new musical reading, a vintage classical music concert, new music, a play reading and more.

Here are the Best Bets: May 14th – May 17th.

*TOP PICK* – Miscast 2021 – MCC Theater – May 16th – May 20th

Yesterday we posted a full preview of this event, but here’s what makes this show so entertaining: Broadway stars perform songs separately or with others they would never be cast to sing. For instance, Robert Fairchild sings this song from the musical Sweet Charity in a clip from last year’s “quarantine” edition of Miscast.

This year’s line-up includes Annaleigh Ashford (Sunday in the Park with George), Melissa Barrera (In the Heights), Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!), Robin de Jesús (The Boys in the Band), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton), Leslie Grace (In the Heights), Cheyenne Jackson (Finian’s Rainbow), Jai’Len Josey (SpongeBob SquarePants), LaChanze (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical), Idina Menzel (Wicked), Kelli O’Hara (Kiss Me, Kate), Billy Porter (Kinky Boots), Kelly Marie Tran (Raya and the Last Dragon), Aaron Tveit (Moulin Rouge) and Patrick Wilson (The Full Monty).

This is a free event, though donations are encouraged.

PLAY READING: Watch on the Rhine – Broadway’s Best Shows – Now – May 17th

Lillian Hellman’s Watch on the Rhine had its world premiere at the Martin Beck Theater on April 1, 1941. Her play tells the story of a German man, Mueller, married to an American woman, who is involved with anti-fascist causes in Europe. While visiting his wife’s relatives in Washington, D.C., another guest, also staying with the family, blackmails Mueller after discovering Mueller is planning to send money to aid underground operations in Germany.

For this reading as part of Spotlight on Plays, Ellen Burstyn, Alan Cox, Carla Gugino, Mary Beth Peil and Jeremy Shamos star in this reading directed by Sarna Lapine.

Tickets are $18 with the reading available for viewing through Monday at 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT. Proceeds from the reading benefit The Actors Fund.

Trivia: Two years later a film version of Watch on the Rhine was released starring Bette Davis and Paul Lukas (reprising his role from Broadway). The film was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture. Lukas won for Best Actor.

DANCE: Stephen Petronio Company – The Joyce Theater – Now – May 26th

There are five works being showcased in this new film by the Stephen Petronio Company, the New York-based dance company that was founded in 1984.

Two of the five pieces being performed are set to songs made famous by Elvis Presley: Are You Lonesome Tonight and Love Me Tender.

There are two versions of Are You Lonesome Tonight being performed. Love Me Tender was originally performed in 1993 in a collaboration with artist Cindy Sherman.

New Prayer For Now (Part 1) has its debut in this film. Petronio was inspired by Balm in Gilead and Bridge Over Troubled Water when creating New Prayer…. Monstah Black (who is also a dancer and choreographer in addition to being a musician) composed the music and performs with the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.

The program wraps up with a new version of Group Primary Accumulation by Trisha Brown and Pandemic Portraits, a film by Dancing Camera.

Tickets are $25.

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Berlin Philharmonic 1967 – Carnegie Hall – May 14 – May 21st

Herbert von Karajan leads the Berliner Philharmoniker in a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with soloist Alexis Weissenberg.

This is amongst the most popular concerti in the world. But if Weissenberg’s name isn’t familiar to today’s audiences, this quote from his obituary by Maraglit Fox in the New York Times defines his reputation:

“Mr. Weissenberg possessed a technical prowess rivaled by few other pianists. The ice of his demeanor at the keyboard (he sat, leaned forward and got down to business, playing with scarcely a smile or grimace) was matched by the fire that came off the keys.” (Weissenberg passed away in 2012.)

There is no charge to watch this performance. This is the first of a new series Carnegie Hall Selects featuring performances by artists who played major roles in the 130-year history of the venue.

BROADWAY VOCALS: Jose Llana: Broadway Stories & Songs with Ted Sperling – May 14th – 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT

Broadway star Jose Llana is Ted Sperling‘s guest for Broadway Stories & Songs. Llana has been seen in The King and I, Rent, Street Corner Symphony, Flower Drum Song, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Wonderland on Broadway.

I first saw him in Flower Drum Song at the Mark Taper Forum. I also saw him in the incredible show Here Lies Love at the Public Theater.

He also performed Adam Guettel’s song cycle Saturn Returns (later renamed Myths and Hymns) which is where he and Sperling first worked together.

If you can’t see the show on Friday, there is an encore showing scheduled for May 15th at 2:00 PM ET/11:00 AM PT. Tickets for either showing are $25. You can watch the show a second time if you buy tickets for the Friday night showing.

JAZZ: Robert Glasper: Everything’s Beautiful – SFJAZZ – May 14th – 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT

This 2018 concert found innovative musician/composer Robert Glasper putting his own spin on works by Miles Davis for his album Everything’s Beautiful. Glasper’s music was featured in Don Cheadle’s film Miles Ahead from 2015.

If you don’t know Glasper or his work, he’s one of the most interesting artists working in jazz today. He’s also collaborated with Erykah Badu, Herbie Hancock, Kendrick Lamar, Ledisi and Jill Scott.

Joining Glasper in this performance are vocalist Bilal; Michael Severson on guitars; Burniss Travis on bass and Justin Tyson on drums.

If you can’t watch Friday night’s showing that is part of SFJAZZ’s Fridays at Five series, there is an encore showing on Saturday, May 15th at 1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM PT. Tickets require either a one-month digital membership for $5 or a $50 annual digital membership.

MUSICAL: Breathe: A New Musical – May 14th – July 9th

Playwright Timothy Allen McDonald (Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka) and novelist Jodi Picoult (The Book of Two Ways) have teamed up for this new musical suite that features interlocking stories of five different couples navigating their way through the Covid pandemic and its impact on their lives.

The songs were written by Doug Besterman (The Big One-Oh!), Zina Goldrich (Ever After), Marcy Heisler (Hollywood Romance), Kate Leonard (Ratatouille: The TiKTok Musical), Douglas Lyons (Peter, Darling), Daniel J. Mertzlufft (Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical), Rebecca Murillo (Credence & Cecilia), Ethan Pakchar (Five Points), Rob Rokicki (The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical) and Sharon Vaughn (My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys).

Appearing in this online musical are Tony Award winners Kelli O’Hara and Brian Stokes Mitchell along with Denée Benton (Hamilton), Rubén J. Carbajal (Hamilton), Max Clayton (Moulin Rouge), Josh Davis (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Colin Donnell (Anything Goes), Matt Doyle (the upcoming revival of Company), Patti Murin (Frozen), T. Oliver Reid (Hadestown), and Daniel Yearwood (Once on This Island).

Tickets are $25 to watch Breathe. If you want to join the official opening night on Friday, May 14th at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT, those tickets are $40 and includes an post-premiere cast party and a download of the music from the show.

CONTEMPORARY SONG CYCLE: Dorothea – CAP UCLA – Debuts May 15th – 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT

Ted Hearne, one of our most fascinating and interesting composes, has created a song cycle inspired by the poetry of Dorothea Lasky.

Lasky is an acclaimed poet who told the LA Review of Books, “I do believe it’s better not to be safe in your poems.” As a composer, Hearne also doesn’t play it safe.

They both are utterly compelling. This combination should double down on that and prove to be very exciting to watch.

Hearne was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his 2018 composition Sound From the Bench. Both Los Angeles Opera and San Francisco Opera performed his opera The Source about Chelsea Manning.

Hearne will be singing vocals in this performance. Joining him are Eliza Bagg on vocals and synths; Ashley Bathgate on cello; Nathan Koci on piano/keyboards; Diana Wade on viola; Ron Wiltrout on drums and Ayanna Woods on bass.   

There is no charge to watch Dorothea. Donations to CAP UCLA are encouraged.

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Nadia Sirota, Gabriel Cabezas and Rob Moose – The Phillips Collections – Debuts May 16th – 4:00 PM ET/1:00 PM PT

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Trio Sonata No. 6 in G Major, BWV 530 serves as the foundation for this performance by violist Nadia Sirota, cellist Gabriel Cabezas and violinist Rob Moose.

The concert will begin and end with a movement from the sonata with a third movement at the halfway point.

Interspersed amongst the concert are works by three of today’s most interesting contemporary composers: Marcos Batler, Missy Mazzoli and Nico Muhly.

Sirota is also the music producer for Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s Close Quarters series.

There is no charge to watch this performance, however registration is required. The program will remain available for viewing through May 22nd.

PLAY READING: Sejanus, His Fall – Red Bull Theater – Debuts May 17th – 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT

New York’s Red Bull Theater will present a new adaptation of Ben Johnson’s 17th-century play Sejanus, His Fall on Monday night. The adaptation is by Nathan Winkelstein, who also directs.

The play depicts a power struggle between Tiberius, the Emperor of Rome and Sejanus, his right-hand man. Sejanus covets being the emperor. Tiberius has no desire to make that a possibility. Factions line up behind each man and the power struggle begins with all of our own contemporary issues surrounding politics and power at play.

Participating in the reading are: Shirine Babb (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Grantham Coleman (The Great Society), Keith David (Seven Guitars), Manoel Felciano (To Kill a Mockingbird), Denis O’Hare (Assassins), Matthew Rauch (Junk), Liv Rooth (To Kill a Mockingbird), Laila Robins (Heartbreak House), Stephen Spinella (Angels in America), Emily Swallow (High Fidelity), Raphael Nash Thompson (The Red Letter Plays), Tamara Tunie (Radio Golf) and James Udom (The Rolling Stone).

Tickets are pay what you can with proceeds going to Red Bull Theater.

CONCERT/GALA: Stand Up, Stand Strong – Covenant House – May 17th – 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT

Sara Bareilles, Stephanie J. Block, Jon Bon Jovi, Zach Braff, Terron Brooks, Rachel Brosnahan, Stephen Colbert, Charlie Day, Darius De Haas, Ariana DeBose, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Morgan Freeman, Jon Hamm, Adrianna Hicks, James Monroe Iglehart, Capathia Jenkins, Jewel, Jeremy Jordan, Amanda Kloots, Ames McNamara, Laurie Metcalf, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Abby Mueller, Alex Newell, Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Osnes, Dolly Parton, Jo Ellen Pellman, Ben Platt, Jason Ralph, Ryan Reynolds, Chita Rivera, Robin Roberts, Aliza Russell, Keala Settle, Tony Shalhoub, Meryl Streep, Ana Villafañe, Dionne Warwick, Marlon Wayans, Frank Wildhorn, Vanessa Williams, Daniel Yearwood and more will join co-hosts Audra McDonald and John Dickerson for this annual fundraiser for Covenant House.

The organization provides shelter for homeless youth living on the streets. They have helped more than one million youth since their inception more than 40 years ago.

This gala fundraiser will offer music, stories and more. There is no charge to watch the show, however donations are encouraged. For a list of the many ways you can watch Stand Up, Stand Strong, please go here.

VOCALS/STORIES: Jim Caruso’s Pajama Cast Party – May 17th – 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT

Though Jim Caruso has multiple guests for this Monday’s 58th episode of Pajama Cast Party, I can sum up the reason to tune into this particular episode with two words: Marilyn Maye.

That’s the official list of Best Bets: May 14th – May 17th. Here are also a few reminders:

Lincoln Center Theater’s Tales from the Wings, which we previewed here, will remain available through Monday, May 17th. This is a must for theater fans.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic debuts Chamber Music: Piazzolla in their Filmed at the Ford series. You can find details here.

This weekend’s offering from the Metropolitan Opera include the documentary The Audition on Friday; Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia from the 2014-2015 season on Saturday and Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux from the 2015-2016 season on Sunday.

Sunday will also be the finals of the National Council Auditions at the Met at 3:00 PM ET/12:00 PM PT.

Monday begins Week 62 at the Met where the theme is Unhinged Mad Scenes. The first production being streamed is the 2006-2007 season production of Bellini’s I Puritani with Anna Netrebko.

There are just two weeks left to see Sutton Foster’s Bring Me to Light. You can find details in our preview here.

There you have a jam-packed list of Best Bets: May 14th – May 17th.

Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the shows!

Photo: Renée Elise Goldsberry (Photo by Justin Bettman/Courtesy MCC Theater)

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Quite a few of this week’s offerings are concerts. We have jazz, classical, Broadway vocals and one jazz/dance combination.

I’ve made a change to help you navigate my listings. Before each title there is a category that defines the genre of the listing. So if you only want to find jazz concerts, just look for JAZZ. For ballet or dance, look for DANCE. And in the case of our hybrid event, you’ll find DANCE/JAZZ combined. All listings are in order of when they become available.

Topping our list this week is the world premiere of a new work by composer Nico Muhly that is being performed by organist James McVinnie on Saturday.

Here are my choices as your Best Bets at Home: December 4th – December 6th.

PLAY: The Night of the Iguana – La Femme Theatre Productions – Now – December 6th

Tennessee Williams’ The Night of the Iguana gets an all-star reading from New York’s La Femme Theatre Productions.

Williams based the play on his own short story that in and of itself was inspired by his cousin. The Night of the Iguana had its Broadway debut in 1961.

Reverend Shannon has been forced out of his church after a sermon where he demonized God. He’s relegated to serving as a tour guide and accused of statutory rape of a 16-year-old girl.

While escorting a group of women to Acapulco and staying at a cheap motel, Shannon battles the pressures from the outside world and the demons within himself.

Dylan McDermott stars as Reverend Shannon; Phylicia Rashad plays Maxine; Roberta Maxwell as Judith Fellowes; Austin Pendleton as Nonno and Jean Lichty as Hannah, with Keith Randolph Smith, Carmen Berkeley, Eliud Kauffman, Julio Macias, Stephanie Schmiderer, Bradley James Tejeda and John Hans Tester. Emily Mann directs.

Tickets are range from $10 – $250 depending on your ability to pay. This reading serves as a fundraiser for The Actors Fund.

DANCE: in the absence of things – Baryshnikov Arts Center – Now – December 15th

In this ten-minute experimental dance short film, Somi Kakoma explores the impact the pandemic is having on her and her creative process.

Instead of being on the road, she returned home to Illinois and found herself wrestling with the the desire to create and perform and the need to just live.

Movement, art songs, spoken word and more are utilized to tell her story. Kakoma’s mother provides some of the film’s narration. There is also music from a recent live album, Holy Room – Live at Alte Opera with Frankfurt Radio Big Band in the film.

CLASSICAL: Beethoven’s The Creatures of Prometheus – The Philharmonia Orchestra of London – Beginning December 4th – 2:30 PM EST/11:30 AM PST

In February of this year, the Los Angeles Philharmonic had one of their most exciting concerts when Esa-Pekka Salonen, Simon McBurney and Gerard McBurney collaborated on The Weimar Republic: Salonen Conducts The Seven Deadly Sins.

Starting on Friday, Salonen and Gerard McBurney are once again collaborating on a concert. The Philharmonia Orchestra of London is performing Beethoven’s The Creatures of Prometheus.

Most concertgoers are familiar with the work’s overture; far fewer are familiar with the complete score Beethoven composed for this ballet that had its world premiere in Vienna in 1801.

McBurney has written a new script for this concert. There will be animation by Hillary Leben whose work has been seen in performance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Silk Road Ensemble and more.

When you add that the narration will be performed by Stephen Fry, what else do you need?

The link takes you directly to The Philharmonia Orchestra of London’s YouTube page where this performance can be seen.

DANCE/JAZZ: waiting – 92nd Street Y – December 4th – 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST

Dancer/choreographer Sidra Bell was working on waiting in anticipation of its world premiere performance in June of this year. That was postponed due to the pandemic.

The work is a collaboration with jazz composer/saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins.

Wilkins’ debut album, Omega, was named the Best Jazz Album of 2020 by the New York Times this week.

What is being shown is a work-in-progress of waiting. Sidra Bell and Immanuel Wilkins will participate in a post-performance Q&A.

Tickets are $10.

JAZZ: Christian McBride – Village Vanguard – December 4th – December 5th – 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST

Bassist Christian McBride is joined by Marcus Strickland on saxophone; Josh Evans on trumpet and Nasheet Waits on drums for these two performances from New York’s Village Vanguard.

McBride’s most recent album is The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons.

On this record McBride celebrates Rosa Parks, Malcom X, Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King, Jr.

He just received two Grammy Award nominations recently for Round Again (which finds him recording with Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau and Brian Blade) and also for Trilogy 2 (which is a live recording with Chick Corea and Blade). He can’t win both awards unless there is a tie – he’s competing against himself.

Tickets are $10 for each performance.

JAZZ: Robert Glasper Acoustic Trio – The Kennedy Center – December 4th – 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM EST

Composer, pianist, producer Robert Glasper is equally comfortable working in the hip-hop world (Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, Maxwell, Common) and the jazz world (Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove, Christian McBride).

He has released albums that find him collaborating with such artists as Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin, Phoelix and Herbie Hancock.

For this concert at The Kennedy Center he’s working in the trio configuration with Vicente Archer on bass and Justin Tyson on drums. As befits an artist who works in multiple genres, the trio will be joined by DJ Jahi Sundance.

I believe Glasper is one of our most interesting musicians and this should be a terrific concert.

After the performance, Glasper will be joined by Jason Moran for a conversation. Moran is the Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz.

Tickets are $20 and the program will remain available for renting beyond this premiere showing.

PLAY/MAGIC: The Future – Geffen Stayhouse – December 4th – January 31st

It seems like only yesterday that magician Helder Guimarães just concluded his run of The Present with the Geffen Playhouse. He’s back with a new show and given its title I’m wondering if a trilogy is being planned.

The Future finds gambling at the core of Guimarães’ storytelling and perspective is the fulcrum through which we will view the story and guide its direction.

Frank Marshall returns as director. Will there also be a show next year called The Past?

Tickets are $95 with a majority of the performances already sold out. If you’re interested, act quickly. To do otherwise might gamble away your chance to get a look into The Future.

JAZZ: Pink Martini – SFJAZZ – December 4th – 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST

This week’s Fridays at Five concert from San Francisco Jazz is a holiday concert by Pink Martini that was performed at the venue last December.

This seventeen-member ensemble successfully blends musical styles to create a sound all their own. For instance, did you ever think this rhythm would be part of “We Three Kings?”

Having watched many a concert from this Fridays at Five series, I’m always pleased with how good these shows look and how great they sound.

The concert will air only at this one time. Tickets are $5 for a one-month subscription or $60 for a one-year subscription.

BROADWAY VOCALS: Vanessa Williams: Live from the West Side – Segerstrom Center – December 5th – 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST

In the third and final concert from the Women of Broadway series Live from the West Side, Vanessa Williams take to the stage.

Williams was a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominee for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as The Witch in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods revival from 2002.

She made her Broadway debut when she joined the cast of Kiss of the Spider Woman as Aurora/Spider Woman in 1994. Her other Broadway credits include 2010’s Sondheim on Sondheim and the 2013 revival of The Trip to Bountiful.

Beyond her Broadway career she’s had best-selling albums and singles including The Colors of the Wind from the Disney animated film Pocahontas.

Tickets are $30 and allow for additional viewings for 72 hours.

JAZZ: Arturo Sandoval Live from the Broad Stage – The Broad Stage – December 5th – December 13th

In October of this year, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and a small ensemble of musicians came together to film a live concert at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica. The end result is 60 minutes of Latin jazz sure to entertain.

Sandoval is a 10-time Grammy Award winner who was born in Cuba. There isn’t enough space to list all the recordings he’s made and all the musicians with whom he’s recorded. But perhaps the names Bennett, Estefan, Keys, Monk and Sinatra might sound familiar.

Joining him are Will Brahm on guitar; Ricard Pasillas on percussion; Johnny Friday on drums; John Belazaguy on bass and Max Haymer on piano.

Tickets are $10 for non-members. Free for members.

JAZZ: Barbara Morrison: Standing on Their Shoulders – The Wallis – December 5th – 11:00 PM EST/8:00 PM PST

No jazz vocalist can claim not to have been influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington. Singer Barbara Morrison is no exception.

In this concert, part of the virtual version of The Sorting Room from The Wallis, Morrison will put her own stamp on the songs these women made famous.

Tickets are $25 and allow for viewing for 24 hours. There are more concerts in this series and package deals are available for viewing either half or all six of The Sorting Room series.

CLASSICAL: James McVinnie Live from Concert Hall ‘Latvija’ in Ventspils – December 6th – 12:00 EST/9:00 AM PST

In February of 2018 I saw and heard organist James McVinnie give the world premiere performance of Register by Nico Muhly. It was an amazing performance of truly fascinating music.

It wasn’t their first collaboration. Muhly wrote 2013’s Cycles for McVinnie. Muhly and McVinnie have collaborated again on Nativity Cycle.

This music was written specifically for this concert and for McVinnie by Muhly.

The composer was inspired by plainsong. That term refers to unaccompanied church music sung in medieval modes and free rhythm. The text is taken from liturgical material.

Each of Muhly’s pieces will include the plainchant at the end, but expect him to transform the original music into something that is at times, much simpler and at other times, much more complex. All of which suits McVinnie’s talents.

Tickets are €8 which is just under $10 as of press time. This does not include any service charges. There is a note on the website that says ticket prices will increase as the concert dates get closer.

JAZZ: Billie Holiday: A Concert Celebration – 92nd Street Y – December 6th – December 9th

On November 21st, the Emmet Cohen Trio was joined by singers Catherine Russell and Veronica Swift for a celebration of the music of Billie Holiday filmed at New York’s 92nd Street Y. That concert will start being available on Sunday at 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST and remain available for renting through December 9th.

Also joining the concert is saxophonist Tivon Pennicott who joins for a special tribute to the collaborations Holiday had with Lester Young.

I wasn’t familiar with Swift before reading about this concert. She’s quite good. It will be exciting to see where she goes with her career.

The members of Cohen’s trio are Yasushi Nakamura on bass and Kyle Poole on drums. (Cohen, of course, plays piano.)

Tickets are $15.

BROADWAY VOCALS: Eva Noblezada Live from Adelphi – Adelphi PAC Concert Hall – December 6th – 5:00 PM EST/2:00 PM PST

Eva Noblezada has appeared on Broadway in two musicals: She played Kim in the 2017 revival of Miss Saigon. She originated the role of Eurydice in the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown. She was Tony nominated for both performances. In other words, she’s gotten a nomination for every role she’s performed on Broadway. She hasn’t yet snagged one of the trophies, but just you wait.

You’ll be able to see what makes her so engaging in this live concert on Sunday. I’ve seen her in Hadestown. She’s very talented and this should be a great opportunity to see her shine.

Tickets are $15.

CLASSICAL: McGill/McHale Trio – Shriver Hall Concert Series – December 6th – 5:30 PM EST/2:30 PM PST

Clarinettist Anthony McGill and his flautist brother Demarre met pianist Michael McHale when they were artists-in-residence at Bowling Green University. The trio first performed together in 2014 and they’ve been making music together ever since.

For this program, which took place at New York’s 92nd Street Y last December, the trio will celebrate dance. The concert features works by Chris Rogerson, Francis Poulenc, Antonin Dvořák, Guillaume Connesson, Claude Debussy and Paul Schoenfield.

There will be a post-performance Q&A with the artists available after the concert.

Tickets are $15 and allow for continued viewing through December 9th.

BROADWAY VOCALS: Ana Gasteyer with Seth Rudetsky – December 6th – 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST

Columbia, Elphaba and Mrs. Peachum are all familiar characters to fans of musicals. Martha Stewart, Celine Dion and Hillary Rodham Clinton are familiar to most people.

Saturday Night Live veteran Ana Gasteyer has played them all.

Her Broadway debut came in the 2001 Broadway production of The Rocky Horror Show. Several years later she played that oh-so-green woman in Wicked after having appeared in a new production of The Threepenny Opera with Alan Cumming.

She joins Seth Rudetsky for his concert series this weekend. The live performance takes place on Sunday. If you are unable to watch that performance, it will be re-streamed on Monday, December 7th at 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST.

Tickets for either performance are $28.50 (which includes service charges).

That concludes my selections of the Best Bets at Home: December 4th – December 6th. But there are always going to be a few reminders:

Ute Lemper’s Rendezvous with Marlene has a final streaming performance on Saturday, December 5th at 2:00 PM EST/11:00 AM PST.

Larry Powell’s The Gaze…No Homo continues with new episodes at The Fountain Theatre’s website.

Greenway Court Theatre’s If I Should Wake makes both parts available for the first time beginning on Friday. The show ends its streaming on December 10th.

All concerts that are part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Sound/Stage series remain available for streaming. The Solitude episode, featuring works by Thomas Adés and Duke Ellington, will only be available through December 15th.

The Metropolitan Opera concludes its Stars in Signature Roles week with Elīna Garanča in Bizet’s Carmen on Friday; Jessye Norman, Kathleen Battle and Tatiana Troyanos in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos on Saturday and Shirley Verrett, Luciano Pavarotti and Cornell MacNeil in Puccini’s Tosca on Sunday.

Now we’ve truly come to the end of the Best Bets at Home: December 4th – December 6th. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the culture!

Photo: James McVinnie (Photo ©Magnús Andersen/Courtesy of McVinnie’s website)

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Here is Jazz Stream: September 1st – September 7th:

Wessel “Warmdaddy” Anderson – New Orleans Jazz Museum Balcony – September 1st – 6:00 PM EDT/3:00 PM PDT

If you’ve ever been to New Orleans you know the sound of music seems to fill the air. On Tuesday it will literally fill the air as saxophonist Wessel “Warmdaddy” Anderson will be performing live from the balcony of the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

Anderson has been playing jazz for most of his life. After Meeting Wynton and Branford Marsalis, he found his way to Louisiana and shortly thereafter, into a gig with singer Betty Carter. Joining Wynton’s Septet followed shortly thereafter.

He’s released several albums of his own and has also recorded with Marcus Roberts in addition to Wynton Marsalis. I listened to his album Space will writing this column and thoroughly loved it.

This should be a fun way to get ready for the long holiday weekend. The performance will be available on the New Orleans Jazz Museum Facebook page.

Detroit Jazz Festival – Detroit Jazz Festival Facebook and Instagram Pages – September 4th – September 7th

You don’t have to be in Detroit this weekend to experience this year’s Detroit Jazz Festival. They are streaming the full program on both their Facebook and Instagram pages. You can also sign up for $20 to Detroit Jazz Festive Live! App and that will not only give you access to this year’s festival, but also to select programming throughout the year.

You can find the entire schedule here, but the following performances stand out to me as ones not to miss:

Justice! – September 4th – 7:15 PM EDT/4:15 PM PDT

This is a four-movement tribute to fighting racism. Traditional spirits open the piece with the last three movements by Chris Collins, Michael Jellick and Robert Hurst.

Pharaoh Sanders Icon – September 4th – 9:30 PM EDT/6:30 PDT

Rodney Whitaker Septet with vocalist Rockelle Fortin featuring the Music of Count Basie and Billie Holiday – September 5th – 8:20 PM EDT/5:20 PM PDT

Something to Live For – Music of Billy Strayhorn – September 5th – 11:00 PM EDT/8:00 PDT

Robert Hurst featuring Black Current Jam – September 6th – 8:20 PM EDT/5:20 PM PDT

Michael Jellick Sextet – September 6th – 11:00 PM EDT/8:00 PM PDT

Joey Alexander Trio – September 7th – 2:55 PM EDT/11:55 AM PDT

The Curtis Taylor Quartet – September 7th – 4:05 PM EDT/1:05 PM PDT

James Carter Organ Trio – September 7th – 5:15 PM EDT/2:15 PM PDT

Robert Glasper – September 7th – 10:15 PM EDT/7:15 PM PDT

Kenny Werner Trio – Smalls – September 4th – 4:45 PM EDT/1:45 PDT

How you know pianist Kenny Werner might depend on what music you listen to most. If you listen to jazz and love the music of Toots Thielemans, you’d know Werner’s playing. If you love Broadway star Betty Buckley and have seen her in concert, you’ve likely seen Werner as her music director.

Whichever way you know Werner, you know he’s quite talented. He and his trio (Ari Hoenig on drums and Johannes Weidenmuller on bass) will perform on Friday from the stage of Smalls in New York City.

Dee Dee Bridgewater: Horace Silver Tribute – SFJAZZ – September 4th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

This week’s concert on SFJAZZ’s Fridays at Five features one of my favorite singers: Dee Dee Bridgewater. This concert from September 2017 was in celebration of pianist/composer Horace Silver. Her album Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver was released in 1995 and she received a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.

Silver appears on the album (he passed away in 2014). Bridgewater’s previous husband, Cecil Bridgewater, was a trumpeter working with Silver in the early 1970s.

Bridgewater is dynamic in concert. I’ve seen her perform many times and always look forward to the chance to see her again. This should be a terrific concert.

For those new to this column, SFJazz makes their concerts available for streaming only at 5:00 PM PDT and only on Fridays. To access the concert you have to sign up for either a one-month subscription (for all of $5 which gives you a month of access) or for a one-year subscriptions (for $60 for a year).

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah – Blue Note Live – September 4th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

On March 15th of this year, the last live performance took place at Blue Note in New York before the pandemic forced everything to be closed. The performer of that concert was trumpeter/composer Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah. He was celebrating the release of his 2019 album, Ancestral Recall (which is a terrific album you should hear.)

This August a recording of this Blue Note performance was released as an album called Axiom. He was joined by his septet which included Elena Pinderhughes – flute; Alex Han – saxophone; Weedie Braimah – djembefola; Lawrence Fields – piano; Kris Funn – bass; and Corey Fonville on drums.

He has 15 albums as a leader and has also recorded with such artists as Donald Harrison, Nnenna Freelon, Grace Kelly, David Benoit and Marcus Miller.

Blue Note charges $15 to watch the performance. They have an impressive schedule of concerts this fall. I have a feeling many of us will be shelling out $15 to get to watch amazing performances like this one.

If you live in Japan and Asia you will be able to stream the concert on September 5th at 8:00 PM JST.

Melissa Aldana Quartet – Smalls – September 5th – 4:45 PM EDT/1:45 PM PDT

Last March we previewed two concerts scheduled at The Soraya by Melissa Aldana. Sadly, they were cancelled as the pandemic become a more serious issue. So rather than recap who Aldana is, I’ll direct you to the preview we posted.

For this concert from Smalls in New York Aldana, who plays tenor sax, is joined by Charles Altura – guitar; Pablo Menares – bass and Kush Abadey on drums.

New Music: Before this column comes to an end, I want to point you in the direction of a new album that was released this week by Bettye Lavette. The album is called Blackbirds and finds the legendary singer performing songs primarily made famous by Black women. Amongst the songs are I Hold No Grudge (Nina Simone), Save Your Love For Me (Nancy Wilson) and Strange Fruit (Billie Holiday).

The title track is, of course, a notable exception as it was a song by The Beatles.

Every song LaVette sings she makes it wholly and uniquely her own. Few singers bring as much raw emotion to a song the way she does. I strongly recommend you take time out to listen to Blackbirds. It’s a terrific album.

That does it for Jazz Stream: September 1st – September 7th. Enjoy this week of jazz.

Photo of Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah courtesy of ropeadope.com

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Jazz has often served as a source of commentary on the world in which we live in. How does jazz today comment on the world in 2019?

First of all it’s played by human beings who live in the present. So naturally we are all influenced by the world around us. That influence comes out in the music. It’s always been like that.

I know you didn’t ask me this, but we also function, in a way, as diplomats. We’re bringing this extremely important and necessary art form to the rest of the world. There are a lot of functions that jazz players perform.

Naturally whatever is occurring in the world, and we are living in difficult times today, it’s going to influence each of us in different ways depending on how we look at the world. I like to look at the world through my lens which looks first to see what I can do to move forward. I’m not looking at who is at fault for things being screwed up. What can I contribute to that? What can I do for that? How can I transform myself so the situation will transform? That I believe is crucial in the world. One of the things that brings about so much trouble is that it is easy for people. If they are told that something or someone outside of themselves is the fault for their suffering, they are naturally going to gravitate towards that. That means they give up their own power to this external influence. You never want to do that.

Is jazz at its most influential when the approach to social commentary is subtle or more direct in perhaps the way someone like Terence Blanchard does it?

You can’t actually apply the word subtle until you see the consequence. Something may appear to be subtle, but then it has a major influence. How do you apply the word subtle to that? There are just so many ways to affect change, to educate people. Some can appear to be extremely powerful, but can also be damaging. I know what Terrance is doing is not damaging. I love what he’s doing. I love his multi-pronged approach to affect change or education people or to help in some way. It’s coming from compassion and that’s what we all need.

Dan Seef, who is part of the Herbie Hancock Institute at UCLA, hosts a show on KJZZ radio that connects the dots between jazz and hip-hop. Do you see a link between jazz and hip-hop? Was Miles Davis a precursor to hip-hop? He certainly has influenced hip-hop.

There definitely is a link to jazz. There is a spirit of that with Miles. There weren’t words and there were no rhymes, but that kind of collaborative effort. He did things right after I finished with the band, there were two or three more records – On the Corner was one of them. Around that time in the late 60s and just early 70s around the time when Miles did Bitches Brew, that kind of collective synergy was already happening.

Miles was putting people together right in the studio just before they pushed the record button. Miles would on-the-spot give a few instructions, but the instructions, they were almost like in code. He never told anybody what to play. He would give the musicians some of the imagery he had in mind. And some simple verbal instructions. Maybe there were a few notes written down or a phrase, but it would be developed on the spot. Free styling, in rap, that in itself is improvisation. It is rhythmic improvisation with poetry. 

You won an Academy Award for your score for the 1986 movie, ‘Round Midnight. The film, of course, takes its name from Thelonious Monk’s song which was written almost 40 years earlier. If someone were to take a composition of yours as inspiration for a movie approximately 40 years after you introduced it, what would you like it to be and why?

I would like it to be a surprise. I don’t know. I don’t have an answer for that. I’d have to hear it. I would like it to be honest coming from the arranger. I would like it to have its own character. It doesn’t have to sound like what I did. I already did that. I hope it sounds new. And I hope people enjoy it.

I gave you kind of a bullsh** answer. I’m trying to put into words one simple truth – I don’t care what it is. Until I hear it. The thing is I don’t have a preconception of what it should be. I hope I never have some preconception of what it should be. Honesty is important because it transcends time. I think it is something I, and whoever does the arrangement, I hope we feel the same way about the importance of the honesty.

For tickets go here.

To read part one of our interview with Herbie Hancock, go here.

All photos courtesy of HerbieHancock.com

The post Herbie Hancock: Jazz is Social Commentary and a Precursor to Hip-Hop appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

Hancock, who serves as the Creative Chair for Jazz with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is a 14-time Grammy Award winner, an Oscar winner (for Round Midnight), and a musician who first came to prominence as a member of the Miles Davis Quintet of the mid-60s. He has always been a very forward-thinking musician. To go through his career would take up three columns. Suffice to say from his time with Davis, to his hits like “Rockit” through to River: The Joni Letters, which won the Album of the Year Grammy Award, his career has been as adventurous as it has been diverse.

With that in mind, I spoke to Hancock who was in Denver as part of his summer tour he’s doing with Kamasi Washington. We spoke by phone about this unique concert at the Bowl, the future of jazz and more.

When you get involved with the LA Phil in putting a show like this together, what is the main criterion you use in selecting artists to represent the “Next Generation of Jazz?”

It’s a very difficult questions to answer. Because many times I ask other people about other artists, about people maybe I don’t know about. I ask their opinion about who they’ve heard on bass or whatever. What I’m looking for, and hope to achieve, is an openness. That’s the main quality. To be open and to try to create new paths to do things you haven’t done before.

Everyone in my band has that. There’s a certain excellent that they have. My drummer, Vinnie Colaiuta, if you get lost, he’s got your back. What we have in this band is we have each other’s back. No matter what happens, we try to make everything work, but we try to explore and bring new things to the table. It’s like food, you don’t want to eat the same thing every night.

How did you select R+R=Now and Phoelix to represent, with you, a glimpse into the future of jazz.

I have been trying to keep up over the past few years with what some of the young jazz musicians are doing. I’m seeing that there are  lot of collaborations they are doing which reminds me of what I was doing when I was younger. There are so many new things that are happening. Change is happening exponentially. I don’t want to be left in the dust.

What started me up pursuing young musicians the way I am now is when I was turned on to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. I went to [producer/rapper/musician] Flying Lotus first and said what are you young people doing? I found out it was Terrace Martin [also a producer/musician/rapper] who was the engine behind the arrangements. He was the major producer of that album and also DAMN. I was dying to meet him. I was doing a shoot for a Blue Note documentary [Beyond the Notes] with me and Wayne Shorter and Robert Glasper. He called Terrace and we talked and I just had the feeling that this could be a good synergy.

[Let me connect a few dots here. Robert Glasper formed R+R=Now. Terrace Martin is part of that band. Glasper, along with Washington, played on To Pimp a Butterfly – as did Thundercat who was recently added to Wednesday night’s concert. Martin is currently producing Hancock’s newest record.]

Getting back to what this concert is about, tying it together, I have actually appeared on Robert Glasper’s stage once or twice. It was a small club in Los Angeles – the Peppermint. He had this event and I came over there and he pulled me up on stage. They do that. R+R=Now does that. The whole feeling is that you are sitting in a club and that the audience is really very much a part of the music. You get the feeling that almost anything could happen. That’s why I could identify with it. I’m trying to capture, hopefully, a bit of that so there are little surprises and people don’t know what will happen. I’m trying to incorporate that spirit because I really feel like that’s a good way to open the door for the future. 

You said a couple years ago that in choosing to record you ask yourself, “what is it you want to encourage in other people.” With this show, how do you answer that question? That purpose?

I always hope that energy will be in the room so to speak when my name is on the marquee. I really hope that we can not only encourage each other, which is really built into the fiber and ethics of jazz, but that we can encourage the audience. The audience is the plus member of the band. That’s why every night – with a different audience – the performance is different.

Yes it is going to vary because we are improvising, but the influence of, not just the bodies, but their humanity, that’s what pervades the whole scene when we are performing. I just want to open myself up and to encourage the other band members to open themselves up to it and to feel that collective spirit.

Our  goal, to quote the spirit of some of the words of Wayne Shorter, we are up there naked really. Perhaps we have some melodies and harmonies, but we are doing something different every night. It takes a lot of courage to do that.

For tickets go here.

On Tuesday we will have part two of our interview with Herbie Hancock where we discuss social justice and jazz, the link between hip-hop and jazz and how he’d like his career perceived in the future.

To read part 2 of our interview with Herbie Hancock go here.

Photo of Herbie Hancock by Douglas Kirkland/Courtesy of the HerbieHancock.com

Photo of R+R=Now by Todd Cooper/Courtesy of Blue Note Records

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