Beloved vocalist and entertainer Reggie Kelly left us on November 19th. Please join us to celebrate his life and the lives he touched with a performance at BOP STOP on the night Reggie was supposed to return to our stage. The evening will be hosted by and feature vocalist Evelyn Wright, along with performers from Karamu House, and Dr. Clarence Taylor will speak on Reggie's recording work.

Tickets to attend in person are $20 each. A portion of the ticket proceeds will go to support Reggie's family to help cover funeral costs. This event will also be livestreamed on BOP STOP's Facebook page at showtime. Accessing the stream is free but donations are encouraged and directly support the event.

Featuring:

• Evelyn Wright, vocals
• Joe Hunter, piano
• Peter Dominguez, bass
• Anthony Taddeo, drums

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Reggie Kelly is remembered as a multi award-winning singer, actor, dancer, choreographer, and playwright with over 40 years of professional experience in the United States and abroad. Reggie had been resident Director/Choreographer for the Black Theater Troop in Phoenix Arizona the West Coast Black Theater in Sarasota Florida, the Paul Robinson Theater in Buffalo New York, Earlham College in Richmond Indiana, Karamu House in Cleveland Ohio, Florida A&M University in Tallahassee Florida, and Howard University in Washington DC.

A protege of international, critically acclaimed director-choreographer Mike Malone who's alumni of students include Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad, Dave Chappelle, Taraji P Henson, Anthony Anderson, recording artists Ami Stewart Tony Terry and a host of Broadway and film greats. His professional director-choreographer achievements were honored with national award winning stage productions of the wide tapestry of African American classics that include: Dreamgirls, the Black Nativity, Eubie, Spunk, Once on This Island, Don't Bother Me I Xan't Xope, Five Guys named Moe, Xmas is Xomin Uptown, Blues in the Night, and the critically acclaimed staging of the Opera Canaan-land, premiering at The Palace Theater in Cleveland Ohio. Reggie conceived, directed, and choreographed the Motown musical biography Soul Sounds for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which became the longest running touring production in Cleveland Ohio. He also held the distinction of being the first African American choreographer for both the Cleveland Playhouse and the Cleveland Orchestra.

Another chapter includes rave reviews as professional leading actor in Dream Girls, Once on This Island, national tour of Showboat ( Cleveland Opera- Portland Opera), Sankofa starring Ossie Davis, the Virgin Island and European International tour of The Black Gospel, Sepia stages at the Kennedy Center and Five Guys Named Moe (Ford Theater Washington DC: Helen Hayes nomination for best actor in a musical). Reggie Kelly also starred in the national tour of Heaven's Child: The Emmett Till story co-star and Grammy award-winner Regina Belle and TV actress Charnele Brown of the television series, A Different World.

Having semi-retired from the professional theater some years ago, Reggie Kelly was traveling the world, with rave reviews, singing and enchanting audiences, with his unique velvety smooth jazz vocals. Headlining premiere jazz rooms, annual jazz festivals invitations, concert halls, and soloist with the renowned Cleveland Jazz Orchestra. Opening act for recording artists Najee at the Nautica stage and Angie Stone at the House of Blues, reoccurring appearances at B Smith's at Union Station Washington DC, and a 2-year residency at the International Continental hotels with his jazz quartet, The Gents of Jazz.

Reggie Kelly was a featured soloist and staging director of the New York Harlem Singers, a six-member vocal ensemble annually touring Japan, China, and South Korea under the musical direction of Grammy award-winning musical director and vocal arranger, e'Marcus Harper-Short.

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Evelyn Wright is a professional vocalist for over forty plus years and dear friend of Reggie's. She revels in the styles of jazz, R&B, and pop. She has toured throughout the United States and Canada performing in top clubs and concert halls, and has opened for the likes of Mel Torme, Joan Rivers, Harry Belafonte, and David "Fathead" Newman. Evelyn has performed for the First Lady Rosalyn Carter, Oprah Winfrey, and General Colin Powell. In 2008, she was given the Jazz Legend Award from Tri-C Community College.