Grammy and Tony Award-winning superstar Dee Dee Bridgewater takes you through 100 years of jazz song in our season-opening weekend of Singers Over Manhattan. On Friday (9/23), she will be joined by music director/trumpeter Riley Mulherkar and his ensemble; Vuyo Sotashe, finalist of the 2015 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition; and Brianna Thomas, whom The Wall Street Journal says "may well be the best young straight-ahead jazz singer of her generation." Combining their distinct talents, the group will sing their way through four decades of music, beginning with the early blues and jazz of the 1920s and ending in the early 1950s. Iconic singers to be explored include Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Washington, and Sarah Vaughan. The band also features Tatum Greenblatt, Mariel Bildsten, Patrick Bartley, Julian Lee, Lucas Pino, Gabe Schnider, Mathis Picard, Russell Hall, and Sammy Miller.
On Saturday (9/24), Bridgewater returns with a new group, featuring a band led by music director/drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr.; the thoughtfully eclectic Theo Bleckmann, who exemplifies the notion of "voice as instrument," and Brooklyn's own internationally rising star Alicia Olatuja, known for navigating jazz traditions with a taste of gospel and R&B. They will perform the socially conscious music of the 1950s through today, featuring the works of Nina Simone, Abbey Lincoln, and Joni Mitchell. The band also features Allyn Johnson, Larry Genadier, and David Rosenthal. Each of these two nights will be a completely unique program, and passionate fans can attend both for a century-spanning, comprehensive experience.

Free pre-concert discussions nightly, 6pm and 8:30pm.

Join our family! Our members and subscribers gain early access to concerts such as this one. Membership starts at $75 and offers benefits, invitations and more throughout the season. Subscribers purchase three or more concerts annually for priority seating and discounted tickets.

Artist Pages:

Dee Dee Bridgewater  

Riley Mulherkar  

Vuyo Sotashe  

Brianna Thomas  

Ulysses Owens, Jr. 

Theo Bleckmann  

Alicia Olatuja