Dear friends-Welcome to Summer 2026! I have some very exciting news: my new CD, ‘Alto Madness,’ is out and will be presented at Birdland, Sunday October 11, 2026. I was very fortunate to sing every week for five years, from 2021 through 2025, at the fun and fabulous Swing 46, which, after 30 years presenting jazz and swing music for dancers, closed its doors on December 31, 2025. It is now enjoying a new life as Jazz Cultural, and we all hope the newly renovated club will thrive for many years into the future.

The bandleader of our steady gig was the wonderful improvising saxophonist, Mike Hashim, a dear friend of mine for many years. He invited me to be his regular singer, and about half way through our 5 year run, I was was so inspired by the high level of musicianship onstage, I decided we should document this wonderful collaboration. I approached Mike with the idea to record, and he presented me with a stack of Benny Carter tunes. Mike was friends with Benny, who handed him a pile of songs and said, “Play These!” Benny and Mike are both renowned multi instrumentalists, but known most for their alto playing, so I chose seven Benny Carter tunes, and added four more written by alto players, thus the title, ‘Alto Madness.’ The band consists of Mike Hashim alto and tenor saxophones, Janice Friedman, piano, Mark McCarron, guitar, Ralph Hamperian, bass and Mike Campenni, drums, with the addition of Ron Horton, trumpet and flugelhorn, arranger of eight of the songs on the album. Mike Hashim arranged two sings, and I arranged one, and co-arranged a few more. We recorded at Teaneck Sound with the brilliant engineer Dave Kowalski with whom I have recorded on my last four projects.

I am also thrilled to announce that the third annual Milford Jazz Festival, in beautiful and historic Milford, PA, will be presented July 10 through 12. I have curated this fun and lively festival, and this year the highlight of the festival will be Alan Broadbent and Harvie S. at The Delmonico Room at the elegant Fauchere Hotel on Saturday, July 11. Thanks to the generosity of Tracey Jordan, The Delmonico Room has acquired the baby grand piano of her dear Mum, our beloved Queen of Bebop, Sheila Jordan. Alan Broadbent, one of Sheila’s collaborators for many years, will be the first pianist to play it.

Our ‘out of town run’ of Alto Madness will be presented at the Milford Jazz Festival on Sunday, July 12. Please visit
http://www.mildfordjazzfest.com for the complete schedule and information. Milford PA is accessible by bus and train, and is only a one hour 45 minute drive from the GWB. Please join us!

I am also performing in July and August with The Library Jazz Band, a wonderful big band based in Yonkers, NY, with excellent top shelf jazz musicians. I have always loved singing with big bands, and it is thrill to sing with this swinging band. I’m also looking forward to singing with Ron Horton and the amazing composer and pianist, Neal Kirkwood, at Lydia’s in Stone Ridge, NY, in August. Please check my schedule for dates and times.

The Royal Bopsters has an exciting announcement: our new tenor is the fabulous young singer/pianist/composer and arranger Tyler Bassett. Tyler was a student of mine at The New School, and he really knocked my socks off the first time I heard him perform in class! That was a decade ago, now Tyler has grown into a fantastic performer. We are so delighted to have this talented young man join us! Bass Dylan Pramuk, alto Jeanne O’Connor, Tyler and I (soprano) are in rehearsal for our third recording.

I just returned from a fabulous week at Tritone Jazz Camp in Rochester, NY, where 7 of the 10 vocalists I worked with have returned year after year. They performed beautifully, and since I first started working with them, I have seen such improvement. Many are singing professionally in their hometowns. I am so proud of them! I will be retuning to JazzWorks Camp in Quebec, Canada for my fifth year in late August, and so happy to announce that Killin’ Dylan Pramuk, amazing scat singing bass and principal arranger for The Bopsters, will join us this year!

Have a wonderful summer, and hope to see you at these events!

xoAmy