KCC Productions and the City of Sunrise present “Jazz Gals”, with Debbie Orta and Wendy Pedersen celebrating the music of Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee
Friday, June 3, 2011 8 PM
Sunrise Civic Center Theater
10610 West Oakland Park Boulevard
Sunrise, FL 33351
Tickets $16 ($14 students, $10 children under 14)

Featuring Jim Gasior, piano, Chuck Bergeron, bass, Mike Harvey, drums, John Michalak, sax, and John Lovell, trumpet. Ticked $16 ($14 students, $10 children under 14.) Box Office 954-747-4646.

Jazz Gals – Celebrating The Songs of Billie Holiday & Peggy Lee
It was nearly a century ago that an incredible new style of music called Jazz evolved from Gospel and Ragtime roots, given birth out of Tin Pan Alley, Broadway, Chicago, and New Orleans; by composers and musicians such as Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn, Irving Berlin, George & Ira Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer… the list of great songwriters goes on for a long time. Yet there are a few names that stand out, not because of the number of tunes they wrote, or the success or failure of their songs. They stand out because they were females in this male-dominated world of the 1940’s. Two of these women happen to be more recognizable as singers than songwriters – Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee.
In honor of these two magnificent ladies, KCC Productions presents our own fabulous South Florida jazz vocalists, blues dynamo Wendy Pedersen and swinging sister Debbie Orta, will perform in tribute, featuring some of the great songs, such as Peggy Lee’s “Alright, OK, You Win”, “You’re Mine You”, and “I’m a Woman”; and Billie Holiday’s “What a Little Moonlight Can Do”, “God Bless the Child That’s Got His Own”, and “Strange Fruit”, among others.
The more you learn about Billie and Peggy, the more you appreciate their art, in contrast to the vocal Olympics that pass for singing today. With their minimalist vocal style they communicated a unique perception of life, and a personal take on jazz. Each was unforgettable; first with Billie’s innovative vulnerability, emotional honesty and clarity, and later on with Peggy’s sensuality, creativity and wit.
Both women competed in a man’s world without reservation. Both have stories of their troubled youth, and career ups and downs. Both performed music in the cauldron of 20th Century history. Singers Debbie and Wendy share a fascination with these historic figures in jazz, and together with their stellar group of the finest South Florida musicians, will deliver a show that is not to be missed.

Debbie Orta recently presented her 2010 seminar, entitled, “Jazz Gals” at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida; a retrospective of the great female jazz vocalists of the 20th Century and today. The multi-media seminar included a slideshow, video clips, discussion and a live performance by Debbie accompanied by the outstanding pianist Pete Wallace. Debbie performs a terrific jazz repertoire from the Great American Songbook, as well as Brazilian and Latin jazz arrangements, and jazz/funk feels flexing her voice over several octaves. Debbie’s swinging jazz and smoky ballads are always intriguing, whether classic or contemporary, sad or joyful. Her band has performed throughout south Florida, including SunFest 2009.

Wendy Pedersen is one of South Florida’s favorite performers. Her high-energy vocal delivery, with deep, convincing emotion has been impacting audiences for many years. A graduate of the University of Miami’s Studio Music and Jazz Vocal program, Wendy began her singing career in high school, but her earliest memory is poring through her mom’s record collection, practically wearing out the vinyl on Elton John and Beatles records. Eventually, her heart found its way to jazz and it has felt like home ever since. Wendy has won many awards including the Southern Bell/Pace “Jazz Artist of the Year” and a Miami New Times “best vocalist”, saying, “Wendy can shake the rafters or break your heart…” Wendy Pedersen’s discography includes her debut CD, “Me + Three”; a Holiday CD, “Ho Ho Ho”; and her brand new release, “Under The Influence”, a tribute to the many women who inspired and influenced her. Wendy also sings with an exciting jazz vocal quartet, Mad Romance, featuring Rick Harris, Lisanne Lyons and Greg Diaz.