Jazz Ain't Dead "Halloween Edition" Boogie Man Swing Commemorative Program 2021

Robert Frederick Smith Center for the Performing Arts
Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park
679 Riverside Drive
Harlem, NY

Boogie Man Swing
Produced by Jazzmobile, Jazz Ain’t Dead, & Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park
CLICK HERE TO SEE PERFORMANCE
YouTube URL: https://youtu.be/JkgWjOBSJcc
Program Order
Opening Greetings
Robin Bell-Stevens, Director of Jazzmobile
Overture
Band – Axel Tosca, Keys, Rogerst Charles, Alto Sax, Barry Stephenson, Bass,
Ismel Wignell, Congas, Knoel Scott, Baritone Bass, Alphonso Horne, Trumpet,
Jerome Jordan, Lead Guitar, Dave Gibson, Drums
My Funny Valentine
Antoinette Montague, Vocalist
Dancers – Jerome Melsaun Warren, Lyndsey Arorash, Steven Orrego Upegui,
Audrey Borst, Ryan Albee, & Alexzandra Knapp
C-Jam Blues
Antoinette Montague, Vocalist
Featuring Jazz Vernacular & Swing Master Sam Coleman partnered by
Candice Michelle Franklin
Copper Colored Gal
Rick Delancy, Vocalist
Dancers – Audrey Borst & Nia Washington
Fever
Rick Delancy, Vocalist
Dancers – Maddie Pineda, Steven Orrego Upegui, Ryan Albee

Overjoyed
Antoinette Montague, Vocalist
Dancers - Brandon Jones & Alexzandra Knapp
A Night in Tunisia
Featuring Afro Latin Jazz Master, Sekou McMiller with Candice Michelle Franklin
Summertime Interlude
Antoinette Montague, Vocalist
Sekou McMiller, Guest Dance Soloist
Dancers - Jerome Melsaun Warren & Audrey Borst
Summertime House
Antoinette Montague, Vocalist
Dancers - Jason Herbert, Lyndsey Arorash, Alexzandra Knapp,
Ryan Albee, Maddie Pineda, Steven Orrego Upegui, Nia Washington, Brandon Jones,
Audrey Borst & Jerome Melsaun Warren
Tap Jam
Calvin Booker, Tap Dance Artist
Let the Good Times Roll
Audience Members Invited to dance
Antoinette Montague, Vocalist with Calvin Booker, Tap Dance Artist
Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby
Rick Delancy, Vocalist with Candice Michelle Franklin
Witchcraft
Rick Delancy, Vocalist
Dancers - Steven Orrego Upegui, Alexandra Knapp, Jason Herbert, Maddie Pineda
I Put a Spell on You
Antoinette Montague, Vocalist
Dancers - Lyndsey Arorash & Brandon Jones
with Nia Washington & Audrey Borst
Thriller Swing
Rick Delancy, Vocalist
Dancers - Steven Orrego Upegui, Alexandra Knapp, Jason Herbert, Maddie Pineda,
Ryan Albee, & Lyndsey Arorash
Finale
ALL CAST MEMBERS AND FRIENDS!

Boogie Man Swing
Music Direction by Axel Tosca.
Choreography by Candice Michelle Franklin
***Additional Swing Choreography by Samuel Coleman***
Jazz Ain't Dead, co-produced by Jazzmobile and Denny Ferrell Riverbank State
Park, Presents a “Halloween Edition” FREE concert filled with Live Singers,
Live Dancers, Live Band, and a High-energy Floor Show!
HALLOWEEN
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31
Showtime 2:00 pm
Experience Swing, Blues, Latin Jazz, and Jazz
House come to life with an incredible stage show with
our band and dancers! Listen to several popular jazz
standards performed in new ways, plus, fun
Halloween twists on favorite hits like Witchcraft,
Fever, I Put a Spell on You, and other spooktacular
tunes and mysterious treats!
Featuring:
Antoinette Montague -Blues Master Vocalist Diva
Rick Delancy, Song & Dance Man
Special Guests:
Sekou McMiller -Afro Latin Jazz Dance Master
Samuel Coleman -Jazz Vernacular Swing/Lindy Hop Dance Master
Location:
Riverbank State Park @Riverside Drive & 145th Street
- Robert Frederick Smith Center for the Performing Arts -
Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park,
679 Riverside Drive
HARLEM, NY
Photography by Steven Halin
Dancers: Candice Michelle Franklin & Samuel Coleman

The Jazz Ain’t Dead Cast
Photography by Steven Halin
Jazz Ain’t Dead Band
Jazz Ain’t Dead Dancers
Axel Tosca, Keys
Barry Stephenson, Bass
David Gibson, Drums
Ismel Wignall, Congas
Jerome Jordan, Guitar
Rogerst Charles, Alto Sax
Alphonso Horne, Trumpet
Knoel Scott, Baritone Sax & Flute
Calvin Booker, Tap Artist
Candice Michele Franklin
Alexzandra Knapp
Lyndsey Arorash
Jerome Melsaun Warren
Brandon Jones
Steven Orrego Upegui
Ryan Albee
Maddie Pineda
Audrey Borst
Nia Simone Washington
Jason Herbert

Health & Safety
PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION,
GOVERNMENT-ISSUED PHOTO ID, AND MASK
AT ALL TIMES REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION!
All persons 12 and older must be vaccinated.
Masks are required. For the health and safety of
our patrons and performers, unvaccinated children
must show proof of a negative Covid test taken
within 72 hours at the door. Please be prepared to
show vaccination status at the door via vaccination
card, photo of vaccination card, or vaccination app
and Government-Issued Photo ID.
Special Thanks
• Jazzmobile
• Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park
• New York Foundation of the Arts
• City Artist Corps Grants Program
• Joffrey Ballet School (Affordable rental space and support)
• Seth Weine (Special Donation to Costume Fund)
• Irene and Nicole Franklin (Donation)
• Julie Donalek & The Estate of Dr. Mary Campbell Gallagher
• Steven Halin Photography
• Robin Williams & the Uptown Dance Academy
• Demar Braxton
• Shakirah & Skyla Stewart
• Julia Loving
• Cynthia Bowen & Adante Power
Photography by Steven Halin
Dancer: Maddie Pineda
Production
This program is produced together with Jazzmobile, Jazz Ain't Dead, and Denny Farrell
Riverbank State Park.
#CityArtistCorps
Choreographer and Dance Artist, Candice Michelle Franklin of Jazz Ain’t Dead, is one of the
New York City-based artists chosen to receive $5,000 through the City Artist Corps Grants
program, presented by The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and the New York City
Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), with support from the Mayor’s Office of Media and
Entertainment (MOME) as well as Queens Theatre.
**This program will be live-streamed on Youtube. Click Here.
Videography by Brandon Luckain.
#cityartistcorps #jazzaintdead #jazzmobilie #riverbankstatepark

Featured Artists
Rick Delancy
Host/Song & Dance Man
Guest Artists
Antoinette Montague
Vocalist
Samuel Coleman
Lindy Hop Swing & Vernacular Jazz Dance Master Artist
& Historical Jazz Dance Consultant to Jazz Ain’t Dead
Sekou McMiller
Afro Latin Jazz Dance Master Artist

Band Members
Jerome Jordan
Lead Guitar
Calvin Booker
Senior Member/Tap Artist
Barry Stephenson
Bass
Alphonso Horne
Trumpet
Axel Tosca
Music Director/Keys
Rogerst Charles
Senior Member/Alto Sax
David Gibson
Drums
Knoel Scott
Baritone Sax & Flute
Ismel Wignall
Congas

Dancers
Jerome Melsaun Warren
Founding Member
Alexzandra Knapp
Rehearsal Director
Lyndsey Arorash
Rehearsal Assistant
Demar Braxton
Founding Member Emeritus
Audrey Borst
Brandon Jones
Senior Member
Jason Herbert
Candice Michelle Franklin
Founder/Choreographer
Maddie Pineda
Ryan Albee
Nia Washington Steven Orrego Upegui Shakirah Stewart
Founding Member/Assistant

Steven Halin Photography

Steven Halin Photography

Steven Halin Photography

Steven Halin Photography

Steven Halin Photography

Steven Halin Photography

Steven Halin Photography

Steven Halin Photography

JAZZ AIN’T DEAD
Live Jazz MUSIC and DANCE Entertainment Reloaded
Jazz Ain’t Dead®, a YOUNG URBAN MUSIC and DANCE COLLECTIVE, playing both classic and
nu-school Jazz, re-ignites the best standards of classic jazz into the updated rhythms of funk, soul,
acid jazz, Latin and house, while binging new energy to the 21st Century Jazz scene with hot FRESH
originals and clever new arrangements of today’s hot music re-imagined into a new, classically “jazzinspired”
sound.
“The Future of Live Jazz Music & Dance Entertainment . . .”
Jazz Ain’t Dead features live dancers, a live mixing DJ, and a host of special guest musicians and
vocalists that are well known around the globe!
Jazz Ain’t Dead’s direction and choreography is by Candice Michelle Franklin, with musical direction
by Axel Tosca and principal music arrangements by Chris Rob.
Jazz Ain’t Dead® has performed at various venues and has partnered with various musicians and
artists including Onaje Allan Gumbs, Lafayette Harris, Jr., Isis, Shakti, Art Auré, Rajdulari Barnes, Stix
Bones, Maritri Garrett, Mem Nahadr, Mo Beasley, and theatrical musical plays by Tiny Star
Productions. Jazz Ain’t Dead has been presented by MTV’s Listen to the Beat, Joyce SoHo,
Jazzmobile’s Harlem Shrines, Jazzmobile New York Senior Center tour, Midland Jazz Festival
Rockland, MD, Harlem Arts Festival, New York Jazz Choreography Project, and Mo Beasley’s Urban
Erotika “Dem Dirty Sexxxy Blues.” Jazz Ain’t Dead has also performed in such venues as the
Kumble Theater, the Apollo Theater, the Iridium NYC, Jordan’s Lounge, Bowery Poetry Club, Theater
of Riverside Church, Roulette, Adinkra House, Symphony Space, Paradise Theatre, Sage Theater,
American Theatre of Actors, Peridance, Brooklyn Academy of Music BAM Café, John Jay College,
Dance New Amsterdam, National Black Theatre, Manhattan Movement and Arts Center (MMAC),
and City College’s Marion Anderson Theater.

Robin Bell-Stevens,
Jazzmobile Director & Executive Producer
Jazzmobile's mission is to present, preserve, promote
and propagate America's classical music, Jazz. We
achieve this through our core programs: Summerfest,
Lecture Demonstrations (in schools, museums and
senior centers) and Saturday Jazz Workshops and
special presentations in concert halls, night clubs,
churches and other venues.
We are the first U.S. not-for-profit arts and cultural
organization created with a mission just for Jazz. Since
the beginning, we have been bringing high quality Jazz
performances and Jazz education programs to area
residents, tourists and other visitors. We have also
toured nationally and internationally. Under the banner
of the 'Super Jazz Band' Produced by Jazzmobile we
have toured the United States and cities in Europe and
Japan. Since the beginning, we have reached diverse
audiences, exceeding 4,000,000.
Jazzmobile was founded in 1964 by National
Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, pianist, Dr. Billy
Taylor and philanthropist and arts administrator, Ms.
Daphne Arnstein. Together NEA Jazz Master Jimmy
Heath and Dr. Taylor founded our core programs and
since the beginning, we have been bringing high quality Jazz performances and education programs.
1921-1922 we are celebrating Dr. Billy Taylor’s 100 th Birthday!
Whether on the street, in a park or at a major concert hall here or abroad, Jazzmobile works in
partnership with like-minded organizations to present world-class Jazz performances that enrich the
culture and imbue new life into the surrounding area.
Our workshops, master classes, lecture demonstrations, and arts enrichment programs train and
inform the next generation of Jazz vocalists, musicians and audiences, while also exposing youth to
this vibrant art form. For jazz aficionados and other enthusiasts, our panel discussions increase the
knowledge of our many adult followers. Our primary aim is to reach out to communities where Jazz
was nurtured, and new forms of this music are born.
We are very proud of being an inspiration to other organizations such as The Manchester Craftsman's
Guild in Pennsylvania and New York City’s Jazz at Lincoln Center.
For more information about Jazzmobile visit www.jazzmobile.org.

Candice Michelle Franklin, Artistic
Director/Choreographer/Dancer
Originally from St. Louis, MO, born and bred into
Jazz dance and influenced greatly by the Jazz music
scene, Candice Michelle Franklin is a New Yorkbased
professional dancer, choreographer, and
producer who has been seen in numerous film, TV
shows, music videos, industrials, and, of course, on
the live stage performing in plays and dance
companies. She has a B.A. in Fine Arts majoring in
Dance on four-year scholarship, studied on
scholarship at Steps on Broadway, trained in St.
Louis at Missouri Concert Ballet, and, upon invitation
to New York, received her conservatory training at
the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She owns
The Pro DANZ Group, Inc. in which she oversees
the dance and creative direction of several
performance groups, recording artists, industrials,
and stage shows.
Her work has been performed in a host of New York
venues including Jacob Javitz Convention Center,
The Syracuse OnCenter, MTV/Viacom, Capitale,
Odeum Expo Center, Broad Street Ballroom, The
Kumble Theater, the National Black Theater,
Symphony Space, Joyce SoHo, Brooklyn Academy
of Music's BAM Cafe, Webster Hall, The SPACE at
Westbury/Westbury Theater, Stage 48, the Oheka Castle, The Theater of Riverside Church, The
Sage Theater, American Theater of Actors, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, John Jay College, and
New York’s City College, as well as numerous casinos on the east coast such as Turning Stone, the
Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Tropicana, Borgata, and Caesar’s.
In addition, she has served as choreographer for over 15 years with CEG Productions LLC. as well as
for a number of recording artists including internationally celebrated Bollywood Hip hop artist,
SHAKTI, and Grammy award-winning recording artist, Macy Gray. A forever student, she is
continuing her education in Latin Ballroom Dance technique under the DVIDA Syllabus at the
Ballroom Dance Teacher's College in New Mexico and has just received her FULL Associate
Certificate in the Rhythm Syllabus with a concentration on Mambo, Cha Cha, Rumba, Bolero, and
East Coast Swing.
Currently, Miss Franklin serves as choreographer for recording artist, ART AURÉ, tours as a Master
Teacher/ Adjudicator Instructor for Joffrey Ballet School, and works as the producer and
choreographer for Jazz Ain’t Dead®, a live band, and
dance production group. Miss Franklin also is studying
Katherine Dunham Technique as a certification
candidate in addition to graduate school as an MBA
candidate in the Berklee College of Music/SHNU joint
Music Business program. Moreover, she is a founding
member of iDANZ, a 501 (c)3 dance advocacy non-profit
and a proud union member of SAG-AFTRA.

Axel Tosca, Music Director/Keys
Cuban-born, Grammy-nominated pianist Axel
Tosca is a dynamic performer known for his genrebending
mix of Jazz, Latin, and Timba music. Born
in Cuba in 1983, Tosca grew up in a prestigious
musical family. His mother is renowned Trova
singer Xiomara Laugart and his father, folk singerguitarist
Alberto Tosca. Introduced to guitar at age
four, Tosca was also playing piano by age seven
and soon joined his parents on-stage playing his first
show at Casa de las Americas. Along with
performing with his parents, he attended music
school. One of his teachers was Miriam Valdez, the
daughter of Cuban piano legends Bebo Valdez and
sister of Chucho Valdez. With this first-class
education, it enabled him to gain a wide range of
experiences playing with groups like Dennis &
Swing, the Afro-Cuban All-Stars, Bobby
Carcases, Teresa Garcia Caturla, Jose Miguel
Crego, and more. Along with classical music, jazz,
and Latin traditions, he also discovered hip-hop and
played with The Roots when they toured Cuba.
While in Cuba Tosca not only played with these legends but had won multiple piano
competitions before moving to the United States in 2005 as part of the Havana Nights revue that
played for two years at the world-famous Stardust Casino and Resort, in Las Vegas. His education
did not stop there, and he soon enrolled in the jazz department at the New School for Jazz and
Contemporary Music. Later, in 2011, he joined Jazz Ain’t Dead, a live music and dance production
group, as pianist for the Joyce SoHo run and has continued to perform with the show and creating
new rep until present. Since being based in New York, he has earned plaudits playing in clubs as a
solo artist as well as with (U)nity, a richly cross-pollinated jazz band in which he is a founding
member.
In 2016, he released his debut album, the eponymous Axel Tosca. Included were guest appearances
by his Mother, vocalist Xiomara Laugart, trumpeter Keyon Harold, saxophonist Ron Blake,
drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, bassist James Genus, percussionist Luisito Quintero, and others. In 2019
Tosca, a former founding member of (U)nity, performed to a sold-out audience at Tokyo's Blue Note.
Currently, Tosca has worked with George Clinton, BeBe Winans, The Clark Sisters, DJ / Producer /
Remixer's Louie Vega and David Morales, Stretch & Bobbito, Mae-Sun, Steve Gadd, Ray Chew,
Lenny White, Pino Palladino, Giovanni Hidalgo, Jocelyn Brown, Karren Wheeler, Monique Bingham,
Godwin Lewis and J Balvin and Bad
Bunny. Most recently, he was honored for his
piano artistry with two Grammy nominations
one for Louie Vega’s 2017 roots mix, “Can’t
Let You Go” and, the other for Louie Vega’s
2020 remix of “Praying For You.”
Influenced by a wide range of musical
experiences growing up in Cuba, there is no
limit for this visionary pianist.

Jazz Ain’t Dead
is a Young Urban New Yorkbased,
Live Music and
Dance Production.
Thank You For Viewing
Produced by the following organizations:
Jazzmobile
www.Jazzmobile.com
Jazz Ain’t Dead
www.JazzAintDead.com
Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park
www.parks.ny.gov/parks/93/
Our Show!
Production:
Robin Bell-Stevens, Jazzmobile Director
Candice Michelle Franklin, Artistic Director
Axel Tosca, Music Director
Sherwin Pichardo, Technical Director
Gwendolyn M. Gilliam, Stage Manager
Anthony Austin, Director of Photography
Brandon Luckain, Videographer & Live Streaming
Steven Halin, Photographer
Alexzandra Knapp, Rehearsal Director
Lyndsey Arorash, Rehearsal Assistant
Demur Braxton, Rehearsal Assistant
Shakirah Stewart, Assistant to the Choreographer
Cynthia Bowen, Wardrobe
Julia Loving, Wardrobe
Contact Us:
jazzaintdead@gmail.com
WhatsApp: 212-426-1305
Watch Us:
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www.Youtube.com/JazzAintDead
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www.facebook.com/groups/jazzaintdeadgroup
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Pro DANZ Group, Inc, Management.
New York, NY

www.JazzAintDead.com
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