☞ LISTEN: Wycliffe Gordon's Jazz á la Carte

Saturday, May 12th, 3:00PM and 8:00PM, Wycliffe Gordon's Jazz á la Carte, at the Apollo, 253 W. 125th Street. For eight decades, the world-famous Apollo Theater has been the premiere showcase for African-American music: from vaudeville, blues, jazz, R&B, soul, mambo and hip-hop. One of its most popular long-running shows was the Jazz á la Carte, a variety show produced by Frank Schiffman and Leo Brecher, featuring MC Ralph Cooper, the Benny Carter Orchestra and many other exciting performers.

Last year, at the inaugural Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival, presented by the Apollo Theater, Harlem Stage and Jazzmobile, Inc., the Jazz á la Carte series was wonderfully revived by trombonist/composer/arranger Wycliffe Gordon. This year at the 2012 festival, Gordon returns for two splendid and swinging sets of the legendary revue/variety show.

Led by the multi-talented Gordon - who was discovered by Wynton Marsalis, and was a former member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra - this year's edition features director/choreographer Kenneth L. Roberson; dancer extraordinaire Maurice Hines, who will serve as Master of Ceremonies; the world's tap dance superstar Savion Glover; along with The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, the gospel-tinged vocalist Theresa Thomason, pianist and Cole Porter Fellow Aaron Diehl, trumpeter Philip Dizack, trombonist/vocalist Natalie Cressman and The Apollo Dancers.

Tickets are just $10 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster: LINK