Tin Pan Alley Black Music

Join music director Robert Lamont and singer and actress Gabrielle Lee for an enthralling journey into the early years of American musical comedy. Through live performance and storytelling, these esteemed performers will explore the relationship between Tin Pan Alley and the New York stage, highlighting the powerful contributions of Black composers, lyricists, publishers, and performers between 1890 and 1910.

The song-filled evening will spotlight the rise of Black-owned publishing houses on 28th Street and the Broadway productions that established this music as part of the Great American Songbook. Lee and Lamont will illustrate how the sheet music and poster art featured in the exhibition Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage and Screen shaped popular culture across the United States and around the world. They will also share stories of the influential women who helped define American show music during this vibrant period.

Robert Lamont is a musical director, arranger, and pianist known for his work in musical theater and American song traditions. He has collaborated with leading vocalists, theater artists, and cultural institutions throughout New York, bringing historical and contemporary performance practices into conversation. Lamont’s deep knowledge of Tin Pan Alley and early Broadway music shapes his dynamic approach to musical storytelling.

Gabrielle Lee is a singer and actress whose career spans Broadway, national tours, concert stages, and film and television. She is celebrated for her powerful vocals and rich interpretive style, with performance credits that highlight a wide range of American musical traditions.