The Billie Holiday Theatre will launch its 2024-25 season with Billie & Beyond, a new music series celebrating the legacy of jazz icon Billie Holiday.
Co-curated by journalist and producer Bonsu Thompson, the series will highlight female artists from contemporary jazz, R&B and hip-hop, according to a press release.
The series begins on Oct. 5 with a performance by jazz violinist Kersten Stevens. A six-time winner of Showtime at the Apollo, Stevens will play selections from her critically acclaimed album Queen Rising, which features Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride. Stevens will also perform jazz numbers inspired by Billie Holiday, accompanied by Grammy-nominated pianist Miki Hayama and guitarist David Rosenthal. DJ Nyla will provide music throughout the evening.
The second performance in the series, scheduled for Dec. 13, will feature The Kennedy Administration, a Brooklyn-based collective blending jazz, R&B, hip-hop and pop. Led by powerhouse singer Kennedy and keyboardist-producer Ondre J, the group has become known for creating a rich, modern musical experience.
“For this new series, we wanted to explore this institution’s musical legacy through the lens of our namesake—the one and only Billie Holiday,” said Executive Director of the Billie Holiday Theatre Shadawn Smith. “Billie & Beyond is meant to illustrate some of the most dynamic female artists of today who are taking music to new heights, embodying the resiliency, activism, and artistic brilliance of Lady Day.”
“Billie Holiday must never be celebrated for her musical gifts alone. What she sacrificed for both the plight and reflection of Black people is underserved American history. Almost a century since she hypnotized ears with every note, her DNA lives, today, in our music, culture and resistance. With the stars of tomorrow, BILLIE & BEYOND is an homage to not only an iconic woman but a complex artist who just happened to have a voice straight out of heaven," Smith added.
The series will continue with performances in February and April at the theater, located at 1368 Fulton St. Tickets can be purchased here.
