Vocalist Nikita White began singing at a young age in her family’s Baptist Church on the Northwest side of Chicago. Inspired by her large musical family, she performed with local R&B, rock, and blues bands before she started attending jazz jam sessions and began working with tenor saxophone great Von Freeman. In 1980 she moved to New York where she studied voice with Dr. Barry Harris’ vocal workshop, recorded with George Braith, and worked with a variety of notable artists including Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Washington, Henry Butler, Russell Hall and Lafayette Harris. She has toured in Europe, studied at Long Island University, and performed freelance for many years, including a turn as Ella Fitzgerald in Roz Nixon’s play SS Nirvana.

This event will stream on the Jazz Foundation and Jazz Museum Facebook pages and the Museum YouTube Channel.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and by the Howard Gilman Foundation.