Jazz Songs to Welcome Sweater Weather

There's something about September that always feels like a fresh beginning. As the air turns crisp and the leaves begin to change, I find myself reaching for the songs that capture the warmth and nostalgia of the season. Whether it's…

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Five Movie Musicals I Can Watch Again and Again

There are some movies I never grow tired of watching. No matter how many times I've seen them, I still look forward to every song, every dance number, and every unforgettable performance.

Movie musicals have a special way of transporting…

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Why We Still Love the Great American Songbook

Some songs never seem to grow old. Decades after they were written, they still make us smile, bring back cherished memories, or stop us in our tracks with a lyric that feels as meaningful today as it did the first…

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Why Karen Carpenter’s Voice Still Stops Us in Our Tracks

I can be in the middle of a busy day, shuffle through a playlist, and then it happens. Karen Carpenter comes on, and I go still. Not because the song is loud, or flashy, or packed with vocal stunts. It’s…

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Why Certain Songs Stay With Us for Life (Memory, Emotion, Meaning)

The other day, I was in my car, halfway through a grocery run, when a song I hadn’t heard in years came on. No warning, no build-up. One moment I was thinking about avocados, the next I was back in…

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Women in Jazz: Spotlight on Vi Redd (Alto Sax, Voice, and Nerve)

I like to picture a mid-century jazz club on a loud weekend night, cigarette smoke in the air, the bandstand crammed with horn cases, and the room watching the players like hawks. Too often, the lineup looked the same: men…

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Songs About Luck: Jazz and Broadway Tunes That Feel Fortunate

The other night, I hit a note I didn’t expect to land. It wasn’t flashy, just a clean, right-in-the-pocket tone that made the room go quiet for half a beat, then warm again. I’ve sung long enough to know that…

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5 Jazz and Broadway Love Songs for Valentine’s Day (Classic, Not Cheesy)

Valentine’s Day music can go two ways. It can feel like a greeting card that sings at you, or it can feel like a real moment, close enough to touch. I always vote for the second one.

This year, I’m…

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Why We Return to the Same Songs Every January (Jazz, Broadway, and the Comfort of a Fresh Start)

It’s a January morning, the kind where the windows look frosted and the kitchen feels extra quiet. I wrap my hands around that first cup of coffee, and before I’ve even opened the curtains, I reach for the same familiar…

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The Magic of Winter Ballads

There’s something about winter that feels like music waiting to happen. The air turns crisp, lights twinkle across every street, and familiar melodies start floating through the air—each one wrapped in a little magic. For me, it’s a season where…

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Giving Thanks Through Song: Gratitude in Jazz and Broadway

November always reminds me to slow down and take stock of the blessings in my life—family, friends, music, and the wonderful audiences who make every performance meaningful. Gratitude has a rhythm all its own, and for me, it’s best expressed…

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Spooky Standards: Jazz and Broadway Songs for Halloween Nights

Halloween has always been one of my favorite times of year. There’s something irresistible about the chill in the air, the flicker of candles, and the way music seems to take on a little extra mystery. Forget the haunted houses…

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