A theatrical concert celebrating the lineage, artistry, and community foundations of iconic Black female performers, Belle Noire is a dazzling musical tribute to the iconic Black songstresses who defined American music from the dawn of early jazz to the height of the swing era. It traces a historical and cultural through line from early Black women entertainers to contemporary performers, weaving music, movement, narration, and archival imagery in an immersive theatrical concert celebrating the sound, style, and soul of jazz legends like Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, Eartha Kitt, Dorothy Dandridge, and Ella Fitzgerald. Blending vintage visuals, cinematic projections, elegant costuming, tap dance, and live jazz, Belle Noire offers a cabaret-meets-theater experience that is both nostalgic and strikingly contemporary.

Including performances cut from classic films like “Broadway Rhythm” and “Sun Valley Serenade,” many of which were unfairly cut from southern theater releases, the production brings these lost moments back to life through theatrical renditions and imagined recreations where no footage exists. Created by New Orleans-born vocalist Kay Lewis and her mother Leila Lewis, and originally developed in collaboration with choreographer and director Mickey Davidson for its New Orleans premiere, Belle Noire’s New York presentation expands its narrative structure and historical through-line, honoring these jazz legends.

“We weren’t seeing much of this type of performance anywhere; not on YouTube, not online,” shares Leila. “Not just singers in pretty gowns, but theatrical, character-driven shows. So we figured if we started it, maybe others would be inspired to follow.”

A personal project born from the profound bond between the Lewis Family, Belle Noire springs from generations of New Orleans musicians, educators, and culture bearers whose lives have been shaped by jazz, service, and community. At its heart is creator and featured vocalist Kay Lewis, raised in a home where her father, veteran bassist, sound engineer, and New Orleans Jazz National Park ranger Kerry Lewis Sr.; her uncle and drummer Korey Lewis Sr.; and her multi-instrumentalist uncle Damien Gibson modeled their artistry, excellence and deep commitment to mentoring the next generation, including Kay and her brothers, arranger-bassist-keyboardist Kerry Lewis Jr. and cellist Kyle Lewis. Their extended family threads through the production: cousin and featured dancer Gabrielle Lewis, whose choreography and performance anchor key moments; cousin Alexis McQuarter who painted the projected backdrops; the Gibson Lewis Harmony family band, a cherished winter tradition that has become a training ground and joyful laboratory for the show’s sound; and a circle of “chosen family” mentors, like saxophonist Louis Ford, trumpeter Jamil Sharif, pianist Mari Watanabe, and trombonist Ronell “Roo” Johnson, whose long relationships with Kay’s father now come full circle on the Belle Noire stage. Together, this intergenerational ensemble transforms the concert into a living family album, where personal histories, ancestral legacies, and lifelong collaborations are woven into a single evening of music, memory, and celebration. More than a concert event, Belle Noire is truly a family affair.

“As a family, we create for the joy of it,” shared Kay. “We’ve been presenting concerts together for years, just to bring our vision to life and hear the kind of music we wish artists still played.”