After a few movie roles, she became, through her marriage to jazz great Max Roach, a musical presence in the world of jazz in New York City. During the late 1970s and 80’s, Abbey was rarely seen or heard in performance. However in 1990, Verve released "The World Is Falling Down" which propelled her back to stardom. In 1991, "You Gotta Pay The Band" secured her place as an important, definitive jazz singer and composer.

This theatre performance, taped in 1991 at the Promenade Theatre in New York City, has never been seen in its entirety. Presented "in the round," Abbey Lincoln, looking exquisite and backed by a jazz quintet including saxophonist Steve Coleman, she offers a fresh choice of original compositions including "Bird Alone" and "When I’m Called Home" as well as standards like the telling "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?" It is a memorable "ENCORE" evening that illuminates her successful comeback at the time.