Bono Rocks the Apollo

The U2 frontman joined the festivities somewhere in the middle of the Jazz Foundation of America's annual benefit singing "Angel in Harlem," assuredly an anthem to the Apollo theater. In rock style, the orchestra audience rushed the stage, iPhones snapping. Bono was simply one of many headliners in "A Great Night in Harlem," orchestrated by SNL's Hal Willner. Quincy Jones presented the Dr. Billy Taylor Humanitarian Award to Montreux Jazz Festival's esteemed Claude Nobs. Macy Gray, Dr. John, Randy Weston, Paquito D'Rivera, David Johansen, the Treme Brass Band, the Kansas City Band with reference to Robert Altman's great 1996 film, Essie Mae Brooks, John Dee Holeman, Sweet Georgia Brown and George Wein took the legendary stage. Darrel Hammond and Triumph the Insult Dog lent some comic relief as did The Sopranos veterans Vince Curatola and John Ventimiglia. Wendy Oxenhorn wailed on her harmonica. Macy Gray's "At Last" was assuredly meant to remember the great Etta James, but no one could have anticipated that music would lose yet another yesterday, Donna Summer, for whom there was a moment of silence.

A version of this post also appears on Gossip Central.