Harlem Stage presents the Dallas-based vocal quartet, Kings Return, which celebrates the holidays with their amazing a cappella arrangements of carols and original holiday tunes. Everything from Jazz, Classical, Gospel, and R&B/Soul, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone. Performing fan favorites, alongside tracks from their Merry Little Christmas EP and their debut album Rove, Kings Return will also be sharing stories behind their favorite holiday songs.
Formed in 2016 from pre-existing friendships, the quartet refers to their unique and impeccable sound as “rooted in Gospel, Jazz, R&B, and classical music.” Kings Return rose to fame recording and performing covers of well-known ballads and anthems in an Arlington church stairwell. With a nostalgic old-school a cappella tone and beautifully arranged harmonies, the group has brought joy and chills to hundreds of thousands of viewers and audience members. Radio network, Classic FM, refers to their signature staircase performances as “enough to take your breath away and send a shiver down your spine.” Members — Vaughn Faison, Gabe Kunda, J.E. McKissic, and Jamall Williams — unite as the vocal powerhouse that is Kings Return.
Thank you for joining us!
Harlem Stage
Kings Return is a vocal band of brothers - Gabe Kunda, Vaughn Faison, J.E. McKissic, and Jamall Williams.
The Dallas, Texas-based a cappella group was formed unintentionally in 2016 after first singing together for Gabe’s college graduation recital. Their popularity grew when they began posting videos to social media from the stairwell where they rehearse. They have amassed almost 10 million views across all platforms and have been recognized by artists and brands such as Emily King, Anita Baker, Anthony Anderson, Joyce DiDonato, Apple, NPR, Dallas Morning News and so many more.
Avoiding the confines of a single genre, Kings Return’s sound is proudly born out of Gospel, Jazz, R&B/Soul, and Classical music. “The name Kings Return is a reflection of ourselves. We are Kings who go forth to conquer but most importantly we return to give back to our community”. Vaughn Faison (Tenor 1) is a vocalist, songwriter, top-liner, and producer originally from New York. Recently, he has relocated from Fredonia, New York to Dallas, Texas. Vaughn covers a wide range of genres including R&B, pop, soul, and folk. He also has a master’s degree in Jazz Voice. To top off his impressive vocal abilities, Vaughn plays guitar and piano.
J.E. McKissic (Tenor 2) is a soul-stirring singer from Dallas, Texas. The son of a preacher and a school teacher, he learned to sing as a child in his father’s church, where he still sings to this day! His bright soaring sound has carved a unique musical journey crossing the genres of gospel, jazz, classical and contemporary music. In addition to performing, J.E. is a vocal coach, a choir director, and a worship leader. He has sung all over the U.S.A., and also traveled to Brazil, Germany, Canada. J.E. lives in Arlington, Texas with his wife Rachel and their 6 children.
Jamall Williams (Baritone) is a Long Beach native who grew up playing and singing in the church, starting around age 10. A keyboard was put in front of him and was told to “figure it out.” Since then he has received the Ella Fitzgerald Scholarship and Downbeat Soloist Winner. Now, he is a Jazz and Gospel-influenced vocalist, composer, arranger, and accompanist creating music for various venues and other fellow musicians. He is dedicated and committed to giving each musical endeavor the passion, energy, and respect it deserves. His current endeavors include teaching at studios and working as an assistant director at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
Gabe Kunda (Bass) is a voice actor, vocalist, and vocal arranger from Dallas, TX. His love for music began in church and in school, where he began growing his musical knowledge. Kunda is a voice actor by trade and can be heard in Call of Duty Warzone (Jackal), Valorant (KAY/O), Apex Legends (Newcastle), Ranking of Kings Anime (Desha), and My Hero Academia (Rock Lock). He also has voiced Trailers and Promos for Shows/Movies such as Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness (Marvel), TBS, The Bad Guys (Universal Pictures), The Batman (Warner Bros.), Encanto (Disney), Westside Story (20th Century) and many more. In his downtime Gabe loves taking trips with his wife, playing video games, watching anime, and photography.
Over the course of the 2022/2023 season, Harlem Stage examines the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s to the 1970s, and its relationship to race, gender, sexuality, music, photography, film, poetry, theater, and dance, as well as its intersectionality with the larger Black Power Movement.
Learn more and buy tickets at harlemstage.org/black-arts-movement-examined
Photos by Kwame Brathwaite
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council.
Harlem Stage’s Programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Harlem Stage is the performing arts center that bridges Harlem’s cultural legacy to contemporary artists of color and dares to provide the artistic freedom that gives birth to new ideas.
For nearly 40 years our singular mission has been to perpetuate and celebrate the unique and diverse artistic legacy of Harlem and the indelible impression it has made on American culture.
We provide opportunity, commissioning, and support for artists of color, make performances easily accessible to all audiences, and introduce children to the rich diversity, excitement, and inspiration of the performing arts.
We fulfill our mission through commissioning, incubating, and presenting innovative and vital work that responds to the historical and contemporary conditions that shape our lives and the communities we serve.
Courtney F. Lee-Mitchell, President
Jamie Cannon, Vice President
Michael Young, Secretary
Mark Thomas, Treasurer
Angela Glover Blackwell
Jenna Bond
Jamila Ponton Bragg
Patricia Cruz, Artistic Director & CEO
MANAGEMENT
Eric Oberstein, Managing Director
Shamar Hill, Director of Development
Shanté Skyers, Associate Director of Development
Julianna Friedman, Development Manager
Carl Hancock Rux, Associate Artistic Director/Curator-in-Residence
Ashley Areche, Programming & Management Intern
Deirdre May, Senior Director of Digital Content and Marketing
Andre Padayhag, Marketing Manager and Graphic Designer
Jordan Carter, Education & Community Engagement Manager
Eddy Perez, Box Office Manager
PRODUCTION
Amanda K. Ringger, Director of Production
Jeff Davolt, Stage Coordinator
Clarence Taylor, Lighting Op
Orlando Alvarado, Chris Homenick, Audio Engineer
Gabriel Fequiere Jr., Video Op
David Barrett, Julio Collado, Lighting & Audio Deck Crew
JoAnn K. Chase
Patricia Cruz
Hugh Dancy and Claire Danes
Jenette Kahn
Rebecca Robertson
LaChanze Sapp-Gooding Tamara Tunie
Rodney Bissessar, Director of Operations Lamont Askins, Operations Associate Acey Anderson Sr., Maintenance
ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE
NCheng LLC, Accountants/Advisors Michelle Blankenship, Principal Aaron Lam, Supervising Senior Accountant
CONSULTANTS
Aon/Albert G. Ruben Company (NY) —Claudia Kaufman, Insurance Big Idea Group, Digital Marketing Services DAS Services, IT Consultant Digital Video Services—BriGuel Intrepid Digital, SEO Services Lutz & Carr/Chris Bellando, Accountants Madison Consulting Group, —Matt Laurence Manchester Benefits—Greg Martin Marc Millman Photography Digital Video Services—Jess Medenbach
RL Stein Group—Robyn L. Stein Snugg Studios—Derrick Saint Pierre Development Consultant Arts Education Consultant—Rachel Watts
The Whelan Group Incorporated —Charles Whelan Blake Zidell & Associates, Public Relations & Marketing
Nobar De Leon, Toma Carthens, Andy Garcia, Julian Norales, Miriam Hernandez, Robert Gibbons, Brenda Hernandez