Apollo Music Cafe
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- Written by Charisse Williams
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The Apollo Music Café series is designed to bring independent, cutting-edge artists to a forward-thinking audience. Featuring diverse performances across a myriad of genres (R&B, hip hop, soul, jazz, pop, funk, and rock), this monthly series showcases artists drawn from the independent music scene who are destined to impact the way music is heard and experienced. Certain Music Café presentations will complement Apollo Music Mainstage events such as Africa Now! and the Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival.
CHIEF CURATOR: Lisa Yancey
HOST: Jodine Dorce
HOUSE DJ: DJ Hard Hittin' Harry
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BRIDGET BARKAN
Friday, March 6, 2015
BUY TICKETS |BIO|
Best known as an actress (HBO's Everyday People, Brian De Palma's Redacted, and Law and Order: SVU), Bridget Barkan is also a singer who has toured the world with pop, glam band Scissor Sisters, released her own album Dear Stranger, and recorded with legendary house DJ and producer Todd Terry.
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LYNETTE WILLIAMS
with Special Guests Mieka Pauley and KJ Denhert
Curated by Rod Gailes OBC
Saturday, March 7, 2015
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Lynette Williams is a Harlem grown singer-songwriter on the cusp of stardom. She sings backup for Lauryn Hill, both live and on Ms. Hills' recordings, and has toured with Miri Ben-Ari over the past two summers. Williams is also an enchanting soloist and songwriter. She has performed her original material at Lincoln Center, The Highline Ballroom, and The Blue Note. This will be her first appearance at the Apollo Music Cafe. Willams graduated early from both Berklee College of Music and her MBA Program, but only wants to pursue music.
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ELEW
Friday, April 17, 2015
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Once upon a time, the seriously gifted (New York Times) jazz pianist Eric Lewis was a decorated sideman for Wynton Marsalis and Elvin Jones. A decade into his career, he considered the landscape, drew the curtain, and reemerged as ELEW, a revolutionary artist who combines virtuosic skill on the grand piano with an unprecedented openness to modern pop and rock music.
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TIMOTHY BLOOM
Saturday, April 18, 2015
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Timothy Bloom began his career as a songwriter and producer, writing and producing Grammy-winning songs for Chris Brown and Smokey Robinson. In 2014, he released an independent album, with the debut single "Stand in the Way (of MY LOVE)", which was #13 on the iTunes R&B charts. Hear him live performing tracks from his new album Timothy Bloom-Deluxe.
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HARLEM JAZZ SHRINES FESTIVAL:
THE BAYLOR PROJECT
FEATURING JEAN BAYLOR & MARCUS BAYLOR
Curated by Jodine Dorce
Friday, May 8, 2015
BUY TICKETS |BIO|
The Baylor Project is an innovative collaboration of the dynamic husband and wife duo, Jean and Marcus Baylor. Jean first established herself in the R&B platinum-selling group Zhane and later emerged in jazz performing with Kenny Garrett, Marcus Miller, and the legendary bassist Buster Williams. Marcus has toured and recorded with John Scofield, Cassandra Wilson, Christian McBride, and is a longtime member of the Grammy Award-winning Yellowjackets. The Baylor Project pays homage to a wide range of musical influences with an eclectic set that is often called soulful, buoyant, and spiritual. This is feel good music.
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HARLEM JAZZ SHRINES FESTIVAL:
DC LIVE! FROM FUNK TO CRUNK TO CRANK
FEATURING CHRISTYLEZ BACON AND BLACK ALLEY
Curated by Shay Stevens
Saturday, May 9, 2015
BUY TICKETS |BIO|
The Apollo Music Cafe celebrates the annual Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival with an unforgettable night of intimate jazz. DC native Christylez Bacon is a Grammy-nominated progressive hip hop artist and multi-instrumentalist, who multitasks between the West African djembe drum, acoustic guitar, and human beat-box. Modern Luxury says Bacon's albums may be hip hop, but he takes the genre to a new level. 
Black Alley is one of the most followed, trendsetting, and sought-after music groups hailing from the nation's capital. Determined to create a unique musical elixir, they have taken the finest ingredients of funk, hip hop, soul, and rock to create their own genre-bending sound called "Hood Rock."
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WOMEN OF THE WORLD FESTIVAL:
MORLEY
Friday, June 12, 2015
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From Carnegie Hall to the Nomad Women’s Festival in the Sahara Desert, Morley has brought her unique blend of jazz, folk, and soul to the world’s stage. Be it solo with her acoustic guitar or with a full electric band, her message is consistent and clear: love, justice, and inspiration. Join global artist, Morley and friends for a folk, soul, jazz journey of conscious lyrics, deep grooves, and communal embrace.
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WOMEN OF THE WORLD FESTIVAL:
THE FRENCHIE EXPERIENCE
Saturday, June 13, 2015
BUY TICKETS |BIO|
The Frenchie Experience - this pop cabaret is one part Bach, two parts Kander & Ebb, a dash of Britney, and a sprinkle of Clair Huxtable all served in a Blanche Devereaux martini glass - neat. The Frenchie Experience draws audiences in with legit, inventive, and soulful arrangements of songs spanning every decade.
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PAST EVENTS
AFRICA NOW! SOUTH AFRICA
FEATURING TOYA DELAZY and TUELO & HER COUSINS
Friday, October 10, 2014 at 10pm
Doors open for bar and food at 9pm
|BIOS|
Toya Delazy is a South African singer, pianist, dancer, and performer from KwaZulu-Natal. She is currently signed to Sony Music Africa. Delazy was nominated in the Best International Act (Africa) category at the 2013 BET Awards. Her debut studio album Due Drop (2012) was supported by the singles "Pump It On" and "Love Is In the Air", among others. Following the release of her debut studio album, Delazy took home the awards for Newcomer of the Year and Best Pop Album at the 2013 South African Music Awards. She made a major impact on South African top 40 radio with the release of her aforementioned singles.
Tuelo & Her Cousins is led by Tuelo Minah, who is Tswana from South Africa. Though her songs are primarily in English, Minah often breaks into her native tongue, Setswana, blending African melodies with American soul in a way that puts her unique and powerful voice on prominent display.
*For more information on Africa Now! South Africa Festival activities, please visit the event page.
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AFRICA NOW! SOUTH AFRICA
FEATURING THE MUFFINZ
Saturday, October 11 at 10pm
Doors open for bar and food at 9pm
|BIO|
“Joburg” is buzzing about its newest favorite Afro-soul band The Muffinz. TONIGHT says “they are young and immensely talented, but have old souls that would make Hugh Masekela and peers young all over again."
*For more information on Africa Now! South Africa Festival activities, please visit the event page.
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IRVIN MAYFIELD’S JAZZ PLAYHOUSE
FEATURING STEFON HARRIS
Friday, November 7, 2014 at 10pm
Doors open for bar and food at 9pm
|BIO|
*New Orleans comes to New York on Friday and Saturday, November 7 and 8, 2014. Along with Irvin Mayfield, Jr. and The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra performance on Saturday, November 8, Irvin Mayfield, Jr. has curated two special Apollo Music Cafe shows with Stefon Harris on Friday, November 7 and Jon Batiste on November 8.
Stefon Harris, whose passionate artistry, energetic stage presence, and astonishing virtuosity have propelled him to the forefront of the current jazz scene, brought his New Orleans style music to the Apollo soundstage. Heralded by the Los Angeles Times as “one of the most important young artists in jazz,” he is unquestionably developing what will be a long and extraordinary career as a vibraphonist and composer. Widely recognized and lauded by both his peers and jazz critics alike, the 35-year-old is committed to both exploring the rich potential of jazz composition and blazing new trails on the vibraphone. Curated by Irvin Mayfield.
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IRVIN MAYFIELD’S JAZZ PLAYHOUSE
FEATURING JON BATISTE
Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 10pm
Doors open for bar and food at 9pm
|BIO|
*New Orleans comes to New York on Friday and Saturday, November 7 and 8, 2014. Along with Irvin Mayfield, Jr. and The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra performance on Saturday, November 8, Irvin Mayfield, Jr. has curated two special Apollo Music Cafe shows with Stefon Harris on Friday, November 7 and Jon Batiste on November 8.
This New Orleans style jam session will turn the Apollo’s soundstage into a full-fledged party featuring pianist, singer, songwriter, and composer Jon Batiste. The New Orleans native has collaborated with musicians from across the musical spectrum including Prince, Lauryn Hill, Lenny Kravtiz, and Wynton Marsalis, among many others. Also known for his acting and composing, Batiste has been featured on the HBO series Treme and in Spike Lee’s Red Hook Summer, for which he co-wrote the score with Bruce Hornsby. Curated by Irvin Mayfield.
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CHASTITY BROWN
Friday, December 5, 2014 at 10pm
Doors open for bar and food at 9pm
|BIO|
This singer/songwriter’s musical style is a beautiful mix of indie, roots, soul, rock, blues, and country. Chastity Brown is the inheritor of Leadbelly, Nina Simone, Bonnie Raitt, and Roberta Flack.
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J’SUN and JENNIFER JOHNS
Saturday, December 6, 2014 at 10pm
Doors open for bar and food at 9pm
|BIOS|
J’Sun has been creating a buzz since he hit the scene in 2007. With over 10.2 million Youtube views and after securing a highly coveted spot on season 4 of NBC’s The Voice, the singer/songwriter will take the Apollo Music Café stage.
The Oakland, California native and music powerhouse singer Jennifer Johns vacillates between Afro-beat, world music, soul, electro, funk, reggae, and R&B. A BayaArea notable and touring artist since 2001, Johns is known for bringing infectious energy to live performances with her sultry voice.
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AARADHNA and THE ROOKS
Friday, January 9, 2014 at 10pm
Doors open for bar and food at 9pm
|BIO|
One of New Zealand’s most promising musical talent’s, Aaradhna brings a blend of old-school soul with melodic pop sensibilities that enable her to be the most honest she can with her songwriting, taking cues from the late, great Ms. Amy Winehouse.
New York City's The Rooks draw on an eclectic catalog of influences, from the melodic sensibilities of Stevie Wonder to the staggered hip-hop backbeats of J Dilla and the vocal intricacies of the Dirty Projectors, dancing their way along the line between the kind of music that makes you think and feel-good-down-in-your-gut soul.
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GIZMO w/ Special Guests Chauncey Matthews and Kris Bowers
Saturday, January 10, 2014 at 10pm
Doors open for bar and food at 9pm
|BIO|
Drawing on a vast array of musical influences spanning the realms of jazz, pop, funk, rock, Latin, and hip hop, GIZMO, a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer is creating an impressive sonic landscape for his generation.
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AN EVENING OF LOVE, RHYTHM AND SOUL
FEATURING RHONDA THOMAS WITH SPECIAL GUEST MARCELL RUSSELL
Curated by InJoy Enterprises
Doors open for bar and food at 9pm
Friday, February 13, 2015
|BIOS|
This evening of love, rhythm and soul spotlights the power and prowess of the human voice. Rhonda Thomas is that rare vocalist who can navigate the jazz-blues axis with grace, combining the authority of Aretha Franklin, the lubricity of Dinah Washington, and the springy sass of Carla Thomas (Jazz Times). 
Baltimore lead singer and writer Marcell Russell of band Marcell & The Truth steps out on his own with excerpts from The Sermon and The Serenade, his ambitious, solo double album.
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CALEB HAWLEY and AABARAKI
Saturday, February 14, 2015
|BIOS|
Harlem's Caleb Hawley is a soul singer, songwriter, and performer, who delivers danceable riffs and sing-a-long choruses, all held together by his tremendous charisma (Music Without Labels). 
Reduction. Stutter. Funk. Reducing the music to its bare essentials, deconstructing each facet, till it is but a dull and throbbing shell of its former self is how four-piece Aabaraki describe their delicious neo-soul sound that not only pays homage to the founders of funk, but also modernizes the genre.
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Photo Credit: Timothy Bloom - Gino Depinto
Photo Credit: Christylez Bacon - Yacouba Tanou
Photo Credit: Morley - Ebet Roberts
Photo Credit: Toya Delazy - Ross Garrett
