TVD Recommends:
Jazz Journey, 1/13

Several times a year, the good folks at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation (the non-profit that brings you Jazz Fest), book major acts to appear for free. Friday night, RenéMarie will be singing at Dillard University. Three New Orleans ladies, Germaine Bazzle, Stephanie Jordan, and Betty Shirley, are the opening acts.

René Marie is an award-winning singer whose style incorporates elements of jazz, soul, blues and gospel. She is a heroine to many because she is forthcoming about the fact that singing gave her the courage to leave an abusive marriage.

Her performances are unmistakably honest and unpretentious. Powerful interpretations, electrifying deliveries and impassioned vocals are the hallmarks of her sound.

The same could be said for the three New Orleans vocalists who are opening the show. Germaine Bazzle is a local icon. Her scat singing ability puts her right up there with the greats. Stephanie Jordan hails from the legendary Jordan family of local musicians. All of her siblings are players and I expect to see her brother, the trumpeter Marlon, on stage Friday night. Betty Shirley began her career in Chicago where she grew up, her style matured in New York City and reached a pinnacle when she moved to New Orleans in the 1990s. She is a vocalist’s vocalist.

The concert takes place at Dillard University’s Lawless Memorial Chapel at 7 PM. It is free and open to the public. Get there early since the Jazz Journey performances are usually packed.

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