2025 Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competiton

After considerable thought and consultation the Blues Alley Jazz Society has arrived at our decision to present “Ella Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook”. The inevitable destiny of this decision percolated from our previous prestigious composers over the prior eight years of producing the competition:

 

• Count Basie

• Antonio Carlos Jobim

• Louis Armstrong

• Johnny Mercer

• Duke Ellington

 

Much like Ella Fitzgerald, Harold Arlen holds an esteemed place in the pantheon of American composers. He is lauded as much for his contributions as he is for his complexities. The Great American Songbook may be the greatest cultural gift the United States has given the world and Ella Fitzgerald has similarly given her voice. Her collaboration with famed impresario Norman Granz has produced both the Verve and Pablo recording labels and perpetuated the legacy of this indelible American music.

 

In 2025 we will honor both the 107th birthday of America’s “First Lady of Song” and Blues Alley Jazz’s 60th anniversary as America’s oldest operating jazz supper club. It is only fitting that we continue to honor her legacy as it was with her honoring ours’. 2025 will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of our non-profit Blues Alley Jazz Society. Our “Society” is the charitable organization that founded the competition in collaboration with the Ella Fitzgerald Competition in 2017 to honor her centennial.

 

Past adjudicators have included:

 

• Rene Marie (2)

• Patti Austin

• John Pizzarelli

• Darden Purcell

• Tierney Sutton

• Jane Monheit

• New York Voices

 

Our goal will be to solicit as many contestants as possible, adjudicate their audio submissions, select five finalists, and narrow that field to five finalists with only one first-place winner. Past first place winners are as follows: Dani Assis, April Varner, Julia Danielle, Lucy Wijnads, Melinda Rodriguez, Erik Leuthaeuser, and Alyssa Allgood.

 

Contestants will then select three (3) songs from Ella’s Harold Arlen collection:

 

• World on a String

• That Old Black Magic

• Let’s Fall in Love

• My Shining Hour

• Blues in the Night

• Stormy Weather

 

Contestants will record tunes in any key desired with a rhythm section. The timeline for our turnaround is as follows:

 

1. November 1, 2024: Opening Announcement

2. Audio Submissions: Between November 1st through January 31, 2025

3. Adjudication Review: February 1st – early March 2025

4. Finalists Announced: Mid March 2025

 

The five finalists will then be invited to submit video presentations with that cost underwritten by the Blues Alley Jazz Society or equivalent to Five hundred dollars ($500.00) per contestant submission. The five finalists will then be announced on Saturday, April 26th with our first prize winner performing alongside our featured artist, educator, and adjudicator on our world-renowned Blues Alley stage.