Written by | Ray Cornelius
Dianne Reeves, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Shirley Horn were just a few of the iconic singers that were honored on this past Sunday evening during Kathleen Bertrand‘s musical extravaganza “Sisters in Song: Saluting Jazz Greatest Divas.” The event was presented by RLK Events and took place at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at historic Morehouse College.
Every March, Bertrand celebrates Women’s History Month by enlisting some of Atlanta’s best jazz, soul and R&B singers for one fantastic evening of music. This year’s performers included chart-topping singer-songwriter Rhonda Thomas; UK Soul vocalist Julie Dexter; R&B singer and actress Chandra Currelley, accomplished jazz singer and actress Theresa Hightower, classically trained vocalist Pamela Dillard and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Dionne Farris.
Songs performed this time around included such classics as Oleta Adam‘s “New York State of Mind,” Anita Baker‘s “Been So Long,” Billie Holiday‘s “God Bless the Child,” Shirley Horn‘s “Here’s to Life,” Nina Simone‘s “I Put a Spell on You,” and Angela Bofill‘s “I Try.” Thomas, Currelley and Bertrand also performed some of their own original songs.
This year’s event was emceed by Atlanta media maven Angela Robinson.
Take a look at my best shots below:
JULIE DEXTER
RHONDA THOMAS
CHANDRA CURRELLEY
DIONNE FARRIS
KATHLEEN BERTRAND
PAMELA DILLARD
THERESA HIGHTOWER
JAZZ DIVAS WITH ANGELA ROBINSON
Photo Credits: RayCornelius.com