Sep 3, 2025 12:02 PM
Keeping the Flame at Van Gelder Studio
On the last Sunday of 2024, in the control room of Van Gelder Studio, Don and Maureen Sickler, co-owners since Rudy Van…
Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990)
(Photo: William P. Gottlieb)The New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Tuesday announced the five finalists in the 8th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition.
Daniela Spalletta, Samara McLendon, Christine Fawson, Viktorija Gečytė and Vivian Sessoms will compete Nov. 24.
A part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, the competition—which also is called The Sassy Awards in reference to Vaughan’s nickname—this year received about 600 submissions from 30 different countries, according to a press release. Judges for the competition this year are Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jane Monheit, Monifa Brown and Matt Pierson.
The competition’s winner is set to be awarded $5,000, as well as being given the opportunity to perform at the 2020 Newport Jazz Festival. Winners from previous years include Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, Ashleigh Smith, Arianna Neikrug, Deelee Dubé, Quiana Lynell, and Laurin Talese.
For additional information about the competition, visit The Sassy Awards website. DB
Don and Maureen Sickler serve as the keepers of engineer Rudy Van Gelder’s flame at Van Gelder Studio, perhaps the most famous recording studio in jazz history.
Sep 3, 2025 12:02 PM
On the last Sunday of 2024, in the control room of Van Gelder Studio, Don and Maureen Sickler, co-owners since Rudy Van…
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“Think of all the creative people I’m going to meet and a whole other way of thinking about music and a challenge of singing completely different material than I would have sung otherwise to my highest level in dedication to the moment,” Elling says about his Broadway run.
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