Celebrating Austin Women in Jazz for Women’s History Month

Celebrating Austin Women in Jazz

Sunday, March 24, 2024 at Chez Zee American Bistro ‘The Gallery’

5406 Balcones Drive, Austin, TX.

Doors Open: 2:30 pm Showtime: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Tickets: $25 in advance, $35 at the door

Celebratewomeninjazz24.eventbrite.com

(general seating)

featuring

Vocalists Pamela Hart & Cicely Jones, Pianist Peggy Stern, Bassist Jessica Valls, Drummer Karrie Sheehan, Percussionist Laura Mordecai

Tickets are available at Celebratewomeninjazz24.eventbrite.com

For more information, visit womeninjazz.org or call 512-258-6947.

BIO Information

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.

Cicely Jones – Vocalist

Cicely Jones’ love of music and performance started at an early age. Her professional career started in 2000 with Hot Wax Motown Band. During that time, she also traveled the country performing as a backup singer for The Mudd Catts Elvis Presley Impersonator Band.

Cicely currently sings with CC Jones Quartet which performs jazz and contemporary music and with the Royal Dukes Wedding Party Band. Through the years, Cicely has volunteered her musical talent to Austin Miss America Pageant; Texas Special Olympics, Wesley United Methodist Church Intergenerational Choir and the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT).

Peggy Stern – Pianist

Peggy Stern has composed, played, recorded, and toured in a wide variety of situations: from solos to octets to jazz choruses. Her compositions range from highly original pieces to reharmonized jazz standards. “Everything she writes wants to dance, ” says Ken Dais of Jazziz. Peggy’s background would account for her varied musical tastes. She began playing classical piano at an early age, continuing her studies at the Eastman School of Music, and finishing a Masters Degree, still in Classical music, at the New England Conservatory. And then she began to improvise.  She has toured throughout Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan. In addition, Peggy has worked as an educator for the past 20 years, at colleges in the US. She has given workshops throughout Europe (Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Italy), and the US. Since May 2013, Peggy makes her home in Austin, Texas, to be near her family. Joining the vibrant music scene there, she intends to create a new (for her) musical genre, to add to her already eclectic tastes (Latin, Classical, Brazilian, Progressive and Free jazz, etc). In 2004, Peggy created the Wall Street Jazz Festival (“where the traditions meet the progressives, and all the leaders are women”) in Kingston, NY; the Festival was held twelve consecutive years to date. In 2017 Peggy introduced LuluFest, currently approaching its sixth year, an eclectic music festival again featuring women leaders. For more information, music, videos, photos and performance schedule, visit https://peggystern.com/

Jessica Valls – Bassist
Double bassist Jessica Valls is an Austin, Texas-native musician who exemplifies the ubiquitous artistry of a true music lover, heeding to no one genre, discipline, or stage. Performing regularly with several orchestras including the Austin and San Antonio Symphonies, Jessica is previous principal bassist for Orquestra da Rádio e Televisão Cultura in São Paulo, Brazil, and enjoy traveling to Brazil to perform and teach. She appears with chamber ensembles, jazz, tango and bluegrass bands, in studio recording sessions, on film soundtracks, television and radio jingles, and popular festival stages around the world such as The International Festival at Round Top and Encontro Brasileiro de Contrabaixos in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.  Currently Dr. Valls is on faculty at Southwestern University, Huston-Tillotson University, The Girls’ School of Austin and maintains a private studio of budding string players of all ages.

Karrie Sheehan – Drummer

Karrie Sheehan was born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC. She started drumming at 24, mainly as a means to jam with her brother. Drums spoke to Karrie more than any other instrument, so she began taking formal lessons with several notable teachers in the area which helped her advance quickly. Karrie then joined her first band, and a few years later she helped teach percussion at a music conservatory!

Karrie have always felt the need to play as many styles of music as she can, so during her time in NC she was fortunate to play folk, country, reggae, jazz, and even some hip hop! The experience she gained in NC was invaluable, and helped her confidently make the move to Austin, Texas.

Since moving to Austin, Karrie have been smiled upon by the Universe and have been fortunate enough to share the stage with these fine performers: Bob Appel, Emily Herring, Jim Loessberg, Bakersfield TX, Anthony Garcia, Ella Reid, Al Dressen, Floyd Domino, The Merles, Rollfast Ramblers, Justin Trevino, The Bluebonnets, Bonnie Montgomery, Jason James, Texas Tycoons, Blue Amulets, The Reeves Brothers, Rhythm Congress, TT Brown, Rosie Flores, Adam Lopez, Summer Dean, Jazz Kween, Lance Lipinsky and more to come!

Laura Mordcai – Percussionist

Laura Mordecai is a percussionist and harmony vocalist for Stephanie Urbina Jones, Robin Mordecai and Javier Chaparro and Salúd.  She’s recorded with these plus others including the legendary Beto y los Fairlanes.  Laura is a member of the Recording Academy having proudly served terms as a Texas Chapter board member, Chapter Secretary and as Vice-President.  She currently continues to serve as a member of the Chapter’s Education Committee.  She is also a member of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM Local 433), Austin Texas Musicians and a founding member of the Austin Jazz Society.