The Jazz Voyager

This week I’m still masking and social distancing whenever I’m on a plane or in enclosed spaces because this pandemic is not over. I’m following the sun and heading westward to Palm Springs, California for the Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival. The festival is being held at the Palm Springs Convention Center located at 271 N Avenida Caballeros 92262.

Over the course of three days the festival are presenting Nnenna Freelon, Cyrille Aimee, Lea Delaria, Ledisi, and the Divas Of The Desert featuring Hope Diamond, Gennine Francis, Melba Miller, Cynthia Thomas, Chris Bennett, Rose Mallett, Keisha D, Yve Evans, Patrice Morris.

This is my first time visiting this venue and seeing all but one vocalist for the first time. I am so looking forward to this voyage. This trip I’m going to be hanging around for the weekend to have the full music experience. As always, for more information visit notoriousjazz.com/event or palmspringscc.com. The convention center number is 760-325-6611.

CALIFORNIA JAZZ FOUNDATION

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DENISE KING & THE NEW YORK KOLLECTION

Influenced by Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin, Denise King is an expressive, big-voiced vocalist that combines jazz with elements of R&B, Blues and Gospel. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA at the young age of twelve she discovered R&B and jazz thanks to an uncle who was a record collector that loved jazz. Denise King is, brimming with energy, good humor, and swings with authentic jazz expression! As part of a tradition rooted in the history of jazz, she fully lives the songs she sings.

Though she’s no stranger to standards, one of King’s strong points has been her ability to provide jazz interpretations of rock and soul hits, sharing the stage with such legends as Lex Humphries, Ted Curson, Arthur Harper, Brecker Brothers, Cecil Payne, Cecil McBee, Sid Simmons Christian McBride, Jerry Weldon, Bootsie Barnes and many more. It is with these musicians that she learned the art of Jazz singing.

The European dream for jazz artists remains strong in its history, and a gateway of empowerment for African Américan artists. As an international performer, King has delighted audiences from the USA, France, Italy, Belgium, Cyprus, Serbia, Belarus, Poland, Japan, Kazakstan, Spain, Russia, Siberia,Greece, UK, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Mahachcala, Luxembourg and participated in the International Jazz Day in Paris.

Denise is likened to a“natural singer” for she organically learned to sing, outside of any educational system, but through the natural progression of listening to recordings and watching live jazz performances.

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JOSE JAMES

Often referred to as a jazz singer for the hip-hop generation, New York City-based vocalist José James combines jazz, soul, drum’n’bass, and spoken word into his own unique brand of vocal jazz. While he states his main influences as John Coltrane, Marvin Gaye, and Billie Holiday, his sound on early 12″ singles and in live performances brought to mind such icons of ’70s jazz-soul as Terry Callier, and his music felt more like an update of the fluid crossover approach of Gil Scott-Heron, while also being distinctly his own.

 

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STACEY KENT TRIO

Stacey Kent has a legion of jazz fans around the world.  With numerous awards and a Grammy nomination, her albums have sold in excess of 2 million with Gold, Double Gold and Platinum albums that have reached No. 1 on the jazz charts multiple times during her career.  Her most recent album, “Songs from Other Places” (Candid Records) was released in 2022 and her 2021 release, “I Know the Dream: The Orchestral Sessions” (Okeh/Sony) received five stars in Downbeat, won “Album of the Year” in the vocal category at the 2017 Jazz Japan Awards.

Her musical career began in childhood with piano lessons.  After receiving her degree from Sarah Lawrence College in NY, she found herself in London where she enrolled in a graduate music program at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and where she met her future husband and musical partner, John Tomlinson.  She paid her dues in the jazz clubs of London, before releasing a series of six albums for the Candid label.

Her repertoire includes a growing number of songs written for her by John Tomlinson with various lyricists.  She continues to enjoy an active recording and touring schedule with sold-out concerts and festival appearances worldwide.  Learn more about Stacey at https://staceykent.com

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SHARÓN CLARK QUINTET

Sharón Clark’s debuts at the all-new Carlyle Room in downtown Washington DC! Ms. Clark returns from a two-month European tour and is joined by her long-time collaborators: Paul Carr (sax), Chris Grasso (piano), Zack Pride (bass) and Lenny Robinson (drums).

By Metro: The McPherson Square metro station is directly across the street.
By Car: There is a garage located directly beneath the Carlyle Room. The garage entrance is on 14th Street. With validation, the cost is $8 per car. You can enter the Carlyle Room from the garage without ever going outside (follow signs located in garage and building lobby).

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