Vocals – DCjazz

Sandra Y Johnson

washingtondcjazz7 — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 21:53:39 +0000

Sandra Y. Johnson, a native Washingtonian, has been singing most of her life, whether professionally, in an organized choir, in the privacy of her home, or with friends. Sandra Y. Johnson performs straight-ahead Jazz, Blues, and R&B/Oldies music, including Motown. Sandra joined the Women’s Fellowship Choir at her church in 1985. In 1986 she also joined the Blacks in Government Gospel Choir, Department of Labor Chapter, where she was the section leader and coordinator of the choir’s activities for fourteen years.

She began taking private voice lessons in 1990 and as a result, she started singing solos. Sandra has sung at Department of Laborofficial functions, area churches, homeless shelters, rehabilitation centers, and evangelistic outreach services.

Since 1995, she has been an active member of the Washington Performing Arts Society’s Men and Women of the Gospel Choir that performs annually at the Kennedy Center. In 2005 she was selected as one of the soloists to perform with WPAS at the Kennedy Center. Sandra still sings the first Sunday of each month at the Gospel Rescue Mission in Washington, D.C.

Sandra earned a Graduate Certificate in Arts Management in 2001 and a Master’s Degree in Arts Management from American University in May 2007. She has a Bachelor of Public Administration from the University of the District of Columbia. In January 2004, Sandra retired from the U. S. Department of Labor as a Manpower Development Specialist after 37 years of service. During the Fall 2005 semester, Sandra served as a Development Intern in the Development Office of Strathmore Music Center; and in the Fall 2006 served as a Special Events Intern at Wolf Trap Foundation.

Finding a Voice in Jazz

In 2001, Sandra became interested in singing jazz, and became astudent for 3 1/2 years at the Elliston Jazz Studies Workshopunder the direction of Ronnie Wells and Ron Elliston. She also studied privately for a year and a half with the late Calvin J. Jones, University of the District of Columbia’s Coordinator of Jazz Studies. She currently studies with Connaitre Miller, Professor of Jazz Voice at Howard University, Washington, DC.

Sandra’s first “gigs” were at The Islander Restaurant, Westminster Presbyterian Church Jazz Series, The Old Post Office Pavilion, and Twin’s Jazz Lounge on U Street. Since 2002, she has performed at several jazz festivals to include the Fish Middleton Jazz Scholarship (FMJS) Fund’s East Coast Jazz Festival at the Double Tree Hotel in Rockville, 2006 Potomac Jazz & Seafood Festival, The 2010 and 2011 Taste of Georgetown, Herndon Labor Day Jazz Festival, 2011 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival and many outdoor concerts. Sandra also performed several times at the Henley Park Hotel and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. From 2005 – 2010, she performed every Friday night at Laporta’s Restaurant in Alexandria, VA. She performed at the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum’s “Take 5″ in 2008 and again in 2011. Sandra also performed at the Phillips Collection in May 2012.

She entered and won 2nd Place at the 2006 and 2007 Billie Holiday Vocal Competition in Baltimore, MD.

Sandra performs around the DC Metro Area and at special events. Her goal is to plan and produce music events and other special events, while furthering her own music career as a jazz/gospel/R&B/Oldies vocalist.

CD Releases

In February 2004, Sandra released her debut CD entitled, “Steppin’ Out” and had CD releases at Blues Alley Supper Club and Westminster Presbyterian Church.

She produced her second CD, “What are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” in January 2011 and had CD release events at the University of the District of Columbia and again at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Visit http://www.sandrayjohnson.com/

Pam Bricker

washingtondcjazz7 — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 20:54:44 +0000

Remembering our 1987 recording Why Did I Choose You

Pam Bricker – vocals, Louis Scherr – piano, Tommy Cecil – bass

Recently while taking a trip down memory lane and rummaging through a box of old photos, I uncovered a cassette recording that Pam Bricker and I did back in 1987.

The recording was done in my living room with a reel-to-reel recorder and a few good mics. We made cassette copies only and didn’t press a record or make a CD of the project. I was very surprised that 28 years later the cassette still played fine. At first I noticed a few clicks and noises however after playing it a few times the sound got better. Possibly some oxidation or tape particles broke off due to the tape sitting for so long and then the noises disappeared and I was able to copy it digitally. I remember we gave away a bunch of copies to friends and other musicians and for a short time sold copies at gigs.

We spent one afternoon recording all the tracks and this was amazing to me since Pam was eight months pregnant and often while she was singing long phases or high notes the baby would kick! Five tracks were recorded with voice and piano only and later in the day Tommy Cecil joined us on acoustic bass to record the other half of the tracks.

Recording with Pam was just like performing live with her. She was always upbeat, professional, creative and swinging. Pam always connected musically with the band members as well as the listener in a way that few vocalists could. She was a natural and rarely if ever needed to go back and redo a portion of the recording.

The repertoire we chose was simply a bunch of our favorite standards, tunes that we felt we added an original twist to. We were always trying to find and uncover a “gem of a standard”, that special tune that for some reason either was overlooked and otherwise just not known. We’d listen to many recordings and search through old sheet music books trying to find a few gems and Why Did I Choose You was one of them. I don’t remember anyone else at the time singing that tune.

I hope you enjoy listening to the recording and feel free to download any of the cuts. I’m sure Pam would be thrilled to know that even more of her music lives on.

Louis Scherr

Also visit http://pambricker.com/

Ruby Hayes

washingtondcjazz7 — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 20:34:51 +0000

Here’s what some are saying….

“Oooooh Ruby, Sounds sooooooo gooooooood” – James Janisse, Host “Wonderful World of Jazz”, KEBNradio.com, Los Angeles, CA

“I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this album” – Dr. Nick, Host Da’ Gator Show, WPFW FM radio, Washington, DC

“I love this album.” It’s the best one yet.” – Arthur McCloud, Host, Into The Dawn, WPFW 89.3 FM radio, Washington, DC

Check out Ruby’s new CD: Solitary Blues

“Thank you for your continuous support. I have reached a milestone in my career that I’m very excited about and I want to share it with you. The release of a new CD, “Solitary Blues.” It is a collection of original songs in Blues and R&B. All lyrics written by me and the music composed and arranged by Richard Mears and Grammy Award winning producer, Randy Ray Mitchell. World renowned pianist, Billy Mitchell, plays on the title track, “Solitary Blues” and “It’s Time To Let Go.” It was recorded on BayFront Records Label, Los Angeles, CA, where I performed all lead vocals, backed by some of LA’s finest backup vocalists and studio musicians.”

Get a copy at CD Baby

Ruby started singing at age 14 leading a gospel choir in her hometown of Plumerville, Arkansas. She toured numerous towns around Arkansas before she moved to Washington, DC in the early 1970’s. In Washington, DC she made her professional singing debut at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel as part of the Al Martinez jazz combo. Later she honed her skills in a rhythm and blues band called the Exclusives and performed in military officers clubs and major hotel ballrooms around the Washington, DC metropolitan area. In 1975 Ruby started her own jazz and blues band and she performed up and down the East Coast from New York to Florida and made television appearances on WJLA, Channel 7, and WDCA, Channel 20 in Washington, DC.

Ruby is known for her upbeat, interactive performance style which includes occasional sing-a-longs. When not performing in the top clubs & festivals, she performs her own original one-woman musical, “Ruby Hayes Sings Bessie’s Blues” in regional theaters. For more information, visit www.rubyhayes.com