The Apollo Theater today announced details for its Late Nights at the Apollo 2016-2017 Fall/Winter lineup. Presented on the Apollo’s intimate soundstage, Late Nights at the Apollo includes the Theater’s groundbreaking Apollo Music Café and its newest initiative – Apollo Comedy Club. The Apollo Music Café presents forward-thinking, innovative artists and features diverse performances across a myriad of genres: R&B, hip-hop, soul, jazz, pop, funk, and rock. Apollo Comedy Club, which precedes the Apollo Music Café weekend, has seen the iconic Theater returning to its comedic roots with an evening of comedy starring the best up-and-coming talent in comedy today.
The popular Apollo Music Café returns for a new season with an epic opening night –Def Jam at Apollo Music Café – a collaboration between the iconic label and the legendary Theater, on Friday, October 7th. This special show will feature Def Jam’s rising stars: Earl St. Clair and JAHKOY.The evening will kick off with a special performance by electro/R&B singer/songwriter, rapper and producer JAHKOY and will culminate with soul/R&B singer/songwriter Earl St. Clair .
Apollo Music Café’s opening weekend concludes with a special set curated by Next2Shine and featuring alt-R&B duo Louis York, on Saturday, October 8th. Louis York is made up of celebrated vocalist Claude Kelly and multi-instrumentalist Chuck Harmony.
Apollo Music Café continues the Apollo’s longstanding commitment to nurturing a variety of artistic voices. Since its commencement in February 2011, the series has become a staple for a variety of music lovers—from Harlem tastemakers, tourists, to downtown creatives. Presented in partnership with Bob Sumner (co-executive producer and talent producer of Def Comedy Jam and creator of LaffMobb on Aspire), Apollo Comedy Club, which began in October 2015, provides a platform for emerging comedic talent. Primarily recognized for its role in launching the careers of music history’s most beloved artists, the Apollo also has a long and storied past with comedy and Apollo Comedy Club spotlights that part of the Theater’s legacy. Apollo Comedy Club and Apollo Music Café 2016 – 2017 season will run monthly from October 2016 to June 2017.
See Below The Full Schedule Of Late Nights at the Apollo Shows Through January 2017
APOLLO MUSIC CAFÉ
Monthly, Fridays and Saturdays at 10:00 p.m. (doors open for bar and food at 9:00 p.m.)
Hosted by Jodine Dorce with DJ Hard Hittin Harry
Def Jam at Apollo Music Café Featuring Earl St. Clair and JAHKOY
Friday, October 7, 2016 at 10:00 p.m.
Def Jam Recordings was founded in 1984 and has represented the very best in cutting edge music and youth culture for over 30 years. The global brand, whose iconic roster included the likes of LL Cool J, Slick Rick, The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy, Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West, began as a maverick independent label. Now with more than 30 years under its belt, the legendary label continues to bring in new talent with a current roster of marquee and emerging stars that include Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Nas, Alessia Cara, Vince Staples, Big Sean, Jhene Aiko and others.
Although Def Jam at Apollo Music Café marks the first collaboration between the Apollo and Def Jam Records, these two iconic cultural institutions are not strangers to one another. In addition to many Def Jam marquee artists from LL Cool J to Jay-z having performed on the Apollo stage throughout their careers, in the late 1990’s , Def Jam presented the Survival of the Illest concert at the Apollo . The show featured a star-studded lineup of Def Jam hitmakers including DMX, The Lox, Redman, Foxy Brown and Method Man. The success of Survival of the Illest at the Apollo, spawned a documentary chronicling the night- Survival of the Illest: Live from 125 NYC – and a CD of the same title.
The venerable label will take over Apollo Music Café on opening night to present their hottest new artists, Earl St. Clair and JAHKOY. With the release of his debut album, Songs About a Girl I Used to Know, Earl St. Clair puts a refreshingly modern twist on the classic soul sound. The talented singer has worked behind the scenes writing songs for Rick Ross, Mary J. Blige, Organized Noize and CeeLo Green. Most recently, St. Clair’s can be heard on label-mate Bibi Bourelly’s single “Perfect.”
Toronto born singer/songwriter and producer, JAHKOY walks well beyond the line of triple threat. Having been labeled as “Artist to Watch” byBillboard and at “The Top of our Playlist” by The Fader, the prowess of his playful genre-blurring productions seems only to be matched by his infectious lyrics and sultry vocals. JAHKOY has an expertly crafted collision between R&B and electro, including his latest single, “California Heaven” featuring Schoolboy Q. Co-Curated by Def Jam Recordings and Nina Flowers.
Louis York and Friends
Saturday, October 8, 2016 at 10:00 p.m.
Curated by Next2Shine, this showcase will feature Louis York is the musical collaboration of Grammy Award-nominated artists songwriter Claude Kelly and producer Chuck Harmony. The duo have racked up an impressive list of credits including worked with megastars Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Britney and Mary J. Blige. Following up on their debut single “Clair Huxtable,” the pair will release a new EP Fall 2016.
Tank and the Bangas
Friday, November 11, 2016 at 10 p.m.
Award winning New Orleans based band, Tank and The Bangas, reflect all the flair of the swinging city that birthed them. Led by poet Tarriona Tank Ball, this energetic R&B and spoken word band blends the power of a Mississippi revival with the edgy cool of a poet’s cafe.
Kwame Binea Shakedown
Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 10 p.m.
Kwame Binea Shakedown’s brings a night of rhythmic rock and roll, folk, silky soul, screaming blues and funk. Curated by Dwight Jordan.
Marcus Machado and Friends
Friday, December 2, 2016 at 10 p.m.
Winner of Rolling Stone’s Next Young Gun contest, Marcus Machado has played along with greats like Buddy Miles, Robert Glasper, Marcus Miller and many more. His unique style blends jazz, funk, hip hop and rock with jaw dropping technique reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix.
Vox Sambou
Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 10 p.m.
Hatian native and founding member of the hip hop collective, Nomadic Massive, Vox Sambou writes and performs traditional rhythms of Haiti mixed with elements of afrobeat, reggae, and hip-hop in Creole, French, English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Dwight and Nicole
Friday, January 13, 2017 at 10 p.m.
Multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Dwight Ritcher and vocalist Nicole Nelson make up the critically acclaimed indie-soul band DWIGHT & NICOLE. Their recent single “I Need Love” was named one of the top 100 Songs of the Year by the Boston Herald. Nelson has received major accolades with her haunting version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” which became a nationwide hit at #24 on the iTunes pop charts.
JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound
Saturday, January 14, 2017 at 10 p.m.
JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound is a Chicago based soul quintet led by singer JC Brook with guitarist Billy Bungeroth, drummer Kevin Marks, keyboardist Jeremy Tromburg, bassist Theodore Berry and percussionist Jovia Armstrong.
Additional performers and dates for the Apollo Music Cafe season (February 2017 – June 2017) will be announced at a later date.
Tickets for Apollo Music Café are $20 and $15 in advance for the Apollo’s A-List. There is a $10 drink/food minimum for each show. Tickets will be available at the Apollo Theater Box Office: (212) 531-5305, 253 West 125th Street, and Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are on sale now.
APOLLO COMEDY CLUB
Monthly, Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. (doors open for bar and food at 9:00 p.m.)
Music by Qool DJ Marv
Thursday, October 6, 2016 at 10 p.m.
Featuring Lawrence Owens, Trev Houston and Esther Ku
Hosted by Tommy Too Smoov
Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 10 p.m.
Featuring Pat Brown, Nate Jackson and Topp Fliight
Thursday, December 1, 2016 at 10 p.m.
Featuring Larry Lancaster, Kleon Da Comedian and Raydiva
Thursday, January 1, 2016 at 10 p.m.
Featuring Kate Wolff, Suga Sean Riley and Nore Davis
Additional performers and dates for the Apollo Comedy Club season (February 2017 – June 2017) will be announced at a later date.
Tickets for Apollo Comedy Club are $20 and $15 in advance for the Apollo’s A-List. There is a $10 drink/food minimum for each show. Tickets will be available at the Apollo Theater Box Office: (212) 531-5305, 253 West 125th Street, and Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.Tickets are on sale now.
Get social! For exclusive photos, updates and more use the hashtags #ApolloMusicCafe #ApolloComedyClub
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