December 2024 – Acclaimed international jazz vocalist Lori Williams has a most impressive resume as a performing artist, music educator, songwriter, producer, musical theater actress, radio host, business owner/founder, and artist-in-residence with over 30 years of experience.

Her annual vocal jazz tour and performances have taken her to Europe, Japan, The Caribbean, Mexico, and across the United States. She has sung at venues and festivals like Berks Jazz Festival, The Birchmere, Blues Alley, Blue Note Hawaii, Capital Jazz Fest/Cruise, Gulf Coast Summer Jazz Festival, Jazzland – Vienna, The Kennedy Center, Keystone Korner, Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Spivey Hall, and mor). Her vocal jazz artist residencies have allowed her to work with and mentor students on college campuses in the USA and abroad.

As a veteran vocal music educator and private vocal coach, Lori’s received many honors for her contributions to the arts, including The Atlanta Chapter of the National Hampton Alumni Association’s 2023 Excellence in Arts and Entertainment Award, Outstanding Music Teacher in the October 2000 issue of Teaching Music, and the 2010 Vincent E. Reed Teacher of the Year.

Lori was nominated for a 2014 Helen Hayes Award as an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Resident Musical for her role as Ella Fitzgerald. Lori has received letters of recognition for her performances by President Joseph Biden, Speaker of the House John Boehner, and Senator C. Anthony Muse.

Immersed in traditional jazz from an early age and earning a B.A. in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University, she hosts a weekly radio program on JazzRadioWETF.org – “Collector’s Choice With Lori Williams”. Her weekly broadcast focuses on women in jazz, the international scene and young performers dedicated to the roots and traditions of the music. Lori is also the producer and host of Sunday Jazz Lounge at St. James Live! Jazz club in Atlanta, Georgia.

For over three decades, Lori Williams has had the honor of working with many notable artists as lead / background / studio session / guest vocalist including Marcus Adams, Nikita Agafonov, David Archuleta, Eric Benet, Willie Bradley, Karen Briggs, Norman Brown, Wayne Bruce, Jerry Butler, Jonathan Butler, Paul Carr, Terri Lyne Carrington, Stanley Clarke, Adrian Crutchfield, John Davis, John Di Martino, Will Downing, Derrick Gardner, James Genus, Jazmin Ghent, Tres Gilbert, Savion Glover, Chelsey Green, Slide Hampton, Walter Hawkins, Tony Hightower, William Hubbard, Jackiem Joyner, Anatoliy Kirnichnyy, Maysa, Frank McComb, Marion Meadows, Najee, Nathan Mitchell, Antonio Parker, Robert Redd, Althea Rene, Art Sherrod, Oli Silk, Brian Simpson, Kim Waters, and many more.

Lori has six independent CDs and has recorded with numerous artists internationally. She released a single – “Too Late (It’s My Time)” – in June 2022. Her latest inspirational contemporary Jazz single – “Take My Wings” – released in October 2023. Lori recently recorded a jazz album at WaveGarden TonStudio in Austria, and is expecting a 2025 release in Europe.

Middle C Jazz is thrilled to welcome back the multi-talented Lori Williams for an incredible night of jazz.

If you can’t be in person, the late performance will be livestreamed.

How to access Middle C On Demand…

More about Lori at her website…

Listen to a little of Lori Williams from her last visit to Middle C Jazz…