Join our Email List

Norman Connors’ All-Star Tribute to Phyllis Hyman

Featuring Marva King, Suzanne Burgess, Theo Valentin & The Starship Orchestra

Buy Tickets
Thursday, December 21, 2023
Doors: 6:30pm | Show: 8pm
$45

Join us before the show for dinner & drinks in The Lounge, our full-service restaurant & bar which opens at 6pm. See the menu & make reservations here. Mezzanine ticket holders will be able to order from The Lounge menu right from their seat.

World Cafe Live is a nonprofit independent venue where artistry meets social impact. Every purchase helps support our free music education & community programs.

WCL Fan Club members get skip the line priority entry, food & merch discounts, exclusive offers, free coat check, and more. Mega & Ultimate Fan levels include early access to ticket sales and no ticket fees. Learn more & join the club!

If you require accessible seating and none is available online, please contact us at boxoffice-phl@worldcafelive.com or 215-222-1400 prior to the show so we can best accommodate your needs.

Norman Connors All-Star Tribute to Phyllis Hyman
This Home for the Holidays Concert will be a Night to Remember – A Phenomenal Musical Tribute to Philadelphia’s Native Phyllis Hyman. Come and celebrate with Family & Friends taking you on a musical journey of the greatest hits of Phyllis Hyman – the Goddess of Soul. 

A Musical Tribute to honor and celebrate the legacy of Phyllis Hyman with the legendary Norman Connors who first produced recordings for Phyllis Hyman.

Phyllis Hyman Music will be Forever in Our Hearts!   

REMEMBERING PHYLLIS HYMAN…
Phyllis Linda Hyman (July 6, 1949 – June 30, 1995) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Hyman is best known for her music during the late 1970s through the early 1990s, some of her most notable songs were “Betcha by Golly Wow” (1976) “You Know How to Love Me” (1979), “Living All Alone” (1986) and “Don’t Wanna Change the World” (1991).

TARSHA FITZGERALD PRODUCTIONS creates magical musical performances with extraordinary music, great vibes, and memorable experiences that will be unforgettable!

Norman Connors is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, and producer who has led some influential jazz and R&B groups. He also achieved several big R&B hits of the day, especially with love ballads. He is possibly best known for the 1976 hit, "You Are My Starship" on which lead vocals were sung by Michael Henderson. Like Roy Ayers, George Benson, and Patrice Rushen, Norman Connors is best known for his major R&B hits but started out as a jazz improviser. The drummer/composer was born and raised in Philadelphia and became interested in jazz when he was only a child. Connors went on to study music at Philly's Temple University and the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Gigs with Jackie McLean, Jack McDuff, and Sam Rivers followed, and he was first recorded as a sideman when Archie Shepp employed him on his 1967 Impulse! session Magic of Ju-Ju. After touring with Pharoah Sanders and playing on several of his albums, Connors signed with Buddah's Cobblestone label in 1972 and recorded his first album as a leader, Dance of Magic and its follow-up, Dark of Light. A few more jazz-oriented Cobblestone and Buddah dates followed, and it was in 1975 that Connors made R&B his main priority with Saturday Night Special (which included the number ten soul hit "Valentine Love"). The rest of the 1970s found Connors featuring R&B singers prominently (including Michael Henderson, Jean Carn, and the late Phyllis Hyman) and scoring such R&B hits as "We Both Need Each Other," "Once I've Been There," and the lovely "You Are My Starship."
Born in Flint, Michigan, Marva King is most known for her starring role in the 75 plus million dollar-grossing DVD, “Diary of a Mad Black Woman”. This production launched the Massive Mega Million dollar career of its writer/producer Tyler Perry. In Diary, King plays the spurned, attractive, feisty and vengeful housewife Helen. Marva is beyond any stereotype or genre. Larger than such limitations, her past recordings include music that is Rock, Pop, Hip Hop, R&B, Funk, and Reggae. Her mesmerizing delivery inspired Larry Flick to write in Billboard, “Marva King is a supreme diva, and her name will go down in history as one of the best. In 1997 Prince took her on the road, under his wing, and made her a member of his group, New Power Generation (NPG). Marva performed on most of the songs on his “New Power Soul album, and demonstrated her immense talent as well when she performed live onstage with Prince.
Suzanne Burgess is one of Philly‘s most beloved figures both as a vocalist and actor. She has worked with many world-renowned Jazz and R+B artists and is an important spokeswoman of numerous foundations. Suzanne likes to say, “Things happen, can happen, and will happen...one day and breath, at a time”.
Theo Valentin is the personality and fire of any show. She enjoys entertaining and draws the audience into the fun and excitement demonstrated on stage. Her blues and heart wrenching ballads are what her audiences request most, while her jazz sets are that of a “great songstress”. Theo has been an extraordinary performer her whole life, and it is obvious to all who have seen her perform that Theo is unconditionally just that...ExtraOrdinary! Theo toured around the world with the “Jazz Explosion Tour”, featuring the great jazz artists Tom Brown, Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston-Smith, Jean Carne, Noel Pointer and Bobby Humphrey. Theo was Tom Brown’s lead vocalist on this exciting tour. Theo is currently on tour with the legendary Norman Connors and the Starship Orchestra, and one of the featured artists on his 40th Anniversary CD.
Buy Tickets