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| Stephanie Jordan at The 12th Annual Women in Jazz Festival by Vincent Sylvain  The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., will hold the 12th Annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival from May 10-12. New Orleans' jazz vocalist Stephanie Jordan returns for a second engagement at The Kennedy Center on Saturday, May 12, 2007. The series of concerts features several ticketed events as well as free shows on the Millennium Stage. All of the 2006 concerts sold out--so be sure to reserve your seats now for this popular Kennedy Center showcase featuring today's top female jazz artists. The Washington Post says the festival "speaks volumes about the contributions women have made to jazz--and continue to make--both here and abroad."Vocalist Stephanie Jordan "sets hearts aflutter" says All About Jazz. "She's a singer with poise and pizzazz, with a voice and an appealing look that bring to mind Carmen McRae and Lena Horne." Jordan's lyrical style has also been compared to Norah Jones and Diana Krall, while others say it evokes living legends Cassandra Wilson and Dianne Reeves. She was introduced to many new fans when she appeared on "Higher Ground", the Jazz at Lincoln Center concert for Hurricane Katrina relief hosted by Wynton Marsalis less than three weeks after the Katrina disaster that devastated New Orleans. Her rendition of "Here's to Life" was selected from that concert for the Blue Note Records' Higher Ground CD. Ms. Jordan who has been living in Maryland since hurricane Katrina is the fifth performer to emerge from a family of New Orleans bred musicians which includes her father, saxophonist Edward "Kidd Jordan", and siblings flutist Kent, violinist Rachel, and trumpeter Marlon Jordan who will accompany her for this performance. She and Marlon toured as "U.S. Jazz Ambassadors" on behalf of the U.S. State Department to Germany, Romania, Lithuania, and Ukraine in the fall of 2006 to thank the people of Europe for their help with hurricane relief. Stephanie and Marlon's CD, You Don't Know What Love Is has been highly acclaimed. Her performance on Kent Jordan's Out of This World album has been equally received. Stephanie has performed at Jazz Standard New York, The Kennedy Center, and the Marians Jazzroom in Bern, Switzerland, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and on NPR Talk of the Nation among others. Stephanie Jordan has recorded a commissioned piece for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation of "Come Rain or Come Shine" which is being used as background music for a series of television and radio promotions advancing the availability of assistance for those who may be suffering from post-disaster distress as a result of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The campaign is part of the "InCourage" partnership; a healing initiative by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. Both pieces include a narration by noted New Orleans' Chef Leah Chase. Marlon Jordan was one of the "Young Jazz Lions" who were signed, recorded and promoted on major record labels in the 1980s. He recorded three impressive LPs for Columbia from 1998 to 1992, For You Only, Learson's Return, and The Undaunted, and one for the Arabesque label entitled Marlon's Mode in 1997. "His latest album, announces the return of an exceptional trumpeter. This dancing and delicious document reveals a mature artist who sounds like himself. You can hear Jordan's clean, boppish lines laced with power, and an encyclopedic knowledge of the entire jazz trumpet tradition, signed in own unique sonic signature" writes jazz critic Eugene Holley, Jr. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |