Tireless vocal jazz icon Janis Siegel recorded two new collaborative albums during the pandemic and is gearing up to celebrate 50 years with the Manhattan Transfer with a season of touring. She and Lauren Kinhan of the New York Voices created Vocal Gumbo, an online music festival, during the pandemic as well.
At 7:30 pm on Thursday, Apr 21, Siegel will make one stop in Kalamazoo to perform with drummer Keith Hall, pianist Matthew Fries, and bassist John Hébert at the KNAC’s Crawlspace Comedy Theatre as part of the new Jazz in the Crawlspace series. It’s made possible by a grant from the newly-established John Stites Jazz Awards.
Siegel and Keith Hall spend time in the studio with Cara Lieurance previewing the show as they listen to music from her new albums Mazel and Cryin’ in my Whiskey. Siegel says she keeps her voice in top shape by working with a teacher, even as she herself is an in-demand guest artist for workshops and masterclasses.