3/15/26 O&A NYC DANCE BY WALTER RUTLEDGE: A Conversation With Francesca Harper and Adanna Smalls – A Preview of Ailey II N.Y.C. Season


Ailey II returns to the Joyce Theater for their New York City season March 17 through 22. The all too short season will feature two programs. New Works featuring cutting edge choreography from inspired emerging dance makers and Legacy/Future which is an exciting mix of established and emerging artists including works by company founder Alvin Ailey. Out and About NYC Magazine Editor-in-Chief Walter Rutledge discussed the upcoming season and all things Ailey II with Artistic Director Francesca Harper and one of the newest company members Adanna Smalls. Continue reading

3/12/26 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: Sarah Vaughan – Misty (Live from Sweden 1964)

Sarah Lois Vaughan  was described by Scott Yanow as having “one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century. Continue reading

3/5/26 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY- CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: Billie Holiday – Strange Fruit

Strange Fruit a song performed most famously by Billie Holiday, who first sang and recorded it in 1939. Continue reading

3/2/26 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Stormy Weather- Lena Horne, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Cab Calloway, Nicholas Brothers, Katherine Dunham and dancers

Stormy Weather is a 1943 film musical produced and released by 20th Century Fox. The movie is considered one of the best Hollywood musicals with an all African-American cast and serve to  showcase of some of the top African-American performers of the time. Continue reading

2/28/26 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Wattstax Concert (1972)

Wattstax was a benefit concert organized by Stax Records  to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the 1965 riots  in the African American community of Watts, Los Angeles. The concert took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on August 20, 1972. The concert’s performers included all of the Stax’s prominent artists at the time. The genres of the songs performed included soul, gospel, R&B, blues, funk and jazz. The film stars Isaac Hayes, The Staples Singers, Luther Ingram, Johnnie Taylor, The Emotions, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Albert King and others special guest star Richard Pryor. Continue reading

2/22/26 O&A NYC SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ CONCERT: Count Basie and his Orchestra live -North Sea Jazz Festival (7/13/1979 – World of Jazz)

 The first concert of bandleader/pianist William ‘Count’ Basie and his Count Basie Orchestra at the North Sea Jazz Festival 1979. Basie did two concerts at the festival, one month before his 75th birthday. Continue reading

2/20/26 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Sammy Davis Jr.- The Original Triple Threat

Shall We Dance

Sammy Davis Junior

Samuel George “Sammy” Davis, Jr. was born on December 8, 1925. He was an African- American entertainer who broke many barriers and paved the way for entertainers in all  disciplines. Davis was primarily a dancer and singer, but he also received acclaim as an actor of stage and screen, musician, and impressionist. Davis died at age 64 in 1990, after spending 61 years in the profession he loved.  Continue reading

2/16/26 O&A NYC LIVE PERFORMANCE: Sammy Davis Jr – Mr. Bojangles (Live in Germany 1985)

Sammy Davis Jr.’s iconic live performance of Mr. Bojangles in Germany took place on June 28, 1985, at the Hohensyburg Casino in Dortmund. Continue reading

2/1/26 O&A NYC SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ CONCERT: Ola Onabulé & Hazelrigg Brothers – Fragile(Sting Cover)

British-Nigerian Jazz artist  Ola Onabulé and the Hazelrigg Brothers performed a special live set at the Sendesaal Bremen. A standout moment from this residency was their rendition of Fragile, originally written by Sting. Continue reading

1/17/26 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT SPECIAL: Sade – Live Bring Me Home (2011)

Bring Me Home – Live 2011 is a live album by British band Sade, released on May 22, 2012 on RCA Records. It was filmed at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario on September 4, 2011 during their music tour, Once In a Lifetime World Tour.  Continue reading