Betty Carter is the alpha and omega of jazz vocals, in my book. I'm in love with what this woman does. Carmen McCrae once said, "there's really only one jazz singer - only one: Betty Carter." How more-or-less right she was.
Milton is a god. I am eternally indebted to my friend Julia for turning me onto him.
Anita O'Day - one of my favorite voices.
"So Miles, what shall I call your act?"
"Call it anything."
-Isle of Wight Festival, 1970.
LENA SEIKALY is a fresh new voice on the national jazz scene from the Washington D.C. area. Having received compliments and praise from the likes of Christian McBride, Robert Glasper and Roberta Gambarini, she has just begun to break into the national jazz circuit. Her sound is inspired directly by the great jazz vocalists, with an interpretive ingenuity reminiscent of legendary improvisers Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.
Recently, Lena was selected as a participant at the 2009 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency program, which takes place in March and April of this year at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She has also been selected as a 2009-2010 Artist-in-Residence at the Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
In 2005, she was a participant with the Capital Focus Jazz Band at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass program in Colorado, directed by McBride, where she worked closely with McBride and his band, vocalist Nnenna Freelon, and Loren Schoenberg. As a featured vocalist with several ensembles in and around D.C., she has performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival (Holland), the Ascona Jazz Festival (Switzerland), several jazz venues in France during a month-long tour, the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee (CA), and several local festivals and venues. In her career thus far, she has had the pleasure of singing with many contemporary jazz greats, including Christian McBride, Raul Mascarenhas, Eddie Locke, Benito Gonzalez, and others.
As an in-demand vocalist, Lena has performed at most of D.C.’s top venues – Twins Jazz, Blues Alley, Smithsonian Jazz Café, the Smithsonian Sculpture Garden’s "Jazz in the Garden" summer series, Bohemian Caverns, the Atlas Theater, Busboys & Poets, Glen Echo Park, and others – and has also headlined at the Dante Club in California. She has been a featured performer at local festivals including the East Coast City Jazz Festival and the Crystal City Jazz Festival, as well as the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee.
Aside from being a performer, Lena is an avid jazz arranger and composer. The last few months of 2008 saw her busily writing for her first album, “Written in the Stars,” due out in February of 2009. She also works as a private voice instructor, and teaches the jazz voice class at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, a position funded by the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation in California.
That was an astonishing performance at the Kennedy Center. While quite a few of the folks in the audience had heard you before, many had not -- and they were absolutely stunned! I'm listening to the CD right now -- what an absolute treat. Kudos to Nathan, Tom and Dave too -- what a team!
Dear Lena : It is my pleasure to invite you to sing on the stage of HR-57 this coming saturday 8th starting at 9 PM with my quartet, I like your voice and the way you make music. Sincerly, Faife
LENA!!!!!!!!! I would've come to the CD release party but i was at my momz sick and she was nursing me. I LOVE YOUR VOICE and listen to you and your band while i'm at work just FYI. i seriously want to jam with you on the violin at some point so holler whenever. i miss u! salamtik :-)
