Ben Williams – “Dearly Beloved — The Music of Prince”
Friday – Saturday, December 11 and 12 at 7:30pm
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
150 Convent Avenue212
Free with RSVP
Phone 212-281-9240
Harlem
Assembling a stellar cast of rising stars in the worlds of R&B, funk, soul, jazz and classical, Thelonious Monk Competition Winner and Grammy Award-winning bassist Ben Williams pays tribute to the musical legacy of Prince at Harlem Stage, December 11 and 12. Drawing inspiration from his iconic discography, Dearly Beloved – The Music of Prince will feature newly imagined arrangements and compositions that celebrate the virtuosity of Prince with a wide range of special guests including vocalists Goapele, Frank McComb and Christie Dashiell, tap dancer/choreographer Jason Samuels Smith, poet/emcee/vocalist W. Ellington Felton and additional surprise guests. A guest DJ will spin for the pre-performance mixer and after-party. As a preview to the December 12 performance of Dearly Beloved – The Music of Prince, Harlem Stage will present an intimate conversation with Ben Williams. He’ll share his creative process for Dearly Beloved and discuss the art of re-imagining and arranging works of famous artists.
Ben Williams is an acclaimed bassist, bandleader, music educator and composer who has performed with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Chaka Khan, Dee Bridgewater, Terrence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove, Benny Golson, and Stefon Harris. Last year, Ben Williams performed “Happy” with Pharrell Williams and Herbie Hancock at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. He also recently completed his film debut with Don Cheadle in Cheadle’s soon to be released movie, Miles Ahead. In 2011, Ben Williams released his acclaimed debut album, State of Art, with his band, Sound Effect. That year he was named iTunes Breakthrough Artist of the Year in the jazz category. This past April, he released his sophomore album, Coming of Age via Concord Records, followed immediately by several national and international tours.
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