Spirit of Jazz Concert to Benefit Phelps Hospice

Jazz singers Melissa Walker and Tessa Souter will present an afternoon of songs and strings on October 23, 2011 from 3 to 5 pm at Irvington Town Hall Theater, 85 Main Street, Irvington, NY. The "Spirit of Jazz" concert will benefit the hospice program at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center, Sleepy Hollow, NY.

The two vocalists will be accompanied by five top jazz artists: Oscar Perez on piano, Ron McClure on bass, Alan Grubner on violin, Jennifer Vincent on cello, and Willard Dyson on drums.

Melissa Walker has enjoyed a wide and varied career as a jazz vocalist with performances at the Kennedy Center Women in Jazz Festival, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Joe's Pub and The Jazz Standard in Manhattan. With her rich, multi-octave vocal textures and impeccable phrasing, she has won kudos in concerts across several continents, working with such hallowed talents as Hank Jones, Kenny Barron, Wynton Marsalis, Sadao Watanabe, and Phil Woods; young jazz geniuses like Stefon Harris, Christian McBride, Geri Allen, Steve Turre and Makoto Ozone; and late greats like Ray Brown.

Tessa Souter's unique singing style infuses jazz with the soul and passion of flamenco, Middle Eastern, African and Brazilian music. She is an award-winning New York-based singer, composer, lyricist and Motema recording artist. She has recorded and or performed with some of the world's top jazz musicians, including Steve Kuhn, Joe Locke, Gary Versace, David Finck, Kenny Werner, Ron McLure, Billy Drummond, Gene Bertoncini, Lew Soloff, Santi Debriano, Joel Frahm, John Hart, Essiet Essiet, Jay Leonhart, Marvin Sewell, Romero Lubambo, Gwilym Simcock, Nikki Iles, Asaf Sirkis, Winston Clifford, Lekan Babalola, legendary tuba player Howard Johnson, Joe La Barbera, and guitarist Larry Koonse.

A highlight this year is WBGO Radio's late-night jazz host, Sheila Anderson - the "Queen of Hang," - who will serve as emcee.

All proceeds from the concert will go to support Phelps Hospice, a program that provides professional and dignified services to families and patients at the end of life at home or in the hospital or health care facility.

Concert tickets at $35 each can be obtained online at www.irvingtontheater.com or by calling the box office at 914-591-6602.

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