Glory Crampton Franc D'Ambrosio

Houston Person & Kim Nalley

An Evening Of Soulful Jazz

  • Wednesday, July 3, 2013 • 8pm
  • Thursday, July 4, 2013 • 8pm
  • Friday, July 5, 2013 • 8pm
  • Saturday, July 6, 2013 • 7pm
  • Saturday, July 6, 2013 • 9:30pm
  • Sunday, July 7, 2013 • 7pm
Recently named one of the "Ten Most Influential African Americans in the Bay Area," Kim Nalley has an international reputation as one of world's best jazz blues vocalists. Known for her ability to turn a chattering cocktail-sipping crowd into a rapt audience of lifelong fans in minutes with a beguiling combination sass, soul and smarts, no trip to San Francisco is complete without hearing Kim Nalley perform.

Kim Nalley, in looks and presence is often compared to Billie Holiday, but vocally she packs a 3 1/2 octave range that can go from operatic to gritty blues on a dime, projection that can whisper a ballad yet is capable of filling a room with no microphone, and the ability to scat blistering solos without ever losing the crowd's interest or the intense swing. Her singing is most reminiscent of the former Basie Singers Helen Humes & Joe Williams with a dash of Dinah Washington and occasional nods to Ella, Sarah and Nina Simone.

Described as "jazz's working class hero, a true man of the people," Houston Person came to national attention with a series of soulful albums recorded for Prestige in the 1960s. Person's fame grew still more with his successful 30-year musical partnership with vocalist Etta Jones.

Numerous recording artists including Lena Horne, Lou Rawls and Horace Silver have also called on Person to perform on their albums. A passionate tenor saxophonist, alternately tough and tender, Person is now recognized as one of today's leading instrumentalists.