Englewood Makes History

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  • During the 1920s, the Englewood Conservatory of Music emerged as one of the borough’s most important cultural institutions. Operating out of the Lyceum Building on Palisade Avenue, the conservatory combined formal music instruction with a vibrant public concert program that…
  • Charlotte “Lotte” Lehmann was one of the great dramatic sopranos of the twentieth century, celebrated for her interpretations of Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, and Ludwig van Beethoven. Born in Perleberg, Germany, in 1888, she rose from modest beginnings to become a star of…
  • Frank Sinatra, born in Hoboken in 1915, became one of the most influential American entertainers of the twentieth century. Rising to fame in the late 1930s with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey orchestras, he launched a solo career in the early 1940s that ignited unprecedented…
  • Marvin “Bugalu” Smith (born 1948) is an American jazz percussionist recognized for his dynamic style and long association with Sun Ra and the Sun Ra Arkestra. Across decades of performance, teaching, and international touring, Smith has built a reputation as both a powerful…
  • Jones, Patrick Stanfield is an American guitarist, vocalist, composer, arranger, and producer whose music bridges blues, rock, jazz, and folk traditions. Known for his expressive guitar work and thoughtful songwriting, Jones combines roots-based authenticity with a contemporary…
  • Earl Clarence “Buster” Smith was a jazz drummer whose steady, expressive playing connected him to both mainstream and avant-garde currents in postwar American music. Born on March 20, 1932, in Englewood, New Jersey, Smith spent much of his life rooted in the same community where…
  • Paul Robeson’s appearance in Englewood on January 28, 1942, was at once a cultural triumph and a revealing episode in the racial and political tensions of wartime Bergen County. Robeson was engaged by the Englewood Youth Federation to perform at the Plaza Theatre as a benefit…
  • Gary Juan Harris was a visionary music executive, A&R man, DJ, and cultural connector whose career traced the rise of hip-hop from New York’s underground to the center of American popular culture. Known for his instinctive ear, deep cultural literacy, and uncommon ability to…
  • Swizz Beatz (born Kasseem Dean in 1978) is an American music producer, rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, and art collector. Emerging in the late 1990s as a key producer for the Ruff Ryders collective, he became known for creating energetic, percussion-driven beats that helped…
  • Alicia Keys (born Alicia Augello Cook in 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, producer, and actress whose blend of R&B, soul, jazz, and classical influences made her one of the most successful recording artists of the 21st century. She rose to international…
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