Jazz Talk: Red Hot Mamas to Betty Boop Female Singing Styles of the 1920s

World-famous Traditional Jazz Vocalist Banu Gibson compares the singing styles of top female vocalists in early jazz.

New Orleans' own Banu (bah'new) Gibson presents: From Red Hot Mamas to Betty Boop - Female Singing Styles of the 1920s. This era produced an extraordinary variety of female vocalists, from the powerhouse blues of Bessie Smith and the brassy humor of Sophie Tucker to the playful, baby-voiced stylings of Helen Kane. Through vintage recordings, we'll explore the distinctive vocal styles that helped define an era.

Banu Gibson is an internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist specializing in the music of the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s. Known for her swinging interpretations of jazz standards, dynamic stage presence, and versatility, she has performed at major jazz festivals and concert halls throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, and Australia.Career highlights include appearances on A Prairie Home Companion, the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl, and performances with the Boston Pops. She and her band have also appeared in more than 80 concerts with symphony orchestras nationwide. Gibson has recorded extensively on her Swing Out label and is featured in Charles Kuralt’s book Charles Kuralt’s America.

Don't miss your chance to see her presentation in real time. Banu brings fresh insight into this era of music and the ladies of song that have influenced so many.

Registration is required by 5:00p.m. Eastern time the day of the presentation to receive the Zoom link. Although our Jazz Talk series is FREE to all, we do appreciate donations toward the program to keep it going.