Artist Style: Soloists

With her body of work, which reflects her vast experience, versatility, and technical brilliance, world renowned vocalist Carmen Bradford, a 2024 GRAMMY winner, has carved out her place in jazz history and continues to contribute to the preservation of this uniquely American art form.

Carmen Bradford is jazz royalty – A 2024 Grammy Award winner for Basie Swings the Blues – the Count Basie Orchestra. She has been nominated five times for Grammy Awards and is the recipient of the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s Jazz Vocalist Award. With her body of work, which reflects her vast experience, versatility, and technical brilliance, she has carved out her place in jazz history, and she continues to contribute to the preservation of this uniquely American art form.

Bradford was born in Austin, Texas, and raised in Altadena, California. The daughter of legendary cornetist and composer Bobby Bradford and world-renowned jazz vocalist, composer, and author Melba Joyce, and granddaughter of Melvin Moore (who sang with Lucky Millender and his Big Band, Dizzy Gillespie’s Big Band, and the Ink Spots), Bradford grew up with music in her home and in her heart.

She was discovered and hired by William Count Basie when she was just 22; she went on to be the featured vocalist with the legendary Count Basie Orchestra for nine years and has continued to perform with them regularly throughout her career. All four of her Grammy Award nominations are for albums with the Count Basie Orchestra, including two in the 1980s and a third, Big Boss Band, with guitarist George Benson. (She and Benson performed the classic duet, How Do You Keep the Music Playing, on the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.) The fourth is 2022’s Live At Birdland.

In 1992, Bradford released her debut album Finally Yours (Evidence Records) to critical acclaim. In 1995, the release of her second solo album, With Respect (Evidence Records), established Bradford as one of jazz music’s most diverse and exciting vocal stylists.

Bradford has performed and/or recorded with Patti Austin, Tony Bennett, George Benson, Shelly Berg, James Brown, Benny Carter, Dori Caymmi, John Clayton and the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, Freddie Cole, Lena Horne, Kurt Elling, Wynton Marsalis, Jeremy Monteiro, David Murray, Willie Nelson, James Newton, Kenny Rankin, Lou Rawls, Doc Severinsen, Frank Sinatra, Byron Stripling, Tierney Sutton, Jeff Tyzik, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Liz Wright, and countless other artists around the world.

She has also performed and/or recorded with the Dallas Symphony, the Dani Felber Big Band, the Detroit Symphony, the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the National Symphony, the Philadelphia Pops, the Rochester Philharmonic, the Vancouver Philharmonic, and many other organizations.

Bradford teamed with singer/composer Kenny Rankin for the Benny Carter Songbook Project, performing with him the duet, And All That Jazz. Other notable artists on the album include Ruth Brown, Jon Hendricks, Shirley Horn, Diana Krall, Peggy Lee, Diane Reeves, Bobby Short, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Liz Wright, and others. At the request of Benny Carter, Bradford also sang Key Largo on this Grammy Award-winning album.

Bradford’s 2004 release, Home With You (Azica Records), is a warm and beautiful collection of vocal and piano duets with jazz great Shelly Berg. In 2008, with the release of Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola: Sherrie Maricle & The DIVA Jazz Orchestra featuring Carmen Bradford, Bradford returned to her big band roots. That recording ultimately brought her back to her first big band family, as well: She continues to tour with the Count Basie Orchestra, always grateful to Count Basie for opening the door for her. When the Count Basie Orchestra calls me, she says, I go.

The 2015 release of Invisible Design, with jazz great John Mills, showcases Bradford’s versatility. 2015 also saw the release of A Very Swingin’ Basie Christmas with the Count Basie Orchestra (conducted by Scotty Barnhart). The album features Bradford, Ledisi, Ellis Marsalis, and Johnny Mathis.

In 2016, Bradford was the voice on the album Imagination Nation, a tribute to Nelson Mandela by South African trumpeter Darren English. This critically acclaimed album won the Pledge for Peace award from the Global Peace Song Awards and was named Best in Jazz.

The 2019 Grammy Award-nominated album, All About That Basie with the Count Basie Orchestra, conducted by Scotty Barnhart on Concord Records, features Bradford, Jamie Davis, Joey DeFrancesco, Kurt Elling, Jon Faddis, Wycliff Gordon, Stevie Wonder, and Take 6. In 2021, another Grammy Award-nominated album was released: Live At Birdland – the Count Basie Orchestra, conducted by Scotty Barnhart and featuring Bradford and Jamie Davis.

Bradford regularly pays tribute to the great Ella Fitzgerald with her show, A Century of Ella, created and conducted by jazz great Jeff Tyzik. With the incredible trumpeter and vocalist Byron Stripling, Bradford honors Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong in their show, Ella and Louis, which consistently performs to rave reviews. Bradford has recently added a new show, Carmen Pays Tribute to the First Ladies of Song.

Bradford has loaned her inimitable voice to stage productions and the music of Hollywood films, cartoons for television and radio commercials, and the theater. She sang on the haunting soundtrack for Oprah Winfrey’s Beloved and starred in the title role of Duke Ellington’s Folk Opera, Queenie Pie, at the University of Texas at Austin’s Butler School of Music.

As she tours and performs around the world, Bradford continues to sing multiple genres, from straight-ahead jazz to fusion to blues – and to sing as no one else can.

In 2017, Bradford’s gift for teaching and mentoring others inspired the San Francisco Conservatory of Music to recruit Bradford to serve as Vocalist in Residence and Director of the Jazz Voice Department in the school’s new Roots, Jazz, and American Music (RJAM) Program.

In April 2024, Bradford joined the Michigan State University Jazz Studies Faculty as the new Associate Professor of Jazz Voice. Carmen Bradford is excited about teaching in the MSU Jazz Studies area after hearing the high quality of the student musicians when she visited as a guest artist in 2022.

Bradford is also CEO and Artistic Director of Carmen Bradford Productions, Inc., and an artist with Earthworks Audio. In 2017, she served as a panelist for AMPLIFY, part of the Emerging Black Composers Project (a partnership among the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), the San Francisco Symphony, and the SFCM President’s Advisory Council on Equity and Inclusion). She was also a Governor of the Atlanta Chapter of the Recording Academy.

Bradford sings on the critically acclaimed 2023 release, Basie Swings the Blues on Candid Records. In addition to Bradford, this album features some of the greatest blues artists alive today, including George Benson, Castro “Mr. Sipp” Coleman, Shemekia Copeland, Robert Cray, Jamie Davie, Buddy Guy, Charlton Johnson, Betty LaVette, Ledisi, Keb’ Mo’, Charlie Musselwhite, and Bobby Rush.

Bradford’s body of work reflects jazz’s improvisation, creativity, and freedom. She looks forward to continuing her work to preserve this uniquely American art, so reflective of the cultural fabric of our country.

Sarah Darling is an American singer-songwriter whose honey-toned vocals and 70s California warmth shape her modern Americana sound. With chart-topping releases and millions of streams, she’s performed everywhere from the Grand Ole Opry to major UK festivals.

Sarah Darling is an American singer-songwriter drawing inspiration from the allure of freedom and beauty. Her voice channels the spirit of 70’s California, with echoes from Laurel Canyon, narrating an American road trip story wrapped in nostalgia and sunshine. Infused with a modern aura, her lyrics transport us to a golden era, sung with the warmth of honey vocals and unfiltered honesty.

Sarah’s credits include five full-length albums, multiple singles, including a #1 on the UK Country charts, and many duets. She has over 20 million streams, 11 million video views, and over 90 appearances on the Grand Ole Opry stage. She is one of the first Sirius XM The Highway™ Finds and part of the first class of CMT’s Next Women of Country. Performances include: CMA Music Fest, C2C, BBC Radio 2 Stage, FSA Music Festival, Nashville Meets London, British Country Music Festival, British Summertime Festival supporting Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Carrie Underwood.

Sarah’s music has been featured on many Apple, Amazon, Pandora, and Spotify playlists including:, CMT’s Hot Twenty, Coffeehouse, New Boots, PopCo, Take it Slow, Wild Country, Cosmic Country, New Music Nashville, Next from Nashville, Fresh Folk, etc.

Crystal Monee Hall is a powerhouse singer and songwriter whose commanding stage presence and performance ability dazzle audiences around the world. Her diverse career includes roles on Broadway in RENT and collaborations with renowned artists such as Oleta Adams, Cynthia Erivo, Kristin Chenoweth and Patti Austin, showcasing her exceptional vocal talent and versatility across various genres.

Crystal Monee Hall is a powerhouse singer/songwriter, actress, and vocal director/arranger/producer whose career spans roles on Broadway (RENT), TV (HBO’s High Maintenance and Walker), movies (Disney’s WISH), and sold-out tours with Ben Platt and Mickey Hart (Grateful Dead). She has collaborated with an array of top artists, from providing backing vocals for Oleta Adams and Patti Austin, to performing with Thomas Rhett at Madison Square Garden and being featured in Cynthia Erivo’s PBS special. A recipient of The Lilly Awards’ Go Write a Musical award, and the Black Theatre Coalition’s inaugural Composer Fellowship award, Hall’s songwriting has been showcased in Kristin Chenoweth’s live concerts, and her latest EP If You Breathe has been praised by Billboard Magazine. Crystal is the composer of the new musical 3 Summers of Lincoln, which premiered at La Jolla Playhouse in 2025.

In collaboration with artists ranging from Yo-Yo Ma to Sting, and in repertoire from Mozart to Tango, soprano Camille Zamora is beloved by audiences worldwide for her winning blend of vocal virtuosity, tonal beauty, and personal warmth. The New York Times praises her “dignity and glowing sound” and The Herald Tribune raves, “Camille Zamora wields her vocal gifts like a brilliant torch, bringing light and magic to everything she sings.

The Herald Tribune raves, “Camille Zamora wields her vocal gifts like a brilliant torch, bringing light and magic to everything she sings,” while The Dallas Morning News says, “The show’s real star is Camille Zamora, her soprano a fine focus of heat and light.” 

Raised in Texas and Mexico, and a graduate of The Juilliard School, Soprano Camille Zamora is known for her “glowing sound” (The New York Times) in “luminous, transcendently lyrical performances” (Opera News) that “combine gentility and emotional fire” (The Houston Chronicle). In collaboration with artists ranging from Yo-Yo Ma to Sting, she is acclaimed for her “dramatic and nuanced interpretations” (The New York Times) of repertoire ranging from Mozart to tango. 

Hailed as a leading interpreter of Spanish song by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and NBC Latino, Camille has performed and recorded zarzuela, bolero, tango, and Latin jazz on six continents with the world’s great orchestras and artists. She has premiered Fiesta Sinfónica, Tango Caliente, Havana Nights, and Sueños de España—her signature Latin Pops concerts orchestrated for her by Grammy® Award winner Jeff Tyzik—with orchestras including Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and more.

Camille’s recent seasons included music of Enrique Granados with Yo-Yo Ma and Cristina Pato in the award-winning documentary film The Music of Strangers; American Songbook classics by Gershwin, Berlin, Ager, and Arlen with Jon Batiste in Los Angeles and New York City; and Twin Spirits: Robert and Clara Schumann at Lincoln Center and LA’s Music Center with Sting, Trudie Styler, Joshua Bell, Jeremy Denk, Natasha Paremski, and Nathan Gunn. Other recent highlights included her Kennedy Center recital debut and a tour-de-force double bill of La voix humaine and I Pagliacci cited as “Favorite Performance of the Year” by The Columbus Dispatch. 

Camille’s discography is extensive, and her two most recent albums, Si la noche se hace oscura (If the Night Grows Dark): Four Centuries of Spanish Song and Le dernier sorcier (The Last Sorcerer) debuted on Billboard’s Top Ten Classical Chart. Her world premiere original-language recording of Hindemith’s The Last Christmas Dinner with American Symphony Orchestra, recorded live in concert at Lincoln Center, was an Opera News Critics’ Choice and New York Times Classical Playlist Choice. Camille’s other recordings of twentieth- and twenty-first century works include The Music of Chris Theofanidis (Albany Records), New Music with Guitar / David Starobin (Bridge), Strauss’ Die Liebe der Danae (American Symphony Orchestra), and the world premiere recording of Scott Gendel’s “At Last” with Yo-Yo Ma on An AIDS Quilt Songbook: Sing for Hope (Naxos/GPR).

Camille has performed with many of the world’s leading ensembles, including Orchestra of St. Luke’s, London Symphony Orchestra, Guadalajara Symphony, and American Symphony Orchestra, and in live broadcasts on PBS, NPR, BBC, Deutsche Radio, and Sirius XM. She performed Brahms’ Liebeslieder with Leon Fleisher at Aspen Music Festival, Bach’s Magnificat with Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall, and, also at Carnegie Hall, the premiere of Christopher Theofanidis’ Song of Elos, a performance she repeated at the American Academy in Rome. A champion of new music, she made her Lincoln Center Festival debut in Bright Sheng’s Poems from the Sung Dynasty for Soprano and Orchestra, and premiered Robert Aldridge and Herschel Garfein’s “Away but Not Far Away” as part of The AIDS Quilt Songbook @ 20 at Cooper Union’s Great Hall. Camille performed Aaron Jay Kernis’ Simple Songs for Soprano and Orchestra at the Bowdoin Festival under the baton of the composer, and works of Ricky Ian Gordon with the composer at the piano at Lincoln Center. She has also premiered works by Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, Bernd Franke, Roberto Sierra, Henry Brant, and Richard Wargo with companies including Spoleto Festival USA, New York Festival of Song, Continuum, and American Opera Projects.

Camille’s operatic appearances include Ilia in Idomeneo at Boston Lyric Opera; Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni at Anchorage Opera; Despina in Così fan tutte at Glimmerglass Opera and Virginia Opera; Rosita in Luisa Fernanda at LA Opera; Elle in La voix humaine at Auckland Opera, Phoenicia Festival, Opera Columbus, and Bay Chamber Festival; Mimì in La bohème at Opera on the James; Nedda in I Pagliacci at Opera Columbus; Amore/Valetto in L’incoronazione di Poppea at Houston Grand Opera; The Countess in The Marriage of Figaro at On Site Opera; and Europa in Die Liebe der Danae, The Countess in Die Verschworenen, Masha in The Chocolate Soldier, and La Reine in Le dernier sorcier at Bard Summerscape. Other signature roles include Blanche (Dialogues des Carmélites), The Governess (The Turn of the Screw), and the title roles in Susannah, Alcina, and Anna Bolena, of which The Houston Chronicle wrote, “Camille Zamora digs deep into Anna Bolena with the richness of her colorful and unwaveringly powerful soprano instrument… a consummate actress whose ability to get inside her character is phenomenal.”

A leading advocate for the arts in public health, Camille is the Co-Founder of Sing for Hope, an “artists’ peace corps” that creates initiatives—including Sing for Hope Pianos in public spaces worldwide—that promote arts for all. She has presented and performed at The United Nations, The United States Capitol, and Skoll World Forum for Social Entrepreneurship, and has given masterclasses and held Distinguished Artist-in-Residence positions at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Harvard, Oxford, NYU, FSU, and University of Arkansas. She has been honored with a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Award, a World Harmony Torch-Bearer Award, a 100 Hispanic Women Community Pride Award, and been named one of the Top 50 Americans in Philanthropy by Town & Country, NY1‘s New Yorker of the Week, and one of CNN’s Most Intriguing People. Camille graduated from Juilliard with her Master’s Degree and the school’s prestigious Artist Diploma.

Mambo Kings, together since 1995, are enjoying great success as America’s foremost Latin jazz ensemble and have rapidly earned a national reputation for their explosive blend of Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz improvisation.

Mambo Kings, together since 1995, are enjoying great success as America’s foremost Latin jazz ensemble and have rapidly earned a national reputation for their explosive blend of Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz improvisation.

Since their orchestral debut in 1997 with the Rochester Philharmonic and conductor Jeff Tyzik, Mambo Kings have appeared at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival and in pops concerts with orchestras in Baltimore, Vancouver, Detroit, Dallas, Naples (FL), and Portland (OR), among many others, performing original compositions and arrangements by pianist Richard DeLaney.

As a quintet, Mambo Kings have appeared as featured soloists at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Fest, the Music in the Mountains Festival in Durango (CO), the Lewiston (NY) Jazz Fest, the Big Sky Arts Fest in Bozeman (MT), and with soprano Camille Zamora at the Wallis Center in LA and the Grand Teton Music Fest in Wyoming.

After a triumphant 2019 performance for an audience of 16,000 at the Grant Park Music Fest, the band weathered the 2020-2021 season with online performances with the Austin, Buffalo, and West Michigan orchestras and a live performance with the Virginia Symphony to wrap up the year. The 2022 season started with performances with the Phoenix and Oregon symphonies and included shows with orchestras in Spokane, North Carolina, Dayton, and Detroit.

The 2023 season included performances with the Augusta, Edmonton (AB), and Iowa Symphony orchestras. The 2024 season includes concerts with the Springfield (MA), Erie (PA), and Harrisburg orchestras.

Mambo Kings released their third self-produced recording, Nostalgia, in July of 2008. Nostalgia, along with their previous releases—Live! (2005) and Marinera (2003)—continues to receive radio airplay throughout North America and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit the band’s website: www.mambokingdom.com.

Musical Director Richard DeLaney, a native of Lima, Peru, has been active as a jazz pianist, arranger, and composer in Rochester since earning a master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music in 1978. He has written and performed music for film, television, the stage, and the concert hall. He has performed with the Rochester Philharmonic and the Rochester Chamber Orchestra, as well as with Paquito D’Rivera, Bobby Sanabria, and numerous bandleaders in Rochester. Richard joined the piano faculty of the Hochstein School of Music in 1985 and has directed the school’s Jazz Ensemble Program since 2001. He received the Faculty Service Award in 1996.

Percussionist Wilfredo (Freddy) Colón (drums, timbales, bongos) has performed with Aretha Franklin, Tito Puente, Soneros Del Barrio, Johnny Rivera, El Cano, and Paquito Acosta. He has taught percussion at the Eastman School of Music’s Community Education Division and is much in demand as a percussion clinician in the Rochester area.

Saxophonist John Viavattine has been an accomplished woodwind specialist in Rochester for many years. John has toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, including a memorable performance in Washington, D.C., at President Reagan’s 1980 Inaugural Ball. John has also performed with Chuck and Gap Mangione, Jeff Tyzik, the Rochester Philharmonic, The Temptations, Ray Charles, Patti Page, Connie Francis, Vic Damone, and Lou Rawls.

Percussionist Tony Padilla (congas) was born and raised in Rochester. A self-taught percussionist, he began playing at age 12 and has been performing professionally since the age of 14. Tony has played with such artists as Paquito De Rivera, Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine, Arturo Sandoval, Jerry Gonzalez, Lou Gramm, the Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble, and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

Tony conudcts clinics and workshops throughout the United States, including The Eastman School of Music, The New York State Teachers Music Association, The Percussive Arts Society, and a variety of colleges and high schools.

Bassist Hector Diaz has been playing with bands in the Western New York area since the age of thirteen. He has performed with Ismael Miranda, Hector Tricoche, “El Cano” Estremera, Paquito Acosta, Zafra Negra, Luisito Rosario, Wendell Rivera, and Johnny Rivera. While in the Army, Hector toured with an All Soldiers show throughout Army bases in South Korea.

Denzal Sinclaire is one of Canada’s most popular jazz vocalists and is ranked among the finest jazz singers of his generation. He possesses that rare ability to achieve, from the moment he steps on stage, a profound emotional interaction with his audience. His passionate and sincere delivery caresses every song he sings.

Denzal Sinclaire is one of Canada’s most popular jazz vocalists and is ranked among the finest jazz singers of his generation. A graduate of McGill University’s Jazz Performance program (Montreal, Canada), he possesses that rare ability to achieve, from the moment he steps on stage, a profound emotional interaction with his audience. His passionate and sincere delivery caresses every song he sings. He touches the listener with the purity of the message.

Denzal is a Juno Award (Canada’s Grammy Award) nominee, a recipient of the 2004 National Jazz Award for “Best Album,” a four-time consecutive recipient of the Jazz Report Magazine Award for Male Jazz Vocalist, and the 2007 Choc Jazzman Award (France). His admirers include Grammy Award-winning artists, Diana Krall (“Denzal Sinclaire embodies the tradition of the great singers I love like Nat Cole, yet definitely has his own voice. He is one of my favorite singers…”), Bette Midler, Dianne Reeves, Michael Feinstein, and Michael Bublé, as well as growing legions of jazz fans in his native Canada and abroad. From his early days as a canny interpreter of Nat ‘King’ Cole’s mentholated crooning, he has grown into one of the most distinctive and individualistic singers anywhere.

He has graced the stages of numerous concert halls and festivals around the world and has appeared on several popular TV shows, including Canada’s Bravo! TV, Canada AM, Nashville Now, and Ireland’s The Late Late Show. As a former member of UK soul artist Jamie Lidell’s band, he has appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Manu Katché’s show One Shot Not (France).

Equally at home in the theatre, film, and television arenas, Denzal has delighted audiences with his critically acclaimed performance in Unforgettable, a musical based on the life and music of Nat King Cole; Tapestry: The Music of Carole King (Arts Club Theatre); and William Saroyan’s award-winning The Time of Your Life (Soul Pepper Theatre Company). His TV and film credits include appearances in the new Battlestar Galactica TV Series (dir. Michael Rymer) and Being Julia, starring Annette Bening and Jeremy Irons (dir. István Szabó). Denzal’s voice has also been featured in TV and radio ads in Canada and Japan.

A pivotal role in Denzal’s career was the collaboration with highly sought-after guitarist/composer/arranger Bill Coon, whom he befriended in Montreal. Over the course of 15 years, they performed to rave reviews in a variety of musical settings ranging from duo to symphony orchestras, as well as several live radio, television, and studio recordings for the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) and SRC (Société Radio-Canada). In 1994, they recorded an album of duets, and in 1996, recorded the very first in-studio concert for Canada’s Bravo! TV with a unique ten-piece ensemble. They now enjoy a new type of collaboration as members of the Hammond organ quartet, The B3 Kings, featuring Bill on guitar, Cory Weeds on tenor sax, Chris Gestrin on B-3 organ, and Denzal on drums and vocals.

He has performed with renowned artists such as Patrice Rushen, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Janis Siegal, Dee Daniels, Kevin Mahogany, Michael Feinstein, Marilyn Maye, Bob Mintzer, Jimmy Heath, Barry Harris, The Count Basie Orchestra, Dame Cleo Laine, Sir John Dankworth, Peter Appleyard, Reuben Rogers, Gregory Hutchinson, Russell Malone, Seamus Blake, Nicholas Payton, Brian Blade, Jamie Lidell, Holly Cole, Vince Giardano & The Nighthawks, David Berger Jazz Orchestra, and the WDR Big Band.

The list of artists he has supported includes Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Anita Baker, Four Tops, Holly Cole, Bill Charlap, Katie Melua, Jane Monheit, and Matt Dusk.

Denzal has recorded three albums for Universal Music: I Found Love (Juno Award Nomination, 2000), Denzal Sinclaire (Best Album, National Jazz Awards, 2004), and My One and Only Love (Choc Jazzman Award, France, 2007).

Big Mike won over the hearts of a nation during his stint on the original American Idol. Michael Lynche’s extraordinary vocal talent seamlessly fuses classic R&B, thoroughly modern urban grooves, and swoon-worthy vintage soul into a fresh and unique sound all his own. Michael brings an inspirational story and a searing, soulful, one-of-a-kind voice to every performance.

American Idol Michael Lynche is a new breed of soul singer with completely classic influences. Traces of Donny Hathaway, Al Green, Luther Vandross, Sam Cooke, and James Brown all seem to flash in this uniquely talented performer. Undeniable charisma, well-crafted song arrangements, and a voice soaked in soul give the big man a class all his own. “Big Mike”—as he was known while winning over the hearts of a nation during his stint on American Idol—has talent so versatile that he’s played intimate jazz and blues clubs, 20,000-seat arenas, and opera halls with 100-piece orchestras backing him. Through it all, “Big Mike” has always had one singular goal: to spread a message of love wherever he goes.

A New York City resident for the last 20 years, the Florida native rose from obscurity as a finalist on season 9 of the hit phenomenon, American Idol. After wowing millions of fans on American Idol with his comforting and powerful voice and performing throughout the United States as part of the American Idol LIVE! Tour, Big Mike has released two studio albums, toured as an opening act for Boyz II Men, Lalah Hathaway, Faith Evans, and Lyfe Jennings, and toured the world with his honest storytelling brand of soul music.

Since 2012, Big Mike has been a featured guest vocalist with orchestras all over the US and Canada, including the Dallas Symphony, Utah Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Roanoke Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Sarasota Orchestra, and many more.

His show credits include R&B Legends, Kings of Soul, Dancing in the Street – The Music of Motown, and Holiday Pops: Soulful Christmas.

Big Mike brings an inspirational story and a searing, soulful, one-of-a-kind voice. He leaves you breathless and wanting more when the night is over. This extraordinary vocal talent seamlessly fuses classic R&B, thoroughly modern urban grooves, and swoon-worthy vintage soul into a fresh, unique sound. Big, yes—and beautiful, too; Michael Lynche makes music that’s unforgettable.

Dee Daniels is an accomplished vocalist and a musician’s musician who passionately delivers timeless performances in multiple genres, including jazz, blues, gospel, and her original compositions. Dee adds a spellbinding vocal range of over four octaves to her potent, natural, and unique spin on every song she touches.

Dee Daniels is an accomplished vocalist and a musician’s musician who passionately delivers timeless performances in multiple genres, including jazz, blues, gospel, and her original compositions. Several of her recordings have garnered awards in multiple categories from the Global Music Awards, the POP Awards (Germany), the JAZZIZ Top 10 Artists, the Western Canada Music Awards, and many others. A sultry songsmith and master of storytelling, she has performed for royalty and international dignitaries on multiple occasions and has an extensive global list of performances with combos, big bands, and symphony orchestras. Her international career includes performances across Europe, the United Kingdom, Russia, Australia, South America, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Egypt, twelve African countries, and throughout North America.

Dee crossed the threshold of the classical world with the creation of her spellbinding Symphony Pops programs: Great Ladies of Swing, The Great American Swing Book, A Night Out With The Boys, The Soul of Ray: The Music of Ray Charles, and her joyful Christmas Pops. For several years, she also shared a successful Pops program with Juno Award winner, Denzal Sinclaire, entitled Unforgettable: 100 Years of Nat and Natalie Cole. Dee has performed and recorded with orchestras throughout North America and Europe. In addition to her accredited presence and magnetic prowess on keys, she adds a spellbinding vocal range of over four octaves to her potent, natural, and unique spin on every song she touches.

Dee’s vocal style was born deep in the gospel roots of her stepfather’s Baptist church choir in Oakland, California, refined through the R&B era, and polished during a five-year stay in The Netherlands and Belgium. She has performed and/or recorded with the who’s who of the Jazz world, including jazz legends: Clark Terry, Mulgrew Miller, Claudio Roditti, Benny Green, Houston Person, John Clayton, Russell Malone, Wycliffe Gordon, Cyrus Chestnut, Ken Peplowski, Kenny Barron, Bill Mays, Jeff Clayton, Benny Golson, Grady Tate, Toots Thielemans, Jeff Hamilton, Monty Alexander, Steve Wilson, Marvin Stamm, Lewis Nash, Kenny Washington, Norman Simmons, Hank and Elvin Jones, Dennis Mackrel, Martin Wind, Bucky Pizzarelli, Helen Sung, Christian McBride, David Young, Neil Swainson, Dave Stryker, Bruce Forman, Victor Lewis, and many, many more.

Dee is the recipient of numerous awards and recognition, including the Western Canada Music Awards Spiritual Artist of the Year; the National Congress of Black Women of Canada Legacy Award; a nomination for an Atlanta Theater’s Suzi Bass Award; an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Fine Arts and the President’s Award, both from Capilano University; the prestigious and most coveted Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; her induction into the University of Montana’s School of Fine Arts Hall of Honor; the University of Montana Distinguished Alumni Award; the induction into the British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame; and membership in Vancouver’s Granville Street Walk of Fame. These are a few testaments to her dedication to music.

Dee has cultivated a diverse career that has also seen her on theatre stages, including the 2009 premiere of New York choreographer Twyla Tharp’s musical, Come Fly Away, and the critically acclaimed musical Wang Dang Doodle at the Arts Club in Vancouver, BC. She is an inspirational speaker with keynote addresses being delivered at the Women’s CEO & Senior Management Summit in Toronto, the British Columbia Music Teachers Conference, commencement addresses at Capilano University, and many more.

An internationally respected vocal clinician, adjudicator, and mentor, Dee presents clinics, workshops, and master classes globally. In 2019, she was invited to join the faculty of the Conservatory of Music at the University of the Pacific (CA); she served on the President’s Advisory Council for the Jazz Education Network (JEN) from 2016 to 2018; was Artistic Director for the West Coast’s DeMiero Jazz Fest from 2011 to 2018; and was on the faculty of the vocal department of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College (NY) from 2013 to 2014. In 2013 and 2014, she created the week-long Dee Daniels Vocal Jazz Workshop Camp at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp; from 2001 through 2017, she was the creator and donor for the Dee Daniels Jazz Vocal Scholarship at Capilano University in North Vancouver, BC, and from 2017 to the present, the scholarship continues at the DeMiero Jazz Festival in Washington; in 2024, she became the creator and donor of a second Dee Daniels Jazz Vocal Scholarship administered through JEN (Jazz Education Network). She was the first artist to serve on the Advisory Board of the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival (2002 to 2008) and has received several awards for her contributions in the fields of music performance, music education, and community service.

Dee has 15 CDs as a leader to her credit in addition to being a guest artist on CDs of several other artists and compilation CDs internationally. Visit www.deedaniels.com for further information.

Colin Smith is an Irish-born vocalist and guitarist whose dynamic career spans multiple decades and genres. As a solo artist, Colin has collaborated with industry luminaries including Alicia Keys, Adele, and Christina Aguilera performing the Grammy-winning duet Say Something.

Colin Smith is an Irish-born vocalist and guitarist whose dynamic career spans multiple decades and genres. Born in Dublin, he first gained recognition as the frontman of the alternative rock band MrNorth. Under RCA Records, the band toured extensively, sharing stages with renowned acts such as The Who, Van Halen, Sheryl Crow, and Journey, and performing at festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.

As a solo artist, Colin has collaborated with industry luminaries including Alicia Keys, Adele, and Christina Aguilera. Notably, he toured globally with Aguilera from 2014 to 2019, performing the Grammy-winning duet Say Something and providing background vocals. His versatile vocal talents were also showcased over three seasons on Saturday Night Live.

Colin’s original compositions have been featured in major motion pictures and television series, including appearances on soundtracks such as The Lincoln Lawyer (with The Wilderness), the BBC’s Being Human (Organ In Your Chest), and Lucifer (Hands Out, Head High), as well as on the City of Lies soundtrack through his collaboration with Joe Perry of Aerosmith.

In his solo endeavors, Colin released his debut album The Wilderness in 2009 and followed it with The Candles EP in 2023, reflecting his growth as a singer-songwriter. Singles like Is It Ever Now and The Tree have achieved international success—with Is It Ever Now reaching number one on the Irish Alternative iTunes chart and number eight overall in Ireland. He is currently writing and recording a new full-length project, slated for release in 2026.

Beyond his recording career, Colin co-founded the Sounds from the Cellar podcast alongside the Olive Tree Madmen. Recorded live at New York City’s Olive Tree Café, the podcast features candid conversations and performances with guest artists, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into the creative process, with past episodes including discussions with Lalah Hathaway and Peter Gunz.

Colin’s versatility also extends to symphonic and theatrical performances. As a Greenberg Artist, he has been a featured vocalist in productions such as Revolution: The Music of The Beatles – A Symphonic Experience, Twist & Shout, Decades: Back to the ’80s, and The New Wave, collaborating with various U.S. symphonies. Looking ahead, he is preparing to make his screen debut in both television and film, opening a new chapter in his career.

Instagram : @colinsmithmusic

Eileen Ivers is a consummate artist and one of the most innovative of today’s Celtic musicians. Her obvious joy and sincerity in performing make her an audience favorite, and her skill and collegiality should make her a favorite with any orchestra fortunate enough to engage her.

Eileen Ivers will change the way you think of the violin.

Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated, Eileen Ivers continues to push traditional fiddling boundaries, transforming it from a folk music staple to an intensely driving, powerfully beautiful world stage experience. In a career that has spanned more than 40 years, Ivers has performed and toured with diverse artists such as Sting, Patti Smith, Al Di Meola, Hall and Oates, and The Chieftains. She is a 9-time All-Ireland fiddle champion and one of the most awarded All-Ireland Fiddle and Banjo champions ever.

She has guest-starred with the London Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, and over 60 symphony orchestras to date, and was the groundbreaking musical star of Riverdance, a featured instrumentalist on Back to Titanic, and in film soundtracks including Gangs of New York.

She’s been called a “sensation” by Billboard magazine, “the Jimi Hendrix of the violin” by The New York Times, and “a virtuoso” by The Irish Times.

The daughter of Irish immigrants, Eileen was born and raised in the culturally diverse neighborhood of The Bronx, NYC. Proclaimed “a national treasure” by the NCTA chair, she celebrates her renowned career as a performer, composer, producer, songwriter, band leader, educator, multi-instrumentalist, and revered pioneer in connecting her American, Irish traditional, jazz, blues, and world roots.

Ivers graduated magna cum laude in Mathematics from Iona University, and in 2019, Iona University conferred upon Eileen Ivers the honorary degree of Doctor of Arts, for her “lifelong commitment to innovation, excellence, and deep dedication to bringing people together through music.” Eileen currently serves on Iona’s Board of Trustees, and as one of many projects, is further developing Iona’s performing arts curriculum. Eileen also helped establish Iona’s global campus in Westport, County Mayo, Ireland, in 2024— not far from where both of her parents were born.

“Scatter the Light” is Eileen’s most recent album release of predominantly original music. It follows her “Beyond the Bog Road” album, which features extensively researched sixteen-page liner notes focusing on the influences of the Celtic tradition on roots music (bluegrass, French-Canadian, Cajun, Appalachian, Americana) and how Celtic music has journeyed on to become a fundamental ingredient of the American country music tradition. Irish Music Magazine called it “a triumph… a musical magnum opus,” and the album reached number one on the Alt-Country Roots Music Chart.

Eileen has recently released her first children’s book, a heartwarming story entitled “Will Someone Play Bluey?” featuring talking instruments and a blue violin. The book has received the prestigious Family Choice Award.

Eileen Ivers is one of America’s preeminent Irish fiddlers. Noted Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt sums up Ivers’s genius eloquently: “Eileen is to Irish music as Michael Flatley is to Irish dance—a pioneer, an innovator, a universalist. She grew up in boom-box Bronx and carries sounds from childhood that are surely embedded in her musical soul. Like Whitman, she contains multitudes and cannot be contained by Irish music itself.”

Eileen’s powerful, entertaining, and copyright-clear full symphony program features her three-member ensemble: Colin Forhan (vocals, guitar), Buddy Connolly (button accordion, piano), and Dave Barckow (percussion, vocals). Together with Eileen on fiddle, mandolin, bodhran, and live looping, the group showcases the connection of roots music through intricate, diverse, and engaging orchestrations and songs.