TOMI BERRY
An accomplished, classically trained singer, Tomi has performed most of her life in multiple music genres, starting formally in gospel and spiritual church choirs in her hometown of Montclair, New Jersey. She continued to perform throughout college in classical and madrigal choirs, chorale and was the first soloist to sing with the college jazz band. She also performed with a campus band that did pop and R&B tunes for campus events and private functions.
In Atlanta, she performed with the Hillside Chapel and Truth Center Choir and Jubilee Singers and was a member of the “neo-spiritual” group I Am Unlimited. She has been a member and briefly served on the board of Southeastern Organization for Jazz Arts (SOJA) where she performed a two-woman show with vocalist Nina Carl, with support from Terry Harper on piano, Danny Harper on trumpet and Delbert Felix on contrabass.
She also had the opportunity to perform with jazz pianist/songwriter, Donald Brown during an in-home performance in the Atlanta area and has been supported by jazz pianist/musician/songwriter Takana Miyamoto on multiple projects as well as by pianist Rodney Martino Avery.
She was the featured performer at The Velvet Note Acoustic Living Room in 2013 where she performed two shows featuring GRAMMY Award winning, Atlanta-based producer/keyboardist, Phil Davis, bassist. Trey Gilbert, and drummer, Joey Williams.
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MYRNA CLAYTON
America’s Songbird, Myrna Clayton, captivates audiences worldwide with her unforgettable, classy, and soul-filled jazzy style. From the United States to five continents abroad, her performances leave audiences in awe. Alabama-born and Atlanta-raised, Myrna is a highly respected singer renowned for her versatility, particularly her mastery of Jazz: Standards, Straight Ahead, Bebop, Contemporary, and Smooth.
Commissioned by the U.S. State Department, she has represented American music at U.S. Embassies across the globe, including performances in France, Germany, Russia, Namibia, Guatemala, Nigeria, the Baltics, Switzerland, and most recently, Ghana’s 2024 Jazz in January Festival. A Jazz orchestra conductor in Kazan, Russia, even tagged her “The Maynard Ferguson of Jazz vocals,” highlighting her mesmerizing musical presence. Locally in Atlanta, Myrna graces stages at venues like the High Museum’s Friday Night Jazz and City Winery.
Beyond her vocal prowess, Myrna is a passionate advocate for accessibility for performing artists across the disability spectrum. She is deeply committed to highlighting their talents and improving their career trajectories and life possibilities. This dedication led her to found SHOWAbility, a non-profit organization serving artists and audiences across the disability spectrum. SHOWAbility creates accessibility and visibility for these artists, focusing on their unique talents and abilities rather than their challenges.
Jazz Brunch Tickets: $20.00 ~ $35.00 | $25.00 Food & Beverage Per Person
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DASHILL SMITH & NAME THAT FEELING BAND
Multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, producer, performer and actor Dashill Smith performs an eclectic array of genres including hip-hop, free jazz, funk, soul, blues, afro-beat. and more. He puts together freestyle rhymes, plays the trumpet, and improvises with the same mind frame as he does when I rhyme.
Smith performs with quite a few bands in town with his small unit, The Omega Level Squad, as well as The Biological Misfits, a band he co-Lead with actor, poet, and musician Malcom-Jamal Warner, and Mausiki Scales’ The Common Ground Collective. He also performed regularly for a few years with the legendary Jazz-Funk pioneer; vibraphonist Roy Ayers.
Tickets: $10.00 ~ $20.00 + $2.51 fee
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CHANDA LEIGH
Vocalist and pianist Chanda Leigh brings her quartet to the Cafe I Am Lounge for a night of jazz.
The Band: Chanda Leigh ~ Piano | Joe Jennings ~ Saxophone | Anthony Daniel ~ Bass | Bernard Linnette
Tickets: $35.00
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The Jazz Voyager
Cross country flights can be tiresome when you have to fly around storms but are also very rewarding especially when a jazz concert is in store in the City by the Bay. The destination is SFJazz Center. Opened in 2013, the SFJAZZ Center is located on the corner of Franklin and Fell Streets in the heart of San Francisco’s arts district. With two performance spaces, multiple music practice rooms, a digital lab, and the B-Side restaurant and bar allows the non-profit to explore the full spectrum of jazz, from its origins in the African American and Afro Caribbean communities, to its diverse and evolving expressions around the world today.
Pianist, composer, and in-demand sideman Javier Santiago is one of the most promising voices in the international music scene. As an accomplished producer, beatmaker, arranger and educator, he has become a notable force in both the beat and hip-hop scenes as well as in the jazz world. His newest album is the 2024 release Warrior Energy. This jazz voyager is anticipating hearing this music
SFJazz Center is located at 201 Franklin Street, San Francisco, California 94102. For more information contact the venue at https://www.sfjazz.org.
Tickets: $25.00
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