Guest Review: Another Evening of Jazz – “Exploring the Voice”

On February 18, 2018, Live Music Movement Foundation presented Another Evening of Jazz – Exploring the Voice. The music covered a broad range of material utilizing the voice in various settings from spoken word, scat singing, vocalese, and interpretation of the blues. The voice was also uniquely employed as a second horn in the band. Guests were invited to write reviews to express their thoughts on the event. Our enthusiastic guest Mrs. Cheryl Powell wrote the following review.

“It was a beautiful evening in H-Town. The sun was shining, and no rain was in the forecast. Rice Village was buzzing with the excitement of getting out from the cold and rain of winter. We all gathered at Ovations Night Club with the anticipation of Live Music Movement Foundation presenting Another Evening of Jazz – “Exploring the Voice” with maestro Leslie Drayton and Friends. Food for Thought/ Of Music was the opener that set the mood for the evening; original music by Leslie Drayton and text of Khalil Gibran spoken by Ms. Ki’Ora Michelle. Ms. Michelle is an up-and-coming jazz vocalist, currently a Jazz Studies major at Texas Southern University.

“Then we were introduced to the singing voice of Ki’Ora on Like Someone in Love. It was a jazzy sound much like that of a seasoned jazz singer. The next selections were Alicia and Black Nile that kept the crowd grooving with much pleasure. Indeed, the crowd was pleased with the band; the young, the bold, and the talented. With each selection of music, the crowd was lifted higher and higher. Loving the voice, but let me tell you, Tyler Henderson (piano), Marcus Alexander (drums), and Weldon Scott (bass) took us all the way up with the maestro.

“The crowd joined in call and response singing bop–bop-bop-bop-bop on the tune Ashes to Ashes. The finale was a blast as the crowd went wild over Ki’Ora’s interpretation of Back Water Blues written by Bessie Smith, and giving Leslie Drayton and Friends a standing ovation as they concluded the performance.

“So, Live Music Movement Foundation, we can’t wait until the next show.”

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Cheryl Powell, a native Houstonian, was educated in HISD, graduated from Booker T. Washington and attended Massey Business College for Bookkeeping. She has been married for 34 years and is the mother of three children and grandmother of three boys. She has worked various jobs and volunteered for many different organizations. These days you can find her at home relaxing or cooking a good pot of something. Cheryl is a lover of all types of music and is certainly a follower of the Live Music Movement Foundation.