Ruth Brown, "Queen of R&B," to Perform at Le Jazz au Bar

Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer and Tony Award winner Ruth Brown, known as “The Queen of Rhythm and Blues,” will play her first New York engagement in five years beginning July 14 at Le Jazz au Bar (41 East 58th Street, between Madison and Park avenues).

Titled The Book of Ruth, the show is scheduled to run through July 25. It will include such hits as “5-10-15 Hours,” “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean,” “Teardrops From My Eyes,” and “Have A Good Time.” Brown’s backup quartet consists of Rodney Jones on guitar, Jesse “Cheese” Hameen, II on drums, Paul Ramsey on bass, Oliver Von Essen on keyboards, and Bill Easley on the sax and flute.

As a young woman, Brown won a talent contest at Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theatre, and that jump-started her career. She went on to make so many hit recordings for Atlantic Records that the label eventually became known as “The House That Ruth Built.” Brown had starring roles in Allen Toussaint’s off-Broadway musical Staggerlee and John Waters’s cult-classic film Hairspray. In 1989, she won a Tony for her performance in Black and Blue.

The Book of Ruth will be performed at Le Jazz au Bar Wednesdays through Sundays at 8pm, with an additional 10pm show on Saturday nights. Doors open at 6:30pm for dinner. The cover charge is $30 on weeknights and Sundays, $40 on Fridays and Saturdays; there is no minimum. For tickets, call 212-308-9455 or order online by clicking here.