JAZZMEIA HORN

SMOKE / DECEMBER 31

Although still young, singer-songwriter Jazzmeia Horn has solidified her position as a straight-ahead, exuberant vocalist. The winner of both the Thelonious Monk and Sarah Vaughan awards, Jazzmeia is, in the words of the New York Times, “among the most exciting young vocalists in jazz.” Nominated for multiple Grammy Awards and winner of several DownBeat Awards, she has been compared to Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughan and Nancy Wilson, and is firmly rooted in the jazz tradition. Her latest recording, Messages (Empress Legacy), features eight originals and has been praised, with the Dallas Morning News calling it “a creative step forward.” Jazzmeia will appear on New Year’s Eve at Smoke with the Smoke Jazz Club All-Stars comprised of alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, and drummer Jonathan Blake. DJS