Blog
Levitt venues and concert sites are jazzing up their free music series this season
Finding its roots in New Orleans in the 1880s, the music genre of jazz improvised its way from a blend of ragtime, marches, blues and other types of music as African American musical traditions mixed with European influences. Today, jazz is a broad style of music distinguished by syncopated rhythms and complex harmonies with regional…
Levitt National Tour Returns in 2022
Get ready to dance because the Levitt National Tour is back! After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the tour will return in 2022 with a six-venue run, highlighting the collective impact of the Levitt network and a common mission to build community through music. Sharing that vision, The New Respects, a rising trio known for bright, feel-good tracks stacked…
Meet the Oscar Nominees for Best Original Song
Original songs drive the soundtracks of our favorite films and often linger in our heads long after we leave the theater. This Sunday, the 94th Academy Awards will honor success in this field through the Best Original Song award. From Beyoncé’s “Be Alive” setting the stage for King Richard’s rigorous tennis training montages to Billie Eilish’s “No…
Music mavens who inspire beyond the Levitt stage
After listing the definition, Merriam-Webster refers to stereotype as “an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic.” Breaking this “his”tory of bias, we continue to celebrate Women’s Herstory Month by highlighting some past Levitt performers who inspire us, not only by their artistry on…
The power of love and music: Ways you can help the people of Ukraine
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” Mohammed Ali Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ukrainian people for their safety and sovereignty, and for the return of peace to their homeland. Russia’s invasion has caused a grave humanitarian crisis for the suffering and displaced. Here are ways…
Three Black trailblazing music makers: Florence Price, Mamie Smith and Sister Rosetta Tharpe
There are so many valuable contributions from musicians and performers that bring joy to our lives and feed our musical souls. While we can’t know every artist in the history of music, there are many who are not household names, but should be! In honor of Black History Month, we’re sharing the stories of three…
Gong xi fa cai! The Year of the Tiger roars in 2022
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig…which are you? If you were born in the years 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 or 2010, congrats Tiger—2022 happens to be your lucky year! The Chinese New Year, or the Lunar New Year (throughout Asia), is a cultural celebration based…
Five ways to “keep moving” this MLK Day
Monday we’ll celebrate the life and legacy of civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a driving force behind nonviolent social activism in the 1950s and 1960s, Dr. King’s iconic words and courageous actions have fueled social change in the U.S. and across the globe. While Dr. King is no longer with us,…
Best of 2021: Levitt Staff Playlist
Music is at the core of who we are and the work we do at the Levitt Foundation. Looking back on another challenging year, music was a source of comfort and joy as we moved and grooved to the beats and rhythms of 2021, whether we gathered in person to once again enjoy live concerts or played tunes at home…