Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Helen Ward was born September 19, 1913 in New York City and was taught her piano by her father, appeared on WOR and WNYC radio broadcasts and also worked as a staff musician at the latter. Helen started singing in Benny Goodman ’s first band in 1934 and became one of the first popular swing “girl singers”, as they were then called, and among Goodman’s most popular.

Ward and Benny had a brief romance and he came very close to proposing marriage to her in either 1935 or 1936. However, according to Ward in the documentary, Adventures in the Kingdom of Swing, he called it off at the last minute, citing his career. She married financier Albert Marx the following year and left the band. She moonlighted during her time with Goodman with other bands including the Teddy Wilson orchestra in 1936 and Larry Kent and his Orchestra in November of that same year (under the name “Vera Lane”).

In 1938, Marx arranged for Goodman’s Carnegie Hall concert to be recorded for her as an anniversary present. That recording was later released as a dual LP set by Columbia Records in 1950. During the 1940s, Ward worked with the bands of Matty Malneck and Harry James and became a radio show producer for WMGM in 1946-1947. In 1952, she recorded an album of Dixieland tunes with “Wild” Bill Davison and also made several appearances with Larry Clinton and Peanuts Hucko in 1956.

Following her divorce to Marx, Ward later married the audio engineer William Savory, who was part of the team that invented the 33⅓ rpm long-playing record. She sporadically did studio work, occasionally toured with Goodman, worked briefly with Peanuts Hucko but effectively retired in 1960. A brief return in the late 70s and early 80s saw her singing in New York clubs and released her final album The Helen Ward Song Book Vol. I. Vocalist Helen Ward died April 21, 1998 in Arlington, Virginia.

 

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Jeffery Smith was born on September 14, 1955 in Queens, New York and began honing his voice at a very early age, under the influence of his mother, a classical singer. At the age of 18, he moved to Los Angeles, California and worked as a singer, actor and artist, landing several bit parts in television, and film, while performing in the local clubs.

In 1980 he starred in the production of “Hollywood & Highland” and was awarded the coveted 1981 Drama Critic’s Award, from Drama Logue Magazine. Returning to New York in 1985, the baritone co-starred on stage in “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Hair” and “Capitol Cakewalk”, as well as performing in most of the city’s major clubs through 1991.

By 1991, Smith’s visit to Paris lasted for 7 years and while working with  Claude Bolling , he recorded four albums, had two world tours with the big band, sang commercial jingles, and was signed with Universal/Verve for a 3-album deal, all of which received international acclaim. His 1995 debut recording “Ramona” was dedicated to his mother and produced by Shirley Horn, and his U.S. debut came in 1998 with the release of “A Little Sweeter” on the Verve label.

Jeffery Smith has worked with  Wynton Marsalis, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Dianne Reeves, Kenny Barron, Regina Carter, Joe Lovano, Dee Dee Bridgewater and TK Blue.. He was the founder of the jazz cultivation not-for-profit Tri-Loxodonta Productions, a not-for-profit music organization cultivating jazz in upstate New York. Vocalist Jeffery Smith continued to perform internationally and record until he passed away on July 5, 2012..

 

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SHAYNA STEELE

Shayna Steele is a dynamic vocalist whose powerful blend of soul, jazz and blues has made her one of the industry’s most sought-after singers. She has performed at major festivals including Monterey Jazz Festival and North Sea Jazz Festival, and with more than 100 North American symphony orchestras, including the Dallas Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, she debuted her solo symphony show, American Diva, with the Rochester Philharmonic, featuring arrangements by Grammy-winning conductor and composer Jeff Tyzik.

Steele has collaborated with artists including Chris Botti, Moby and Snarky Puppy, and her voice appears on soundtracks for Wicked, Hairspray, The Bourne Identity and Sex and the City 2. Her theater credits include RENT, Jesus Christ Superstar and Hairspray. A Berklee College of Music graduate, Steele has released four studio albums and teaches vocalists through private lessons, masterclasses and workshops.

Cover: Free | Performances are livestreamed, except for the student ensembles.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Michael Jay Feinstein was born September 7, 1956 in Columbus, Ohio. At the age of five, he studied piano for a couple of months until his teacher became angered that he wasn’t reading the sheet music she gave him, since he was more comfortable playing by ear. As his mother saw no problem with her son’s method, she took him out of lessons and allowed him to enjoy music his own way.

After graduating from high school, Feinstein worked in local piano bars for two years, moving to Los Angeles when he was 20. He catalogued  Ira Gershwin’s extensive collection of phonograph records, unpublished sheet music and rare recordings. This led to the development of a close relationship with Gershwin’s neighbor, Rosemary Clooney.

By the mid-1980s, Feinstein was a nationally known cabaret singer-pianist who dedicating himself to the Great American Songbook and recorded his debut titled Pure Gershwin in 1986. This led to more Americana with Irving Berlin, a live album from the Algonquin, “Over There” featuring music of the WWI era and “Pure Imagination” – a children’s album in 1992.

He has starred on Broadway, recorded several “composer” albums, and a series of “romance” albums and a Sinatra project. Feinstein then embarked on a Great American Songbook music project with Burton Lane, Jule Styne, Jerry Herman, Hugh Martin, Jimmy Webb, Jay Livingston, and Ray Evans.

Michael was appointed by the Library of Congress to the National Recording Preservation Board to safeguard America’s musical heritage; he is the artistic director of The Center for the Performing Arts, which is home to the Michael Feinstein Initiative, and is the owner of a nightclub in Manhattan, “Feinstein’s” in the Regency Hotel.

 

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SANDRA BASSETT

Sandra brings her signature warmth, powerful and soulful vocals, and magnetic stage presence to a dynamic program featuring fresh interpretations of traditional jazz favorites alongside exciting new selections. An entertainer unlike any other performing timeless standards to bold, contemporary arrangements, this performance celebrates the elegance, rhythm, and spirit of jazz.

The Sextet
Sandra Bassett- Vocals
Dave Schmidt – Sax
James Rudolph – Guitar
Dane Cole – Keys
Sean Brogan – Bass
Adam Clark – Drums

Cover: $47.00 ~ $51.00 (fee included)

1/2 price Student tickets are available in the Tables & Banquettes sections. Use code “student” at checkout, (25 & under w/ valid ID)

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