Vocal Legacy

The press release headline reads: New Concert Package Developed By Legendary Talent Manager John Levy Debuts At World’s Largest Jazz Conference On January 14th In NYC

You already know that John is among those being honored as an NEA Jazz Master, but what you may not know is that John is not exactly partial to the spotlight. There’s no “aw, shucks” about it; he’s really only interested in what he can do to promotes his clients, and he truly enjoys using his talents to help others achieve their artistic goals. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that he doesn’t appreciate the honor, he is quite pleased about it, but he says he didn’t do it alone, he had a lot of help along the way, and he’s just more comfortable behind the scenes. And make no mistake, he will be working behind those scenes at IAJE next week promoting Vocal Legacy.

Featuring Clairdee’s song stylings and Henry Johnson’s mellow tones on guitar and vocals, Vocal Legacy will make its debut at IAJE on Saturday, January 14th at 6:00 p.m. in the Sutton South room at the Hilton Hotel. The Legacy Ensemble, under the direction of pianist Ken French, includes bassist Mary Ann McSweeney and drummer Dennis Mackrel.

According to John, the concept was simple…

“Vocal Legacy is a new twist on the classic jazz standard. Clairdee is a new client, Henry been on my roster for a while. I thought, why not let the two collaborate and create something fresh and new, but familiar. We could give audiences that clamor for the real taste of jazz an engaging performance, without the heavy price tag. I’m offering traditional jazz vocals by younger artists, with a contemporary edgy style to prove that those days of great music are not gone. Their appeal is straightforward, it is an easy to follow recipe for success… a dash of this, a pitch of that! Clairdee own unique sound is a contemporary blend influenced by the sassy irreverence of Carmen McRae, the silky soulfulness of Natalie Cole, and Shirley Horn’s understated approach. If you liked the complex melody of Joe Williams, the soulfulness of Lou Rawls and Bill Withers, you’ll enjoy hearing the voice of Henry Johnson.”

And it’s all about the legacy.

“I titled the group Vocal Legacy because what I envisioned was a legacy of the classic jazz vocal genre. I am passionate about preserving the musical heritage as well as nurturing the continued growth of the art form. Jazz is timeless and the lyrics of the jazz standards still ring true.”

After more than five decades as a manager of the top names in jazz, this is John’s legacy too.

Henry Johnson and Clairdee share the same passion for the music’s melody and lyrics. Their performance on the 14th will present a contemporary twist while still maintaining the tradition of the great jazz vocalists before them. The selection of songs for the show was inspired by the great artists who came before them, and while no attempt is made to evoke the styles of their predecessors, Vocal Legacy is a tribute to them and the legacy they left. The performance will include:

The Great City (Salute to Shirley Horn)
Sunday In New York (Salute to Shirley Horn)
Do Something (Salute to Betty Carter)
After You’ve Gone (Salute to Joe Williams)
My One & Only Love/Why Did I Choose You (Salute to Johnny Hartman)
Summertime (Salute to Donny Hathaway)
All They Way (Salute to Frank Sinatra)
Deed I Do (Salute to Helen Humes)
Someone Else Is Steppin’ In (Salute to Ernestine Anderson)
For All We Know (Salute to Nat Cole)
Alright, Okay, You Win (Salute to Joe Williams)

Johnson, whose musical roots run deep into gospel, blues, and jazz, toured extensively with the groups of pianist Ramsey Lewis and legendary jazz vocalist Joe Williams before forming his own group, Organ Express. Johnson’s style is a testament to the influences of Kenny Burrell, George Benson, and most significantly, Wes Montgomery. Henry’s seven albums as a leader include Organic with special guest Nancy Wilson (A440 Records), An Evening At Sea (Chiaroscuro Records), and others on the MCA/Impulse and Heads Up labels.

Clairdee, a longtime member of the International Association for Jazz Education, is also an Artist-In-Residence with the San Francisco Symphony’s “Adventures in Music” series, the vocal instructor for University of California Berkeley Jazz Department, and teaches “Jazz & Popular Solo Voice” at Diablo Valley College. Her new CD, Music Moves (Declare Music/Hyena Records), is chartbound; earlier recordings on the Declare Music label include This Christmas and Destination Moon.

Ken French, director of the Legacy Ensemble, is musical director, arranger and pianist who has worked with Clairdee since 1998. With solid early training in classical piano, French discovered his passion for jazz in a high school music program in Seattle, Washington. While studying music composition, piano and philosophy at the University of Puget Sound, he demonstrated an affinity for exploring new perspectives with the classic standards. A performing professional for two decades, he cites influences as diverse as Miles Davis, André Previn, and Stevie Wonder. French is a sought after educator who enjoys conducting clinics and master classes in jazz improvisation, accompaniment, arranging, composition and related topics.

Bassist McSweeney, recently back from touring with Lee Konitz, has also performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Witherspoon, Betty O’Hara, Stacy Rowles, Rick Margitza, Lynn Ariel, Maiden Voyage Big Band, and the Ed Palermo Big Band to name a few. She has recorded with the Jim Cifelli New York Nonet, the Diva Big Band, Gene Burkert, Nana Simopoulos and Manhattan Vocal Project among others. On the classical side, she has worked with conductors Leonard Bernstein, John Williams and Lalo Schifrin.

Drummer Dennis Mackrel is a seasoned musician and clinician, traveling extensively and performing with such ensembles as The Carla Bley Very Large Band, Slide Hampton and the Jazz Masters, The Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Band, The Manhattan Symphony Jazz Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Classic Jazz Orchestra, The Hank Jones Trio, The Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, The Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra, and The American Jazz Orchestra. His compositions and arrangements have been recorded and performed internationally, and some of the other notable musicians Dennis has performed with include: Monty Alexander, John Pizzarelli, Harry Connick Jr., Lionel Hampton, Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, and Quincy Jones.