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| Stephanie Jordan Big Band to perform 1st day of 2012 New Orleans Jazz Fest Two member of the Jordan Family of Jazz announced that two individual acts from the family have been selected to perform during the 2012 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Presented by Shell. The Stephanie Jordan Large Band will perform during the first weekend of Jazz Fest on Friday, April 27, 2012 in the WWOZ Jazz Tent while her brother, trumpeter Marlon Jordan will perform during the second weekend. Stephanie Jordan will fill the WWOZ Jazz Tent with her signature Big Band sound as she continues her signature trademark of singing jazz standards. The show will include highlights from her soon to be release CD, "Dedicated to Lena Horn - Yesterday When I Was Young." Earlier this Fall, Stephanie Jordan also concluded taping a soundtrack for Lee Daniels' upcoming production of "The Paperboy" which co-stars Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, and John Cusack among others. This preceded her recording on Holiday release of "Christmas with the New Orleans Ladies of Jazz" CD produced by her sister Rachel Jordan. The album features features New Orleans' renowned jazz divas; Germaine Bazzle, Leah Chase, and Stephanie Jordan performing their favorite holiday tunes with the Music Alive Ensemble. Stephanie Jordan's concert with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble at the Harris Theater where she was a last minute replacement for four-time Grammy nominee Ledisi 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." Music critic James Walker added, "Stephanie Jordan . . . stepped in and simply mesmerized the near capacity Harris Theater crowd with a sparkling performance that surely put her in good stead with the astute Chicago audience. . . . She was at ease from her opening medley of "On A Clear Day, " "I'm Beginning To See The Light" and "Come Fly With Me." Her infectious smile and charisma was ever present and she had this crowd on the edge of their seat until she left the stage several hours later singing "From This Moment On." A member of New Orleans' renowned Jordan Family of Jazz whose father is Kidd Jordan; and siblings Kent, Marlon and Rachel, Stephanie Jordan is consistently praised for her poise, elegance, and soulful articulation. She draws frequent comparisons to her mentor—the legendary jazz chanteuse Shirley Horn—as well as Abbey Lincoln, and Carmen McRae. Critics have also likened Ms. Jordan to jazz stars Diana Krall and Nancy Wilson. The Marlon Jordon Quartet will take the stage during the second week of the annual festival. The exact date will be announced at a later date. 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, For You Only; named "one of the best debut albums of the year" by the Washington Post, Learson's Return, and The Undaunted; and one for the Arabesque label entitled Marlon's Mode in 1997. An accomplished classical musician as well, Marlon has performed solo with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra but his true joy is his constant performance in the streets and nightclubs of New Orleans and Brazil. Following the release of his debut album's release, Marlon took his quintet on the road joining Wynton Marsalis, Miles Davis and George Benson as a headlining act in a series of JVC Festival dates produced by George Wein. His latest album, You Don't Know What Love Is announces the return of an exceptional trumpeter. Another proud New Orleans musical family selected for this year's festival is the Boutté Family performing under the name Boutté Family Sunday Praise; which includes John Boutté, Lillian Boutté, Lorna Boutté Delay, Tanya Boutté, Tricia Boutté, and Arsene Boutté Delay. Widely known by "The Treme" song which is the opening tune for HBO's Treme series, John has won Best Male Vocalist year after year at both the Best of the Beat Awards (including the most recent 2010 awards) and the Big Easy Awards. When singer Lillian Boutté was named "New Orleans Musical Ambassador" in 1986, she was the second jazz legend in the city's history to be accorded this honor - the first having been none other than Louis Armstrong. Tanya, Tricia, and Arsene have accepted the challenge of the honor passed down by the earlier generation. Other top jazz acts to key on include Dianne Reeves, Esperanza Spalding, Herbie Hancock, Trombone Shorty, Donald Harrison, Ellis Marsalis, David Sanborn, James Andrews, Leah Chase, Germaine Bazzle, and Theresa Anderson. Started in 1970, the Jazz & Heritage Festival continues to showcase the most important names in music history alongside many of Louisiana's favorite entertainers. A true heritage festival, Jazz Fest stands alone in presenting the highest caliber artists in such varied genres as gospel, blues, traditional and contemporary jazz, rock, pop, R&B, Cajun, zydeco and much more. write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Jazz News :: home page |