3/16/24 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN ON SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Mary j. Blige- Strength Of A Woman Festival 2023 Celebrates Hip-Hop 50 With Friends

Mary J. Blige Jazmine Sullivan and Miguel top the bill for the 2023 Honeyland Festival. Presented by IMG and Live Nation Urban, the inaugural, two-day music and culinary event will take place at Crown Festival Park in Sugar Land, Texas, just outside Houston, on November 11-12. Continue reading

1/15/24 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: Dallas Black Dance Theatre

By Walter Rutledge

The Black Dallas Dance Company (BDDC) began a two-day performance series at the Joyce theater on January 11th, 2024. The series was part of the Joyce Theater‘s eighth annual American Dance Platform. Jacob’s Pillow Associate Curator Melanie George presented a trilogy of performances and performers with a roster including Jazz at the Joyce (1/9 and 1/10) Soles of Duende (1/11 and 1/14) and Dallas Black Dance Theatre (1/12 and 1/13). Continue reading

1/6/23 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Cynthia Erivo Live- The Royal Albert Hall London (August 2022)


Cynthia Erivo said she was “overwhelmed” by the audience’s ecstatic response during her 2022 concert at  Royal Albert Hall, London. “I’ve done the Hollywood Bowl, the Grammys, but this was the biggest, here in my home town,” Continue reading

11/16/23 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: Big Mama Thornton – Hound Dog and Down Home Shakedown (1965)

Willie Mae Thornton better known as Big Mama Thornton because of her height (nearly 6 feet), and weight (200 pounds), was an American singer and songwriter of the Blues and R&B.  Continue reading

10/1/23 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: Ballet X At The Joyce

By Walter Rutledge

Philadelphia based Ballet X returned to New York City’s Joyce Theater for a five-day six performance season. The expectations were high for this ethnically diverse contemporary ballet company and the talented dancers rose to the occasion. It was unfortunate that the choreography and the programming were not able to support the performers despite their valiant efforts. Continue reading

9/25/23 O&A NYC SONG OF THE DAY: Mariah Carey ft. Jadakiss,Style P – We Belong Together Remix: Global Citizen: NYC

Five-time Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Mariah Carey performs  We Belong Together a Desert Storm Remix with Jadakiss and Styles P at Global Citizen Festival: NYC in Central Park on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Continue reading

9/17/23 O&A NYC REVIEW: Is Heart of Brick A Black Queer Sex In The City?

By Walter Rutledge

The Joyce Theater’s fall 2023 season began September 15 with the interdisciplinary gay romance saga Heart of Brick. The theatrical production combined live vocal music, spoken narrations, voiceovers, dance, lighting and a clean, simple set design to recreate an evening at Langstons, New York City’s oldest Black gay bar. This is the first presentation in Director of Programming Danni Gee augural season, and in the truest downtown dance style she left the audience with something to talk about.   Continue reading

 8/12/23 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Beyoncé – Renaissance World Tour, Live in Barcelona, Spain

The Renaissance World Tour shows the world once again why Beyoncé is the reigning queen of live concert entertainment.  

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7/27/23 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: Billie Holiday – God Bless The Child (film)- Presented by Chicago Blues Museum

Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan [April 7, 1915 — July 17, 1959) an American jazz singer and songwriter Nicknamed “Lady Day” by her friend and musical partner Lester Young. Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. Continue reading

6/18/23 O&A NYC GOSPEL SUNDAY: Tramaine Hawkins – Praise The Name of Jesus


Tramaine Hawkins sings Praise The Name of Jesus from the Tramaine Live Album (1990) Continue reading