Cafe Wha? Competitors

Founded in 1981, Blue Note Entertainment Group is a multi-faceted entertainment company that owns, operates, licenses and/or programs Blue Note Jazz Clubs worldwide, including New York, NY; Tokyo, Japan; Milan, Italy; Waikiki, Hawaii; Beijing & Shanghai, China; Napa, California; and Rio de Janeiro & Sao Paulo, Brazil. The company also owns and operates Sony Hall. Additionally, the company programs the Regattabar Jazz Club (Cambridge, MA) and Blue Note-branded concerts throughout Italy. Blue Note Entertainment Group presents shows outside of its club network. The annual Blue Note Jazz Festival was established in 2011 and has since grown to become the largest jazz festival in New York City each June. Subsidiaries of Blue Note Entertainment Group include the GRAMMY®-nominated record label Half Note Records, whose catalogue includes over fifty titles recorded live at New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, as well as Blue Note Travel and Management Group.

The Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit organization established in 1991, is dedicated to the preservation and development of the legendary Apollo Theater through the Apollo Experience of world-class live performances and education programs that: honor the influence and advance the contributions of African-American artists; and advance emerging creative voices across cultural and artistic media Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc.'s vision is to expand the reach of the Apollo Experience to a worldwide audience. The world famous Apollo Theater is so much more than a historic landmark - it is a source of pride and a symbol of the brilliance of American artistic accomplishment. With its rich history and continued significance, the Apollo Theater, considered the bastion of African-American culture and achievement, is one of the most fascinating chronicles in American history.

S.O.B.’s, also known as Sounds of Brazil, is a live music venue in the lower Manhattan neighborhood of SoHo. It was opened by owner and director Larry Gold in June 1982. Gold opened the venue with the purpose of exposing the musical wealth and heritage of the Afro-Latino Diaspora to as many people as possible. True to its mission, it has become renowned as the premiere venue not only for World Music, but all genres, in New York City and the world over. In its early days, SOBs existed on a barren stretch at the corner of Varick and Houston Streets, but the area soon became the trendy neighborhood of SoHo and the venue's reputation began to grow with performances from Latin legends like Tito Puente, Marc Anthony, Celia Cruz & Eddie Palmieri. The tradition of Brazilian artists has been nothing short of incredible. Legends like Seu Jorge, Ben Jorge & Astrud Gilberto have all graced the stage of the venue which gained its namesake from their native country. In terms of the the new latin sound, the list only gets more impressive with names like Isaac Delgado, Orquesta Aragon, Los Papines, Manolito Simonet, Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñeiro & Los Van Van. Over the course of its 28 years in business, SOBs has also developed a reputation in the music industry as a breeding ground for emerging artists and trends. For newer performers, a show at SOBs can be the springboard for their careers, garnering them press from mainstream local, national and even international publications as well as attracting attention from music industry professionals. This has been the true with uncounted artists, including John Legend, Erykah Badu, Kanye West, Common, Drake & Ryan Leslie. The venue gives more established artists the opportunity to connect with their fans on a personal level, due to its unique, intimate setting . Today the SOBs draws both local and international crowds and continues to specialize in Latin music, Haitian, Brazilian, Caribbean, R&B, Hip-Hop and World music.