Stephanie Jordan serves as “Artist-in-Residence” for the Yazzy Youth Celebrating Jazz Concert

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Jazz vocalist Stephanie Jordan joins the students and faculty of Theatre of the Performing Arts of Shreveport's Yazzy program as "Artist-in-residence" for the 9th Annual Yazzy Youth Celebrating Jazz concert on Friday, April 15, 2011, 7:00 pm, at The Strand Theatre in downtown Shreveport. The culminating concert will conclude a week-long series of workshops in which Jordan will provide students with professional skill development in the areas of voice, dance, and stage presence. Stephanie Jordan will also introduce students to Jazz Pilates; a technique developed by Jordan which combines Ballet, African and Modern dance with Mat Pilates and Yoga movements performed to jazz music.

This year's theme is "Yazzy Salutes Soul Train & Don Cornelius". In addition to Stephanie Jordan, the other guest artist is Tom Browne, jazz trumpeter from Garner, North Carolina. Shreveport's own Dorsey Summerfield Jr. serves as our Yazzy Project Coordinator.

Stephanie Jordan, whom critics have placed in the company of Nancy Wilson and Diana Krall, began to receive national recognition following her stunning performance during the nationally televised Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert at New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center. Bill Milkowski of JazzTimes Magazine writes "Stephanie Jordan, a standout here, was the real discovery of the evening. Her haunting rendition of (Here's to Life) this bittersweet ode associated with Shirley Horn was delivered with uncanny poise and a depth of understated soul that mesmerized the crowd and registered to the back rows. Singing with a clarity of diction that recalled Nat "King" Cole . . ."

Jordan's recent concert with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble at the Harris Theater led Chicago Tribune's leading art critic Howard Reich to proclaim, "The woman can sing and indisputably knows how to reach out across the footlights . . . Jordan showed ample voice, bringing heft to music of the Gershwins and Cole Porter without pushing volume levels. Clearly she values plush sound and knows how to produce it."

Selected for the cover of the World's Who's Who in Jazz; "SHOWBIZ, PIONEERS, BEST SINGERS, ENTERTAINERS AND MUSICIANS FROM 1606 TO THE PRESENT, " the London Monthly Herald declares, "Ms. Stephanie Jordan ... reminds me of the flashy dashy days of Josephine Baker at the Lido in Paris, the author referred to her as "The classy lady of modern Jazz!"

Jordan was recently inducted into New Orleans Magazine's Jazz All-Stars. She is the fifth performer to emerge from a family of New Orleans bred musicians. As the daughter of saxophonist Sir Edward "Kidd" Jordan, Stephanie's musical roots run deep; her siblings include flutist Kent, trumpeter Marlon, and classical violinist Rachel Jordan.

Executive director Gloria C. Gipson says that "the Yazzy Youth Celebrating Jazz concert is designed to showcase local talented youth collaborating with renowned professional artists as we celebrate the month of April as jazz appreciation month." She adds, "Let us applaud Yazzy's teachers, musicians, dancers, singers, and artists, as they guide us through a segment of the history of Soul Train through the wonderful world of the arts as we assemble the Soul Train Scramble Board, present Afro-sheen commercials, and showcase some of the many artists that performed on Soul Train along with the Soul Train dance line. Come see Yazzy's best young artists in the hippest trip in Shreveport! We wish you love, peace, and soul!"

"I welcome the opportunity to share the benefits of my experience in the music industry with the youths in the program. I can only hope that I am able to convey the insight I have gained over the years from the likes of Shirley Horn and others to the Yazzy Youth participants. Reaching back seams so natural." adds Jordan.

Adult tickets are $14.00; Seniors 62+/ Military (with ID) tickets are $12.00; Children/ Youth (18 and under) tickets are $8.00. Group rates are available for groups of 20 or more at $10.00 each. Tickets are available for purchase at The Strand Theatre, 619 Louisiana Ave. Additional fees will apply if purchasing tickets at The Strand. Tickets may also be purchased at Theatre of the Performing Arts office at 4005 Lakeshore Drive. For ticket information contact the Strand Theatre's box office at 318-226-8555 or Theatre of the Performing Arts office at 318-525-0740 or 318-621-8914.

2010 – 2011 sponsors of the 9th Annual Yazzy Youth Celebrating Jazz Concert are Decentralized Funding "supported by the grant from Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council through the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency." Other sponsors include The State of Louisiana; Shreveport Department of Community Development; The Community Foundation; Theatre of the Performing Arts of Shreveport; The Parish of Caddo; The Radio Group; Cumulus Radio; Charles T. Beaird Family Foundation; Caddo Parish School Board; Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau; The Black Arts Coalition with funds from the City of Shreveport; Irma C. Martin; S.A. Doyle & Associates; SWEPCO; AT&T; and Bancorp South.

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