LATE NIGHTS AT THE APOLLO

The Apollo Theater Announces Lineup Details for APOLLO MUSIC CAFÉ and APOLLO COMEDY CLUB Featuring Some of the Hottest Musicians & Comedians on the Theater’s Intimate Soundstage

The Theater’s Apollo Comedy Club Series Returns with a Line-up of the Best Up-and-Coming Comedians Opening Night: Thursday, October 6th, - 10 p.m.

Apollo Music Café Kicks off its New Season with a Special Opening Weekend Def Jam at Apollo Music Café A Collaboration Between the Apollo and the Iconic Def Jam Featuring Def Jam’s Hottest New Recording Artists Earl St. Clair and JAHKOY Friday, October 7th, - 10 p.m.

The Weekend Culminates with R&B/Pop Hit Makers & Friends Saturday, October 8th, - 10 p.m.

Harlem, NY – September 21, 2016 – 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, , pop, , 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 /, 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 by alt-R&B duo Louis York, on Saturday, October 8th. Louis York is made up of celebrated vocalist and multi- instrumentalist .

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 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 For a 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. 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, and , 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, , , Alessia Cara, Vince Staples, , 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, 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‖ by Billboard 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, ― Heaven‖ featuring . Co-Curated by Def Jam Recordings and Nina Flowers.

Louis York and Friends Saturday, October 8, 2016 at 10:00 p.m. 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, , 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 ’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, 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 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

Follow the Apollo Theater: Facebook.com/apollotheater .com/apollotheater YouTube.com/apollotheater Instagram.com/apollotheater

The Apollo's 2016-2017 season is made possible by leadership support from Citi, Coca-Cola, Troy and Keisha Dixon, Ford Foundation, The Howard Gilman Foundation, Jerome L. Greene Foundation, Robert K. Kraft, The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, Merrill Lynch, The Parsons Family Foundation, the Ronald O. Perelman Family Foundation, JoAnn Price, Earl W. and Amanda Stafford, Time Warner Inc., the Reginald Van Lee Fund for New Works, the Apollo Board of Directors, and many other generous donors.

Public support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and from the Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

ABOUT THE APOLLO THEATER The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging talents and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, performance art, spoken word initiatives, and more. This includes the October 2014 premiere and 2015 international tour of the dance celebration project James Brown: Get on the Good Foot, the annual Africa Now! Festival, Apollo Club Harlem, and the recent New York premiere of the opera Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD. The Apollo is a presenting organization that also produces festivals, large-scale dance and music works organized around a

set of core initiatives: Apollo Music Signature Programs—Amateur Night, Salon Series, Apollo Music Café; Legacy Series— work that celebrates and extends the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens; Global Festivals including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival and Breakin’ Convention, international and U.S.-based artist presentations focused on a specific theme; and Special Projects, multidisciplinary work with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms, and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are D’Angelo, , Machine Gun Kelly, Miri Ben Ari, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, , Gladys Knight, , and ; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy.

The Apollo Theater is a not-for-profit organization with the mission to extend the institution’s role in fostering artistic innovation and in building appreciation of American culture around the world. For more information, visit www.apollotheater.org

# # #

Apollo Theater Information Box Office Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri – 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Wednesday – 10:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Saturday – 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

For more information, please contact: Nina Flowers Director of PR and Communications 212-531-5334/ [email protected]

Cynthia Tate Manager, PR and Communications 212-531-5340/ [email protected]