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Irene Reid - Vocals |
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Irene Reid, a native Savannahian, has been a singer all of her life. At Alfred E. Beach/Cuyler High School, she came under the tutelage of Peter Smalls for vocal music. While at Beach High, she was part of a sextet that sang classical music and Italian work songs. Irene, raised in the historic First Bryan Baptist Church, sang in the church choir, and never sang any music other than classical or church music. "Everything musically, in Savannah, was about singing in the church and the school - jazz singing never entered my mind at that stage," Irene said in a July 1996 interview in Savannah. In 1947, she left Savannah, when her mother died, to live with an aunt in New York City. In 1947, she won the Apollo Theater Amateur Hour for five consecutive weeks. From 1948 to 1950, she was the vocalist for Dick Vance, the big band at the famous Savoy Ballroom. As a result of her stint with Dick Vance, Count Basie asked Irene to audition with his band, and she sang with Basie from 1961-62. There were European tours during this period, with appearances in Sweden, Switzerland, England, France and Australia. In 1961, she returned to Savannah with Count Basie to play the Municipal Auditorium. Irene has recorded nine albums since 1961. Among the sidemen on her albums are Thad Jones, Oliver Nelson, Frank West, Frank Foster and Sonny Payne. She has appeared in "The Wiz" on Broadway and shared stage billings with Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughn, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King and many others. She is frequently in demand at international jazz festivals and appeared at the Savannah Jazz Festival in 1991, 1994 and 1996. Recently, she has appeared with Bobby "Blue" Bland in the Bahamas and with Charles "The Almighty Burner" Earland, with whom she recorded in 1997 and in 1999 on a CD entitled "I Ain't Doing Too Bad." Irene Reid is a member of Savannah's Coastal Jazz Association Hall of Fame. Charles Elmore, Legendary Lady. Retrieved April 12, 2004, from http://www.savannahnow.com/features/jazz/reid.html
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This event is produced by Yehoodi.com, Jelly Roll Productions and CU Swing with the support of the William J. Basie Trust. |
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