Billie Holiday-inspired jazz vocals from Mardra Thomas, with the soulful, hard-swinging piano of Reggie Thomas and the Rodney Whitaker Quartet. |WATCH NOW
WATCH NOW
http://video.wkar.org/video/2365172878/
Mardra Thomas is known for her realistic portrayal of Billie Holiday in concert and on the theatrical stage. Mardra is a true jazz vocalist with a voice well suited to showcasing Holiday’s sculptured phrasing that stamped a signature style on jazz singing. Reggie Thomas is one of the most in-demand jazz pianists in the country. He is on the music faculty at Michigan State University, is a consultant for Jazz at Lincoln Center, and can be seen appearing with the Legendary Count Basie Band, the Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker Ensemble, and MSU Professors of Jazz.
Mardra Thomas, vocals; Reggie Thomas, piano; Montez Coleman, drums; Rodney Whitaker, bass; Perry Hughes, guitar. Recorded live at Lansing JazzFest, August 2013.
A co-production of
WKAR at Michigan State University
Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art
MessageMakers
Production support provided by
MSU Federal Credit Union
MSU Alumni Association
This activity is supported in part by an award from the
MICHIGAN COUNCIL FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS
and the
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS