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Artists | Experiences | VIP Experiences |

Host Committee | Sponsorship| Throwback to HP21

The House Party 2022 Line-up

Keep checking for updates to the line-up!

ALBA MUSIK

“ALBA” means dawn in Spanish. It’s when light breaks through the darkness and we get to start anew. Alba is a new awakening that helps after these last years of struggle and loss. ALBA is also “AL” for Albert Alabedra, guitarist and composer from Barcelona, Spain and “BA” for Bárbara Martínez, flamenco singer/dancer from New York City. Welcome to the Party, ALBA Musik!

BABI BIBI

Baba Bibi is a band founded by the Tony Award-winning Stew of Passing Strange & The Negro Problem fame. Its aim is to create background music for experimental-soul-pop cookouts, to which all are invited, provided they bring something. Welcome to the party, Baba Bibi!

CHAMPION SHOGO AND THE ELITE 4

When he’s not playing Carnegie Hall with Jon Batiste or winning Grammys with Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, multi-woodwind instrumentalist Jasper Dütz does what he loves: exploring the depths of video game music. Welcome to the party, Champion Shogo and the Elite 4!

EGGS BENATAR

They’re back, and that’s not a Promise in the Dark. Eggs Benatar, House Party icons and Brooklyn’s premier Pat Benatar cover band, return to Hit You with Their Best Shots from the 70s and 80s. Welcome (back) to the Party, Eggs Benatar!

CHRISTINE CORNELL & RICK HIP-FLORES 

Sensational songstress and BKCM faculty member Christine Cornell will take us through the years of the Tony Awards and perform beloved hits from the winning shows throughout the decades. Christine will be accompanied by Rick Hip-Flores (conductor: Broadway Fun Home, Rocky, Beautiful). Welcome to the Party, Christine Cornell!

ANNA COLLITON / GABRIEL DONOHUE / ALASDAIR WHITE

A true powerhouse of Celtic music, Anna (Tony-winnning Come From Away on Broadway), Gabriel (GRAMMY award-winning The Chieftans), and Alasdair (The Battlefield Band) come together to present a night of Irish and Scottish fiddle tunes, jigs, and more. Welcome to the Party, Anna, Gabriel and Alasdair!

ELLAJAY DOES THE 90S

If you pine for scrunchies, the macarena and Tamagotchis, this might be the room for you. “Ellajay,” (aka BKCM music therapist Stephanie Schecter) is an indie singer/songwriter based in Brooklyn, NY. She draws listeners in with ear-candy hooks, raw and earnest lyrics, and a charmingly graceful voice packaged in a fun alt-pop vibe. At this year’s House Party, Ellajay will be all about the 90s to help us celebrate the music that made the decade. Welcome to the party, Ellajay!

FREELANCE

Freelance is a Harlem-based collective and band with an expansive sound and encyclopedic knowledge of musical genres. Fresh off their recent performance at BRIC JazzFest 2022, Freelance blends styles and manipulates melodies to create an aesthetic signature uniquely their own. Individually, these all-star musicians regularly accompany Grammy winners like Robert Glasper, Solange, Estelle, Esperanza Spalding and more. Freelance’s name derives from their decision to live and work as a collective of musical entrepreneurs, allowing them to create their own means of generating income and a working model for creative freedom. Welcome to the party, Freelance!

GOTHAM KINGS

Gotham Kings is a high-energy immersive jazz experience! Two-time Grammy-nominated trumpeter Alphonso Horne has put together a band that weaves the sound of New Orleans into a rich musical fabric that demonstrates the history of the trumpet and the story of jazz. Welcome to the Party, Gotham Kings!

HUDSON HORNS

Hudson Horns is one of the most sought-after brass bands in NYC. The hottest new talent coming out of NYC, HH members excel in sound, creativity, and performance. The players in this diverse ensemble have collaborated with the music industry’s leading artists such as Rihanna, Solange, Jacob Collier, and many more! Welcome to the Party, Hudson Horns!

JESS DEBELLIS

Accordionist Jess Debellis will be half of the polka duo providing the musical ambience for our “German Beer Hall.” Maybe Jess is just a journeyman accordionist who will wow you with Western European polka masterworks of the early 20th century. Or maybe he’ll break into a Beyoncé tune halfway through the night. There’s no way to know for sure. Either way, welcome to the Party, Jess Debellis!

KENNEY GREEN

It’s time for your glorious return to the thea-tahhh! House Party favorite Kenney Green returns so that you can belt your favorite Broadway tunes long into the night. Welcome (back) to the party, Kenney!

MEGAGALACTIC SPACE

This new psychedelic raga rock outfit by members of Brooklyn Raga Massive performs original music inspired by Indian classical raga along with reinterpretations of classics from Ravi Shankar, Funkadelic, the Beatles and more. With Neel Murgai on sitar/effects, Indofunk Satish on trumpet/effects, Tripp Dudley on drumset and Matt Geraghty on bass. Welcome to the Party, Megagalactic Space!

MELVIS SANTA PRESENTS ELLAS-SON

BKCM Jazz Leaders Fellow Melvis Santa has joined the lineup for House Party! Melvis Santa presents ELLAS-SON, an all-female band that highlights the presence and contribution of women to the history of Latin jazz and Cuban dance music. With this project Melvis honors the incredible women in Latin music that inspire her, while continuing their legacy. Ellas-Son features Melvis (vocals, percussion, bandleader), Nicki Dener (piano), Liany Mateo (bass), Colette Michaan (flute), Camila Celin (guitar) and Jaquelene Acevedo (congas).Welcome to the Party, Ellas-Son!

PRIMADONNA

“The Little Lady With the Big Voice” has been featured on MTV and was voted the youngest ever Carnival Queen in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, earning her image on a postage stamp. She has performed with Caribbean luminaries such as Sparrow, Becket, and Shaggy, just to name a few. She and her band will be serving up Caribbean party music! Welcome to the Party, PrimAdonna!

RALPH MCDANIELS

The legendary VJ Ralph McDaniels will be giving our audience an unforgettable after party. Ralph McDaniels is a music video director, DJ and VJ, and a pioneer of the Hip-Hop scene. In 1983, he co-created and began co-hosting the music video program Video Music Box with Lionel C. Martin, a show which is still going strong today.

ROMÁN DIAZ

A true master of percussion and the sacred Batá Drums, Román Diaz is one of New York’s treasures. Featured in documentaries such as Calle 54 and Dame La Mano, the group will play the Oro Seco from traditional Santería ceremony. Welcome to the Party, Román Diaz!

SEAN MASON

Rising star pianist Sean Mason is quickly becoming the first call for swinging jazz piano in NYC. Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Mason now consistently performs in NYC as a bandleader and collaborator of legends including Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis and Herlin Riley. Mason also performs for theater and film; you may have seen him onscreen as the pianist in Netflix’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” or onstage in Broadway’s “Hadestown!” Welcome to the party, Sean Mason!

PLASTIC REPERTOIRE FEATURING INÈS NASSARA

Take vocalist, actress, and storyteller Inès Nassara and match her with House Party veteran Ben Hoffman (Eggs Benetar, Peoples Champs), and you have a team that can take you on a journey of re-funkified songs from all of your favorite eras. Welcome to the party, Inès and Ben!

PAPER ANNIVERSARY

Paper Anniversary is led by husband and wife songwriting duo Katherine Slingluff and Andy Stuckey, bringing their Dothan, Alabama roots to Brooklyn, NY, where they now call home. Their songs are a blend of country, bluegrass and Americana that spotlight the highs and lows of being in a relationship. Welcome to the party, Paper Anniversary!

PETE RUSHEFSKY AND ELEONORE BIEZUNSKI

Pete Rushefsky and Eleonore Biezunski bring the hottest Eastern European music from the early 20th century with a rarely-heard instrument: the tsimbl/cimbalom, a hammered dulcimer originating in Budapest. Welcome to the Party, Pete Rushefsky and Eleanore Biezunski!

MAMADOU MBENGUE SARR

Mamadou Mbengue Sarr is a master of the tama (talking drum) from Senegal.  This prolific artist comes from a family dedicated to preserving history and tradition through music and dance. He has toured internationally with Abdou Guite Seck, Paa Kow, Super Yamba Band and others. Sarr now leads “Mamadou Sarr’s Amazing Band,” whose music is based on Senegalese rhythms and songs. Welcome to the party, Mamadou and The Amazing Band!

VUYO SOTASHE

The South African tenor Vuyo Sotashe has both jazz and theater audiences keeping their ears wide open. With his wide-ranging vocal tone and rhythmic sensibility, it’s a stylistic cocktail you won’t soon forget! Welcome to the Party, Vuyo Sotashe!

SOAK UP THE SUN

Formed in 2022, NYC-based South Korean Pop band Soak Up the Sun is known for their great, bouncy K-Pop! This fun-loving band will be joining us in Brooklyn on November 10, but Soak Up the Sun regularly performs across the five boroughs. The band features June Yoon (voice), Sung Kim (piano), Kenny Cha (bass), Haedong Yoon (guitarist) and Hwanho Oh (drums). Welcome to the party, Soak Up the Sun!

THE TEE-TONES

As seen on Late Night with Steven Colbert and heard at parties hosted by Paul McCartney and even Berry Gordy himself, The Tee-Tones traces the roots of group harmony – from the street corner groups and hit artists of the 1950’s through the great Motown singing groups and soul acts of the 1960’s and ’70’s. Soulful a cappella at its finest! Welcome to the Party, The Tee-Tones!

YACOUBA SISSOKO

Taught kora by his grandfather, Yacouba Sissoko comes from a family line of Malian musicians dating back centuries. Yacouba Sissoko has modernized the kora sound, collaborating with contemporary music greats such as Harry Belafonte, Lauryn Hill and Paul Simon. Welcome to the Party, Yacouba Sissoko!

Our Experiences:

THE GERMAN BEER HALL (PRESENTED BY BLACK FOREST BROOKLYN)

From across the Atlantic Ocean to Atlantic Ave., 1897 was an auspicious year if you were in Brooklyn or loved beer (and who doesn’t?) It was the year BKCM opened and also the year the infamous Hofbraus in Munich opened its doors. To celebrate this tasty bit of synchronicity, we’re offering our version of a beloved Bavarian brewery, complete with brats and beers; pretzels, and polka. Can you say Ja bitte?

SPOONS & TOONS (PRESENTED BY SECRET FORMULA)

Harken back to the days when Saturday mornings weren’t for sleeping in but actually meant getting up EARLY! It’s hard for us to remember, too, but it definitely was a thing, because – cartoons, that’s why. Enjoy a room where grown-ups can enjoy their Scooby Doo and Cocoa Puffs with more than a glass of milk!  Breakfast of champions, indeed. Also, admit it, we all had a crush on Velma…

THE SODA FOUNTAIN: OPEN ALL NIGHT

What’s better than a good old-fashioned egg cream? A good old-fashioned egg cream with booze!  Classic cocktails? Check. Jukebox hits of the 50s and beyond? Check. Nifty checkered tablecloths… well, check. After a couple of pops at our diner, you’re going to be real gone. Just don’t go too soon because the BKCM House Party, like all the best diners, is open late!

JELL-O THROUGH THE AGES

Ready to watch it wiggle and see it jiggle? We know you are! Come make some fun in a room we’re calling “Jell-O Through the Ages.” From the dessert you loved as a toddler to the shots that you really loved in college, BKCM will bring it all to life in one room. Your grandma’s weird Jell-O salad, probably not. Jell-O wrestling? It’s not on the menu, but the BKCM House Party is known for its surprises.

THE LITE BRITE

You wanna get lit? We’re here for you at BKCM. Inspired by nostalgia for the 1960s toy Lite Brite, we’re going big… and we literally mean big, as in large. We’ve made an oversized Lite Brite …powered by Liquor.  For real. The possibilities are endless –  and probably delicious.

VIP Experiences:

Here’s a sneak peak at the experiences House Party VIPs will have access to:

• The Musical Amuse-bouche: An exclusive pre-event starting at 6 pm in the BKCM Concert Hall with five musical acts, five hors d’oeuvres and five cocktails representing distinct time periods
• A VIP-dedicated Martini bar with a special mixologist (in Studio 007, of course)
• The V-I-Pee Comfort Station
• and much more!

Our VIP Amuse Bouche will be hosted by Lezlie Harrison. Lezlie Harrison is an esteemed vocalist whose work spans jazz, blues, gospel, soul, and original compositions. Regardless of the form, Lezlie imbues her music with a distinctive stamp and personal delivery. Lezlie is also known for her work as a curator and presenter for WBGO, the premier jazz radio station, where she shares her love of America’s classical music.

An active member of the New York and global jazz scene, Lezlie launched New York’s world-renowned JAZZ Gallery alongside the late Dale Fitzgerald and trumpeter Roy Hargrove. At BKCM, Lezlie is a member of our Jazz Leaders Fellow Committee.

Our Host Committee

Our Host Committee

(as of Nov 7, 2022)

Matt and Heather Borstein
Cinnamon Chambers
Natalia Chefer and Joel Tompkins
Henry Choi and Sandy Lin
David Cone-Gorham and Beth Ricciardone
Chad Cooper and Claire Ellis
Daniel and Alexis DiPietro
Robin Dull and Laurie Kardos
Jon and Jen Ellis
Eric Friedman and Emily Rubenstein
Tatyana and Oleg Gershkovich
Russell Gordon and Raquel Jaramillo
Jeffrey Grossman
Neil Gupta and Seema Dhar
Syvia Hang
Marie Hill and Tom Xu
Jill Jefferson
Chiwoniso Kaitano and Andrew Sabl
Julie Kay and Thomas Fergus
Andrea Knutson
Pamela Koo
Bruce Lee
Bernadette Levandowski and Andrew Chipok
Jonathan Levey and Melanie Barr
William and Ellyn Lindsay
M&T Bank
Mari Matoba and Michael Walters
Jerri and Tom Mayer
Vivek Menezes and Maitri Morarji
Benjamin Meyer and Beth Schacter
Margaret Meyers
Dede and Sal Moore
Allen Murabayashi
Nancy and Vivek Nayar
NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
Preetha Nooyi and Rem Myers
Naomi Nwosu-Stewart
Erica Oquendo
Konrad Payne and Ashima Aggarwal
Brian Polen and Erin Valentine
Samantha Rudin
Sailaja Sastry and Jason Gottlieb
Lynn Schneider
Melanie Smith and Stephen Schulz
Russ Soper and Selina Strong
Mamie Kanfer Stewart and Justin Stewart
J. David Sweeny
Frederick Tang and Ziki Dekel
Nicholas and Linda Tatlow
The Taylor Family
Thigpen Hill Family Fund
Pierre Vilain
James Weiss and Ashley Cotton
Rob Wetstone

Sponsorship Opportunities

Click HERE to see our 2022 HP Sponsorship Deck!

A Look Back at House Party 2021

Click HERE to read last year’s post-event press release!