Joyce Spencer & The Ladies of Jazz with guest Pamela Hart, and The Yansa Samada Band

Women in Jazz Association presents Joyce Spencer & The Ladies of Jazz with guest Pamela Hart and The Yansa Samada Band on Saturday, July 27, 2024

Sterling Stage Austin

6134 Hwy 290 East, Austin, TX 78752

Doors Open: 6:30 pm

Showtime: 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Host: Jabari Warfield

*****

BIO Information

Joyce Spencer – Saxophonist

Joyce Spencer, an award-winning saxophonist, flutist, and vocalist hailing from Dallas, Texas, showcases a diverse range of musical styles from traditional to contemporary jazz, classical to R&B, funk, fusion, blues, pop, and Gospel/Christian. With a background in instrumental music education (Bachelor of Music Education and Performance) and a 20-year corporate career, Joyce returned to music as an independent artist, composing and producing albums and singles like “Sweet Dreams” and “Many Colors”, “Cherish”, and “Sax-O-Phunk”. Her music has been recognized globally, earning her prestigious awards and features via magazines, radio stations, Indie Artist Charts, along with an NAACP-Garland Award, Black Women in Jazz Award, Grammy consideration, and  various other media outlets. For 14 years, she has been performing with her band, Joyce Spencer and Expressions, and in 2020 Joyce added a Sade Tribute Show. She is also a member of Jazz in Pink Band, The Satin Dolls Band, and I.Tina, a Tina Turner Tribute Band.

Rebecca Cordes – Keyboardist

Rebecca Cordes is a versatile musician with a passion for both classical and contemporary styles. As a classically trained pianist, jazz musician, composer/arranger, teacher, and band leader, she has made a significant impact on the Dallas music scene for over a decade. Rebecca’s love for all types of music is reflected in her eclectic programming and distinctive compositions and arrangements. You can often find her performing with her band, Plus One Jazz Group, or collaborating with other local jazz artists. She is also an accomplished educator, maintaining a full teaching studio and developing a new jazz piano education curriculum called Jazz Piano ABCs.

Bailey Ehrgott – Guitarist

Jazz guitarist Bailey Ehgott, originally from Tri-Cities, Washington, embarked on her musical journey during her college years. She refined her skills at Columbia Basin College, where she shared the stage with jazz legends like The Jeff Hamilton Trio and Wayne Bergeron. Now a graduate of Berklee College of Music, she continues to innovate in the world of jazz.  Upon completing her Bachelors in Professional Music, in 2019 Bailey was awarded the Berklee Groove Scholarship to return to the Valencia, Spain Campus and pursue a Masters of Music in Contemporary Performance & Production. Working towards her development as an artist and musician she studied with Israel Sandoval, Perico Sambeat, Polo Orti, Victor Mendoza and worded renowned fusion bassist Gary Willis. In July of 2020 Bailey graduated with the highest honors of Summa Cum Laude in her class.

Achievements: D.M.A. Candidate, Jazz Studies, University of North Texas, M.M. Contemporary Performance & Production – Berklee College of Music (Valencia, Spain), B.M. Professional Music (Writing and Production, Performance, and Music Business) – Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA)

Brianne Sargent – Bassist
Brianne Sargent (cellist, bass player, synths/keys, vocals) is the co-leader of Skinny Cooks and plays with Polyphonic Spree, Alejandro Escovedo, Mattie Michelle and many others. She is also a composer, arranger and producer. She graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy in 2006, attended Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts from 2002-2005 and graduated from Baldwin-Wallace Music Conservatory in 2010. From 2014-2018 she was a cellist in the McKinney Philharmonic. Brianne was the sound designer for “Where Earth Meets The Sky” with the Cara Mia Theater and a guest artist for the Dallas Symphony’s SOLUNA Festival in 2017. She has appeared in multiple articles written by KXT Radio, KERA, the Dallas Observer and Voyage Dallas and has appeared on PBS for the Austin City Music Hall Of Fame induction in 2022—while sharing the stage with Sheila E—playing cello for Alejandro Escovedo. Her bass playing has made it to the Billboard charts with local rapper phenomenon FloZilla on the Truth to Power Project and her cello playing has made it to Billboard charts on the Todd Dulaney song Revelation 4. In 2022 her composition “Sunflower” for cello and voice was placed into a movie called “Why Women Lie” in the opening credits. As of November 12, 2023, Brianne Sargent’s cello playing has made it onto a Grammy nominated gospel album entitled “My Truth” by Jonathan McReynolds

Ann MacMillan – Drummer

Ann MacMillan is an educator, performer, and instrument repair expert who received a Bachelor’s in Music Education from Emporia State University. She has a master’s degree in music education and trumpet performance from the University of North Texas, where she was a professor and coordinator of the instrument repair program.  Ann also taught instrument repair courses at Southern Methodist University and school districts throughout Texas. Currently, she is the drummer for several pop and jazz ensembles, including The Satin Dolls and Matt Grigsby Fiasco.

The Yansa Samada Band

Yansa Samada – Flutist

Yansa Samada Valdés Cuban heritage plays a pivotal role in shaping her unique approach to jazz music. By weaving elements of her Cuban roots with the improvisational essence of jazz, Yansa crafts a dynamic and resonant musical tapestry that enchants audiences with its melding of cultural influences and invigorating spirit.

Trained as a classical flutist and vocalist, Yansa draws inspiration from the rhythmic traditions, melodic patterns, and emotional nuances of Cuban music. Yansa’s ability to seamlessly blend the vibrant textures of Cuban music with the improvisational nature of jazz not only underscores her cultural heritage but also highlights her versatility as a musician. By harmonizing these two musical landscapes, she pushes the boundaries of jazz music, incorporating a rich and diverse array of sounds that reflect her eclectic musical upbringing and international experiences.

Having performed in Russia at a young age, Yansa continued to cultivate her craft through musical residencies in Cairo, Egypt, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. These global influences have enriched her music, adding layers of depth and dimension to her already diverse repertoire.

Through her exploration of the intersections between Cuban and jazz music, Yansa initiates a musical dialogue that pays homage to the shared histories, influences, and innovations of these dynamic genres. Her compositions and performances serve as a poignant testament to the beauty and power of cultural exchange and artistic.

Pamela Hart – Vocalist

Pamela Hart, highly regarded as Austin, Texas’ finest jazz vocalist. Noted by Austin Women’s Magazine as “Austin’s First Lady of Jazz,” audiences rave about Pamela’s excellent pitch, clarity and soothing vocal quality.  Her warm, clear tones and meticulously controlled pitch carry an illusion of effortlessness. Pamela’s sultry rendition of classic jazz standards, smooth jazz, contemporary & R&B music wins immediate acceptance by any audience. Professional, unique, & captivating… the Pamela Hart performs locally, regionally, and nationally for Concerts, Festivals, Weddings, Corporate Events, Banquets, Night Clubs, and studio recording sessions. Pamela and quartet band have repeatedly opened shows for, and shared stages with, many popular artists including Miss Nancy Wilson, David ‘Fathead’ Newman, Dianne Reeves, Nat Adderley, Jr., Kirk Whalum, Rachelle Ferrell, Patrice Rushen, Teri Lyn Carrington, Norman Brown & Richard Elliot, Jazz in Pink with Gail Jhonson, Bobbi Humphrey, Althea Rene, Jeanette Harris, Carmen Bradford, Kyle Turner, Michael Ward, and many more. Pamela’s appreciation for the great masters of jazz and R&B is apparent in her intonation, grace and style.  She is also a vocal coach and loves educational music youth programs. She was inducted in the Austin Jazz Society Hall of Fame in April 2018. On September 1, 2020, she received the Malindy Award (honoring the Paul Lawrence Dunbar poem “When Malindy Sings”) from the JR Cumberbatch Productions, “If These Walls Could Talk” team, and preceded with many other awards and noteworthy recognitions.