One of the most accomplished and wide-ranging woodwind voices in contemporary jazz, Marty Ehrlich has spent more than five decades at the forefront of creative improvised music. A master of saxophone, clarinet, and flute in all their varieties, he plays with a searching depth that has made him one of the most sought-after collaborators in the music — appearing on more than one hundred recordings alongside Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Jack DeJohnette, Julius Hemphill, Andrew Hill, George Russell, and John Zorn. He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, has been a professor at Hampshire College, and leads his celebrated Dark Woods Ensemble. Tickets: $30

Local Event: Harlem Jazz Series - Marty Ehrlich

New York County

Harlem

New York

Harlem Jazz Series - Marty Ehrlich

One of the most accomplished and wide-ranging woodwind voices in contemporary jazz, Marty Ehrlich has spent more than five...

He curates the stage. Tonight, he owns it. Craig Harris — trombonist, composer, bandleader, and the visionary force behind the Harlem Jazz Series itself — steps into the spotlight on Friday, September 11, 2026, the day after his birthday. Born September 10th in Hempstead, New York, Craig Harris has spent his career at the center of jazz's most adventurous and socially engaged music. He toured with the legendary Sun Ra, has performed with Abdullah Ibrahim, David Murray, Lester Bowie, Cecil Taylor, Sam Rivers, Muhal Richard Abrams, and Charlie Haden, and is a 2022 NAACP Image Awards nominee as co-composer of the score for the Oscar-winning film Judas and the Black Messiah. His Harlem Nightsongs ensemble, featured on his acclaimed recording Managing the Mask, brings lush composition and expressive improvisation together in a sound that is unmistakably Craig Harris. Happy birthday, maestro — and welcome to your own stage.Tickets: $30

Local Event: Harlem Jazz Series - Craig Harris & the Harlem Nightsongs Big Band

Harlem Jazz Series - Craig Harris & the Harlem...

He curates the stage. Tonight, he owns it. Craig Harris — trombonist, composer, bandleader, and the visionary force behind the...

Harlem Jazz Series - Craig Harris & the Harlem Nightsongs Big Band

A Grammy-nominated pianist, composer, and educator of extraordinary vision, Adegoke Steve Colson has spent his career at the intersection of jazz's deepest creative traditions and its most urgent musical possibilities. Born in Newark and raised in East Orange, New Jersey, he studied at Northwestern University School of Music and joined the legendary Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) in 1972 — connecting himself to one of the most important collectives in the history of American music. He has recorded on Columbia/Sony, Evidence, and Black Saint, authored more than one hundred compositions for ensemble, and released the profound Solo Piano recording Tones For — a meditation on the lives of Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Frederick Douglass. He has performed with Joseph Jarman, Reggie Workman, David Murray, Henry Threadgill, Malachi Favors, and Kahil El'Zabar. Adegoke Steve Colson brings his remarkable musical life to the Harlem Jazz Series on September 18, 2026.Tickets = $30

Local Event: Adegoke Steve Colson - Harlem Jazz Series 

Adegoke Steve Colson - Harlem Jazz Series 

A Grammy-nominated pianist, composer, and educator of extraordinary vision, Adegoke Steve Colson has spent his career at the...

A guitarist and vocalist of rare originality, Kelvyn Bell has spent decades creating a sound that defies easy category — jazz, funk, blues, energy music, and improvisation, all woven together with the instinct of a true innovator. Born in St. Louis in 1956, he studied guitar under Oliver Lake and came of age in the Black Artists Group before moving to New York City in the late 1970s, where he quickly established himself as one of the most distinctive voices on the scene. He has had a long creative partnership with saxophonist Arthur Blythe, was a founding member of Joseph Bowie's legendary jazz-funk band Defunkt, and led his own ensemble Kelvynator. He has worked with Steve Coleman, Michele Rosewoman, Jean-Paul Bourelly, Bob Stewart, and the poet Quincy Troupe. Kelvyn Bell brings his singular guitar voice to the Harlem Jazz Series on September 25, 2026.Tickets=$30

Local Event: Kelvyn Bell - Harlem Jazz Series 

Kelvyn Bell - Harlem Jazz Series 

A guitarist and vocalist of rare originality, Kelvyn Bell has spent decades creating a sound that defies easy category — jazz,...

A bassist of extraordinary range, depth, and distinction, Melissa Slocum has been one of New York's most trusted and celebrated string players since 1982. A graduate of both Mannes and Manhattan School of Music — where she earned her Master of Music in Jazz Studies — she studied bass with jazz royalty: Milt Hinton, Rufus Reid, and Ron Carter, among others. She has performed with Art Blakey, Lionel Hampton, Cab Calloway, Clark Terry, Wynton Marsalis, Woody Shaw, and Hank Jones, and has played for vocalists including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, Nnenna Freelon, Jon Hendricks, and Ann Hampton Callaway. She is a member of the celebrated all-woman big band DIVA and has worked with Charli Persip and Superband, Ralph Peterson, and Avery Brooks with Craig Harris.&nbsp; Tickets=$30

Local Event: Harlem Jazz Series - Melissa Slocum

Harlem Jazz Series - Melissa Slocum

A bassist of extraordinary range, depth, and distinction, Melissa Slocum has been one of New York's most trusted and celebrated...

One of jazz's most celebrated and soulful vocalists, Carla Cook brings a voice that is earthy and luminous, rooted in Detroit and shaped by New York, where she has made her home since 1990. A Grammy-nominated artist — her debut album It's All About Love earned a nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Performance — she has performed with the Count Basie Orchestra, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Lionel Hampton's Big Band, and has appeared as a guest artist on more than forty recordings. She is a faculty member at the Juilliard School, and her music spans jazz, R&amp;B, blues, and gospel with the ease and authority of someone who has never recognized the borders between them. Carla Cook brings her magnificent voice to the Harlem Jazz Series on October 9, 2026.Tickets=$30

Local Event: Harlem Jazz Series - Carla Cook

Harlem Jazz Series - Carla Cook

One of jazz's most celebrated and soulful vocalists, Carla Cook brings a voice that is earthy and luminous, rooted in Detroit...

A vocalist, pianist, and composer who carries one of jazz's most profound legacies in her very name, Mala Waldron is a New York City native whose music is steeped in the deepest wellsprings of the tradition. Her father is the legendary pianist and composer Mal Waldron — one of the most celebrated jazz artists of the twentieth century. And her godmother was Billie Holiday, for whom her father served as accompanist during the last years of Holiday's life. Raised in a household of jazz royalty, Mala studied piano, voice, and composition at SUNY College of Old Westbury under the great Makanda Ken McIntyre, and has built a career that honors her extraordinary heritage while staking a musical claim entirely her own. She has toured Japan, Italy, France, Russia, and beyond, and her CD debut Lullabye is a tribute to her godmother, Billie Holiday. Mala Waldron brings her singular voice to the Harlem Jazz Series on October 16, 2026.Tickets=$30

Local Event: Mala Waldron - Harlem Jazz Series

Mala Waldron - Harlem Jazz Series

A vocalist, pianist, and composer who carries one of jazz's most profound legacies in her very name, Mala Waldron is a New York...

An alto saxophonist and flutist rooted in New York's most adventurous free jazz and improvised music tradition, Ricardo Strobert is a musician whose work reflects a deep commitment to creative exploration and artistic integrity. He has been part of the free jazz and avant-garde scene that has always animated New York's creative music underground, appearing on NoBusiness Records — a label devoted to free jazz and improvised music of the highest order — and performing as part of William Parker's Centering Big Band, one of the landmark recording projects in the history of the music. His sound moves with the searching freedom of the avant-garde tradition and the deep blues feeling that has always powered jazz at its most honest. Ricardo Strobert brings his searching alto saxophone and flute to the Harlem Jazz Series on October 23, 2026.Tickets: $30

Local Event: Ricardo Strobert - Harlem Jazz Series 

Ricardo Strobert - Harlem Jazz Series 

An alto saxophonist and flutist rooted in New York's most adventurous free jazz and improvised music tradition, Ricardo...

A trumpeter, bandleader, and educator whose musical roots run from the jazz-soaked streets of New Orleans to the swinging stages of New York City, Kevin Blancq is one of jazz's most versatile and joyful practitioners. Born in New Orleans in 1964, he began his studies with piano at nine, trumpet at ten, and drums at thirteen — before earning his place at the legendary New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, where he studied jazz under the great Ellis Marsalis. A master of the trumpet and a devoted champion of the Great American Songbook, he leads his own beloved Big Band, performs with the Kevin Blancq Trio, and has built a career that brings the full sweep of jazz — from bebop to swing to New Orleans tradition — to audiences across New York City.Tickets=$30

Local Event: Harlem Jazz Series - Kevin Blancq

Harlem Jazz Series - Kevin Blancq

A trumpeter, bandleader, and educator whose musical roots run from the jazz-soaked streets of New Orleans to the swinging...

Carolyn Johnson

Miranda Levingston

New York City Metropolitan Area

New York City

Washington Heights-Inwood

Central Park

Upper West Side

David Luces

Upper East Side

Bergen County

Fort Lee

New Jersey

Queens County

Astoria-Long Island City

Midtown-Hell's Kitchen

Jackson Heights-Elmhurst

Chelsea

Harlem author raises concerns over alleged reuse of her work documenting Richard “Fritz” Simmons—and the growing role of AI.
Harlem author and publisher Tiffany Simone Fulton, professionally known as Harlem Holiday, is calling for accountability over what she describes as the unauthorized use of material connected to her book, The Harlem Plug: The Richard “Fritz” Simmons Story.
Through Exhibits A–C, Fulton outlines concerns involving television footage, online content and apparent AI-generated material. At the center is a question: What happens when an independent author’s research and a family’s personal history become content without acknowledgment, permission or compensation?
<a href="https://youtu.be/p97pYmYTLGM?si=lnyzvj0aKpRBHc1M" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">EXHIBIT A: BET’S OG STORIES</a>
Fulton says her book cover and a personal photograph of the late Richard “Fritz” Simmons, provided to her by his sister Sheila, appeared in the Michelle Smalls “Queen of Harlem” episode of BET’s OG Stories without authorization, attribution or payment.
The series, created and hosted by Damon “Dame” Dash, is associated with his My Paid in Full franchise.
Fulton says she and the Simmons family appreciated Michelle Smalls acknowledging Fritz while sharing her own journey. Her objection concerns the use of the materials.
“Dame Dash calls the franchise My Paid in Full, but Harlem Holiday was not paid, credited or even asked,” Fulton said.
She is seeking acknowledgment and compensation and says she is prepared to pursue legal action if the matter remains unresolved. Her allegations are presented here as her account, rather than findings of a court.
EXHIBIT B: FROM FAMILY HISTORY TO CLICKBAIT
For Fulton, documenting Fritz’s life began with a family’s trust. Sheila approached her and shared memories, photographs and personal history that helped shape the book.
Fulton interviewed people who knew Fritz and traveled to Barbados twice to speak with his right-hand man, Ace. Her purpose, she says, was to document the person behind the reputation and preserve the brother his family remembered.
She alleges that portions of this work subsequently appeared in videos, podcasts, articles and social media posts without proper acknowledgment. Her concerns include material taken from her book, her contribution to Don Diva magazine Issue 60, and photographs and interviews shared through her own channels.
The distinction matters: Fulton’s complaint concerns others allegedly repurposing her published contribution to Don Diva—not an allegation that the magazine took her work.
“This was never clickbait,” Fulton said. “It was his legacy, his family’s truth and a story entrusted to me.”
EXHIBIT C: ARTISTIC PIRACY IN THE AI ERA
Fulton says she has also identified content that appears to use artificial intelligence to recreate or alter Fritz’s likeness and produce audio narratives resembling material documented in The Harlem Plug.
She questions how audiences can distinguish independently researched accounts from AI-assisted retellings that fail to identify their sources. She also raises concerns about the dignity of deceased people whose images and identities are repurposed.
“AI didn’t do the research. I did,” is her message to creators using such tools.
Fulton is calling for clearer standards and stronger protections for authors, photographs, family archives and AI-generated likenesses. She urges producers and digital creators to verify original sources, seek appropriate permission and compensate contributors when their work supports commercial projects.
A CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
Fulton believes her experience reflects the difficulty independent creators face when challenging larger entertainment companies and widely followed platforms.
Her appeal is direct: recognize the work, respect the family history and address the people whose contributions made the storytelling possible.
The Harlem Plug: The Richard “Fritz” Simmons Story is available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle and audiobook through Amazon, Audible and other major booksellers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tiffany Simone Fulton, known professionally as Harlem Holiday, is an author, filmmaker and founder of Harlem Westside Publishing LLC. Her work preserves Harlem’s history, culture and community stories.
MEDIA CONTACT 
Tiffany Simone Fulton / Harlem Holiday 
Harlem Westside Publishing LLC 
harlemwestsidepublishinglllc@gmail.com

Local Event: Dame Dash’s “My Paid In Full”: Harlem Holiday Demands Credit And Accountability

Dame Dash’s “My Paid In Full”: Harlem Holiday...

Harlem author raises concerns over alleged reuse of her work documenting Richard “Fritz” Simmons—and the growing role of...

Dame Dash’s “My Paid In Full”: Harlem Holiday Demands Credit And Accountability

Laurie Beechman Theater

A deeply personal evening of songs and stories celebrating authenticity, resilience, and the courage to embrace one's true self.
NEW YORK – July 9, 2026 — After spending more than two decades helping others discover their authentic selves as a psychotherapist, performer and educator Earl Grey (they/them), a genderqueer artist, is stepping into the spotlight to share their own story.
This fall, Grey makes their New York cabaret debut with I Am Me – On Purpose!, an intimate and uplifting evening of music and storytelling directed by acclaimed cabaret artist Michael Kirk Lane, with musical direction by Yasuhiko Fukuoka. The show will be presented at the Laurie Beechman Theatre for three performances: September 10 at 7PM, October 10 at 3PM, and November 12, 2026 at 7:00 PM.
Drawing from a life that has unfolded on both the stage and in the therapy room, I Am Me – On Purpose! explores identity, self-acceptance, transformation, and the universal search for belonging. Through songs by legendary composers including Jimmy Webb, Alan Menken, Richard Rodgers, William Finn, Zina Goldrich, and Bill Withers, Grey invites audiences into a heartfelt and often joyful journey that celebrates our shared humanity.

Local Event: Earl Grey Presents: I Am ME...On PURPOSE!

Earl Grey Presents: I Am ME...On PURPOSE!

A deeply personal evening of songs and stories celebrating authenticity, resilience, and the courage to embrace one's true...

Jay Estate

The Jay Heritage Center in Rye, New York will celebrate America at 250 with a toast to Jay Medal honorees Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annette Gordon-Reed, the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard University and award-winning Lincoln historian Harold Holzer.
The Jay Medal for Service was created in 2012 to recognize individuals who demonstrate a selfless spirit of commitment to and engagement with their community mirroring the multifaceted contributions of John Jay and his descendants. These honorees have demonstrated through their life's work that our shared narratives as a country, complicated as they are, can be better illuminated through the highest caliber of ongoing scholarship and advocacy. Honorees are selected for their excellence in the fields of American history, environmental stewardship, social justice or civic engagement.
Joining the celebration will be Chief Judge of the State of New York and the New York Court of Appeals, Honorable Rowan D. Wilson and historian and philanthropist Elihu Rose who will present the awards at JHC's annual Soirée. Special guests will include David Blight, Frank Cogliano, Joanne Freeman, and Beverly Gage.

The Jay Medal Soirée will be held Saturday, September 19, 2026 at the Jay Estate from 5:30-9:30pm. Cocktails, dinner, award ceremony and dancing. Cocktail Attire.
<a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/hh4hwzr/lp/2df39049-73d1-4b5e-8196-3cbfafe00fd4" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">PURCHASE ADVANCE TABLES AND TICKETS HERE</a> Scroll down for more info about tables and tickets. Request a print invitation by emailing <a href="mailto:jayheritagecenter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jayheritagecenter@gmail.com</a>

Local Event: Jay Medal Soirée

Westchester County

Jay Medal Soirée

The Jay Heritage Center in Rye, New York will celebrate America at 250 with a toast to Jay Medal honorees Pulitzer...

Need a hand moving a couch, assembling a dresser, tutoring, or cleaning a stoop? Or do you do that kind of work and want jobs nearby?Community Gig is a reverse-auction board for New York City only. You post what you need. Neighbors bid a price. You pick the person. You can target this neighborhood, nearby, or the whole borough.It's free to join and free to bid. Your first five posts are free, then 50 cents. When you accept a bid there's a $2 connection fee to open messages. We don't take a percentage of the job.NYC is the first city. Other cities aren't open yet.<a href="https://communitygig.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://communitygig.com</a>Questions: <a href="mailto:hello@communitygig.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">hello@communitygig.com</a>Sign-in is a magic link to your email &mdash; no password.

NYC neighbors: post a gig, get bids, pick who...

Need a hand moving a couch, assembling a dresser, tutoring, or cleaning a stoop? Or do you do that kind of work and want jobs nearby?Community Gig...

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Harlem Jazz Series - Marty Ehrlich

SEP

4

7:00 PM

15 Mt Morris Park W, New York, NY

Harlem Jazz Series - Craig Harris & the Harlem Nightsongs Big Band

SEP

11

7:00 PM

15 Mt Morris Park W, New York, NY

Adegoke Steve Colson - Harlem Jazz Series

SEP

18

7:00 PM

15 Mt Morris Park W, New York, NY

Kelvyn Bell - Harlem Jazz Series

SEP

25

7:00 AM

15 Mt Morris Park W, New York, NY

Harlem Jazz Series - Melissa Slocum

OCT

2

7:00 PM

15 Mt Morris Park W, New York, NY

Harlem Jazz Series - Carla Cook

OCT

9

7:00 PM

15 Mt Morris Park W, New York, NY

Mala Waldron - Harlem Jazz Series

OCT

16

7:00 PM

15 Mt Morris Park W, New York, NY

Ricardo Strobert - Harlem Jazz Series

OCT

23

7:00 PM

15 Mt Morris Park W, New York, NY

Harlem Jazz Series - Kevin Blancq

OCT

30

7:00 PM

15 Mt Morris Park W, New York, NY

Dame Dash’s “My Paid In Full”: Harlem Holiday Demands Credit And Accountability

Earl Grey Presents: I Am ME...On PURPOSE!

Jay Medal Soirée

NYC neighbors: post a gig, get bids, pick who you want — no cut of the job