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| Stephanie Jordan to perform at the French Market Creole Tomato Festival Songstress Stephanie Jordan will perform at the French Market 29th Annual Creole Tomato Festival's Abita Beer Mainstage on Sunday, June 14, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. Held this year on June 13 and 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the festival takes place on the grounds of the French Market District, encouraging locals and visitors alike to rediscover the six-block stretch from the Shops at the Upper Pontalba to the Farmers and Flea Markets. The Abita Beer Mainstage will be outdoors at the Old U.S. Mint for the first time, opening with Offbeat magazine's Best of the Beat 2014 "Best Songwriter of the Year" winner Paul Sanchez and Minimum Rage on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and closing with Johnny Sansone on Sunday from 5:00-6:30 p.m. In between, attendees can enjoy everything from the smooth sounds of the Stephanie Jordan Ensemble, and The New Orleans Nightingales to the funky beats of 101 Runners and Flow Tribe. Festival goers are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs to this free affair. The full schedule for the Mainstage is as follows: SATURDAY JUNE 13TH 11 a.m. to 12:30 Paul Sanchez & Minimum Rage 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Honey Island Swamp Band 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. The New Orleans Nightingales 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. 101 Runners SUNDAY JUNE 14TH 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Flow Tribe 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Jon Cleary 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Stephanie Jordan 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Johnny Sansone Free performances will also be held at the outdoor Dutch Alley Performance Pavilion Stage as well as indoors at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park Visitor Center. Click here for a full lineup for those performances. This year, while shopping for Creole tomatoes, attendees can explore all that's new at the farmers market, including daily vendors such as Continental Provisions and the Crepe Cart, and other regulars at the farmers market on Wednesday and/or Saturday market days, as well as throughout the week. When fest-goers spend $30 in French Market District retail shops, they receive a voucher for a complimentary box of Creole tomatoes from Ben & Ben Becnel's, Inc., one of three Creole tomato fest vendors selling their fresh produce during the festival weekend. Following a Jazz Fest performances USA Today wrote, "Stephanie Jordan transported audience members to a bygone era with a big-band tribute to Lena Horne ... She unspooled standards such as Let's Fly Away and Stormy Weather before launching into a throaty, melancholic version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow…, leaving spectators entranced." The Times-Picayune's headline review read "Stephanie Jordan lights a fire in the Jazz tent at the New Orleans Jazz Fest". Stephanie Jordan is consistently praised for her poise, elegance and soulful articulation. She draws frequent comparisons to her inspirations, the legendary jazz singers Shirley Horn, Abbey Lincoln, Lena Horne and Carmen McRae. Critics have also likened Ms. Jordan to jazz stars Diana Krall and Nancy Wilson. As a late minute replacement for Grammy Award-winning singer Ledisi, Chicago Tribune's leading art critic Howard Reich to proclaimed, "The woman can sing ... 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." Jordan has performed on such stellar stages as the Kennedy Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the NBA All-Star Game, Chicago's Harris Theater, the Marians Jazzroom in Bern, Switzerland, "The Palace" Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey and others. Jordan served as US Jazz Ambassadors' on a European Tour to Bucharest, Germany, Lithuania and Ukraine on behalf of the U.S. Department of State and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Audience members have included the likes of President Barack Obama and 1st Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Oprah Winfrey, Susan Taylor, Stevie Wonder and members of the Congressional Black Caucus among other dignitaries. Recognized internationally, the Sud Ouest French publication calls her "unbelievably superb." The Washingtonian Magazine labeled her "JAZZHOT." Stephanie is a member of New Orleans' renowned Jordan Family of Jazz whose father is Kidd Jordan; and musical siblings are Kent, Marlon and Rachel. The London Monthly Herald referred to her as "The classy lady of modern Jazz!" Most recently she has simply become known as "Lady Jazz!" write your comments about the article :: © 2015 Jazz News :: home page |