Pompano Beach Arts Celebrates Black History Month with Jazz Icon Nicole Yarling

Pompano Beach Arts will host a spectacular concert entitled Jazz Reflections: The African American Women of Jazz, starring vocalist and violinist Nicole Yarling. This acclaimed performer captivates audiences with her inimitable musical style and charismatic presence.

This free concert is presented in partnership with the Gold Coast Jazz Society at Pompano Beach Cultural Center in honor of Black History Month. The performance is on Thursday, February 15, 2024, at 7pm. General admission tickets are free, but reservations are required. For more information, www.pompanobeacharts.org

“We are thrilled to have the amazingly talented and versatile Nicole Yarling back on our stage! For more than two decades, she has been a part of South Florida's musical world as a singer and violinist.” said Ty Tabing. “Her concerts are always delightful, and this will be a night of lively music, and an opportunity to honor black history and the story of American jazz!”

Yarling, an accomplished musician and educator, holds a BA in music from Baruch College and a master's in music education from Columbia University. With extensive experience, she recently completed a 20-year tenure at Florida Memorial University and is now a full-time Lecturer at the University of Miami. Beyond teaching voice and ensembles, she creates courses for Eclectic Strings. Her impactful mentorship includes establishing Jazz Encounters and the Jazz Education Community Coalition, earning her recognition, awards, and induction into the South Florida Jazz Hall of Fame. She received a $10,000 grant for her programmatic composition, A Matter of Black Lives: African American Fiddlers, which premiered in February 2023. As a curator for the South Beach Jazz Festival, she continues to contribute significantly to the arts and education.

Yarling was “discovered” by the iconic singer Joe Williams, and she worked with him on her 1998 album Joe Williams Presents Nicole Yarling at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, which was to be his last recording before his death. She has also collaborated with Dizzy Gillespie, KC & The Sunshine Band and Albert Lee, and was a featured soloist for three years on tour with Jimmy Buffet. She also participated on Buffet's platinum-selling album, Fruit Cakes, and then went on to do eight worldwide tours with her own project, Little Nicky and the Slicks.

The Gold Coast Jazz Society has been a major presenter of jazz concerts, jazz education and jazz outreach programs in Broward County since 1992. The mission of the organization is to perpetuate and advance the cultural art form of jazz through performances, education, and outreach activities.

It is recognized as a premier model for creating an innovative and effective arts organization with broad-based support for an interest in jazz and enhancing the quality of life in the community through engaging audience members, musicians, and educators across cultures.

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