Zeiders American Dream Theater, JazzVoice.com and the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation are celebrating the legacy of jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald with the 5th annual Virginia Beach Vocal Jazz Summit, beginning Thursday. Held at The Z in Town Center, the summit will feature workshops, performances and panel discussions and runs through Sunday.
Fitzgerald was born in Newport News and became known as “The First Lady of Song.” The Jazz Summit, created by Alexis Cole and Liz Brydge, is a performance and education conference for vocalists of all levels. The Fitzgerald Foundation awards scholarships to jazz majors at colleges and universities.
Cole served in the U.S. Army from 2009 to 2015 as the vocalist with the West Point Band's big band, The Jazz Knights. She built a career as a performer and educator. During the height of the pandemic, she launched an online jazz program that brought vocalists from around the world with a team of her vocalist peers and educators. Jazzvoice.com was founded.
Brydge is well-known in the local arts scene and is the producer of the Zeiders American Dream Theater's Music and Community Series. Brydge noticed that educational and artistic offerings for jazz vocalists were missing. Brydge and The Z's first artistic director, Bart Kuebler, conceived the Jazz Summit and reached out to Cole. The first was held in 2021 and draws people from as far as Japan, Australia and Brazil.
The Z is at 4509 Commerce St. All-access passes and tickets for individual events are on sale. Senior, student and military discounts are available. Visit vocaljazzsummit.org for more information.
Here are some of the highlights:
Thursday
Jam Session, 5 p.m. Free and open to the public to watch
Friday
Beach Day + Brunch at Tides Coastal Kitchen, Delta Hotels by Marriott Virginia Beach, 2800 Shore Drive, 10 a.m.
Mixer & Registration, 5 p.m.
Kate McGarry & Theo Bleckmann Concert: The Art of the Duo, 6:30 p.m.
Jam Session hosted by Paul Jost, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
Kate McGarry Workshop, 10 a.m.
Theo Bleckmann Improvisation Workshop, 11:30 a.m.
Paul Jost Rhythm Workshop, 2:30 p.m.
René Marie Masterclass, 4 p.m.
Samara Joy Performance, 7:30 p.m. at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk. A separate ticketed event.
Jam Session, 10 p.m.
Sunday
Ultimate Live Singer Workshop with Matt Baker, 10 a.m.
Lydia Liebman Publicity Workshop, 11:30 a.m.
Christie Dashiell Masterclass, 2:30 p.m.
Jam Session, 4 p.m.
Ella Celebration Concert featuring Christie Dashiell & René Marie, 7 p.m.
Farewell Party at Bravo Italian Kitchen, 8:30 p.m.
