NJPAC & Concord Music Group Accepting Entries for 4th Annual Sarah Vaughan Competition Through 9/14

The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition is the world's most visible jazz vocal competition of its kind and provides a platform for one outstanding female singer to launch a career in the music industry. The competition started in 2012 and was co-produced by NJPAC and JAZZ ROOTS, a Larry Rosen Production. Jazz fans are invited to review and vote for entries online; then five finalists are selected for a live performance at NJPAC as part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, where a panel of expert judges decides the recipient of the SASSY Award.

During the first two years of the competition, fans heard, shared, voted, "liked," and commented on nearly 1,500 song entries. Last year alone, the competition's website received 2 million hits from fans around the globe, resulting in nearly 1 million votes for contestants.

There is still time for vocalists to audition for this prestigious competition; submissions are due by Monday, September 14, at 5pm. For contest rules, further information, and to purchase tickets visit sarahvaughancompetition.com.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and Concord Music Group will once again offer an exclusive recording contract with Concord Music Group to the winner of the 2015 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, also known as the SASSY Awards.

The recording contract crowns a package of prizes for the top female vocalist, who also receives a trip to Canada to perform in the 2016 Festival International de Jazz de Montréal - a new honor sponsored by TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank and Festival International de Jazz de Montréal - as well as a $5,000 Cash Award.

This year, judges for the competition include Christian McBride, Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer and educator, and NJPAC's Jazz Advisor; jazz singer Vanessa Rubin; Cyrille Aimée, the first winner of the Sarah Vaughan competition in 2012; Edward Arrendell, manager to world renowned musicians; and Michael Bourne, WBGO host and jazz critic.

The competition itself recalls the humble beginnings of jazz icon Sarah Vaughan who, back in 1942, was a Newark teenager and winner of an amateur singing contest at the legendary Apollo Theater. That memorable night helped launch the lifework of one of the most successful, influential jazz vocalists in the history of American music.
"Sarah Vaughan has always been the gold standard for jazz singers around the world," said John Schreiber, President and CEO of NJPAC. "The international jazz vocal competition that we've named in her honor is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to build on that extraordinary legacy. With almost a thousand entrants, discovering the next 'Sassy' becomes a real possibility."

"All of us at Concord are thrilled to be participating in the 2015 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. It continues to be an incredible platform to find and discover fresh, new and exciting talent," said Mark Wexler, Chief Operating Officer of Concord Label Group.

The Competition:

Female vocalists from around the world can submit applications at sarahvaughancompetition.com.

Five finalists will receive airfare to perform in the finals at the TD James Moody Jazz Festival in NJPAC's Victoria Theater on Nov. 15, 2015. The panel of judges is composed of some of the leading jazz vocalists today, as well as others in the jazz and recording industries. The grand prize winner will be presented with an offer for a Concord Records exclusive recording contract, a $5,000 cash prize, and a slot to perform at the 2016 Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. The second-place winner will receive a $1,500 cash prize and the third-place winner will receive $500. The competition is open to solo female vocalists who are not signed to a major record label. Singers must submit audio clips online through an interactive platform powered by Indaba Music. The public can vote online to help select the finalists, who will be announced on Oct. 9. Singers will be judged on vocal quality, musicality, technique, performance, individuality, artistic interpretation and ability to swing.

This competition on November 15, 2015 will feature performances by finalists and rare concert footage of Sarah Vaughan.

The Judges:

Vanessa Rubin
An ever-evolving jazz singer extraordinaire, Vanessa Rubin is dubbed one of the "Diva Nouvelles" by Essence magazine. She has performed with such venerable musicians as Frank Foster, Cedar Walton and Cecil Bridgewater and has toured with Herbie Hancock, the Woody Herman Orchestra and the Jazz Crusaders.

Cyrille Aimée
The first winner of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, Cyrille Aimée happily tours the world with her band and in a duo setting with Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo. The New York Times referred to her album, It's a Good Day, as "a bravura turn, presented with a smile."

Christian McBride
Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer and educator Christian McBride, NJPAC's Jazz Advisor, has performed with Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Pat Metheny and Milt Jackson, among many others. In the worlds of R&B, pop-rock, classical music and hip-hop, he also arranged or worked with James Brown, Sting, Carly Simon, Queen Latifah, Kathleen Battle and the Shanghai Quartet. McBride is the composer of The Movement, Revisited suite, dedicated to civil rights leaders. His newest release, with the group Inside Straight, is People Music.

Edward Arrendell
In 1983, Edward Arrendell founded The Management Ark, a personal management firm for leading entertainers. Arrendell develops career plans, creates opportunities and ensures his clients' goals are achieved. He plans and manages their business affairs, sponsorship deals, branding, global marketing, international concert tours, and negotiates contracts with the assurance of a strong financial return and protection of the artist. He has worked with such renowned musical artists as Sting, Branford Marsalis, James Ingram, Cassandra Wilson, Kenny Kirkland, Kevin Eubanks, Ellis Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Bebe Winans.

Michael Bourne
Michael Bourne has been a presence on WBGO since the end of 1984. He has hosted the popular Singers Unlimited (Sunday, 10am-2pm) since 1986 and Afternoon Jazz (Monday-Friday, 2-6:30pm, including the 3pm Blues Hour) since 1997. He was honored with the Willis Conover-Marian McPartland Award for Excellence in Jazz Broadcasting from the Jazz Journalists Association. Bourne has been a senior contributor to Down Beat magazine since 1969.

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