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Clairdee

  • home
  • News
  • about
  • music
    • Videos
    • A Love Letter to Lena
    • music moves
    • this christmas
    • destination moon
  • shows
  • press kit
    • Downloads
    • Photos
    • Inquiries
  • stand up
  • store
  • contact

A 21st Century Jazz Singer

Soulful, swinging, and stylish, the music of San Francisco-based jazz singer Clairdee epitomizes jazz’s empowering imperative. More than a masterly interpreter of lyrics with a lustrous, velvety tone, she embodies the tradition’s twinned legacy of standing for social justice with glamor and guts. Deeply informed by the music’s departed masters, Clairdee puts a personal stamp on whatever she sings, a gift aptly described by the inimitable Nancy Wilson. “In the tradition of all great vocalists,” Wilson said of Clairdee, “she infuses each song with her own unique style while always remaining true to the song itself.”  

She covers a lot of stylistic ground on her latest project, which celebrates the iconic star Lena Horne, one of the 20th century’s most consequent performers. Released in the winter of 2020, her critically hailed album A Love Letter to Lena is a deeply personal tribute to the barrier-shattering African-American actress, singer, nightclub entertainer, World War II pin-up, and civil rights activist who died in 2010 at the age of 92.   

“She meant so much to me in so many different ways,” Clairdee says. “The example she set, the role model that she was for many African Americans was very powerful. I learned a lot about what I do and how I present myself on stage just by watching her. She was always dressed impeccably and completely professional, despite all the discrimination and mistreatment.”  

A 2018 recipient of the Bay Area Jazz and Blues Artist Lifetime Achievement Award, Clairdee has a long track record as a passionate advocate for music education. She is a professor of Jazz Voice at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and has taught at the University of California Berkeley Jazz Department, and Diablo Valley College.   

Since moving to the Bay Area in 1986, she’s performed almost every style of music, from R&B and cabaret to country and soul. In the mid-90s she decided to focus on jazz, honing a singular sound, having worked with jazz luminaries such as trumpeter Eddie Henderson, saxophonist John Handy, and pianist Roland Hanna. She gained national attention when legendary bassist, manager and NEA Jazz Master John Levy built a show around her and guitarist/vocalist Henry Johnson.

Whether she’s celebrating Lena Horne or delivering a carefully honed program of standards and originals, her aim is the same. “My mission,” Clairdee says, “is to engage, uplift and build community through music —creating narrative that inspires beyond the stage.”

—Andrew Gilbert

My mission is to engage, uplift and build community through music — creating narrative that inspires beyond the stage.

 “In the tradition of all great vocalists, Clairdee infuses each song with her own unique style while always remaining true to the song itself.”
— Nancy Wilson

"Sumptuous, elegantly restrained."
— The Scotsman (Edinburgh, Scotland)

"Generous spirit and unpretentious sincerity"
— Down Beat

"Clairdee projects an unmistakable aura onstage — regaling the audience with songs interwoven with warm, humorous anecdotes — creating a seamless, wonderful tapestry throughout the concert." 
—All About Jazz

“In sassy, solidly assured, crowd-pleasing form, a whole lot of interpretive brilliance." 
—JazzTimes

Inspirations

John Levy: Mentor, manager, friend, and gentleman of the highest order.

John Levy: Mentor, manager, friend, and gentleman of the highest order.

Legendary songstylist Nancy Wilson: Mentor and role model after our 1-on-1 interview at Monterey Jazz Festival

Legendary songstylist Nancy Wilson: Mentor and role model after our 1-on-1 interview at Monterey Jazz Festival

Billy Higgins: Mentor and friend. HUGE heart, generous spirit.

Billy Higgins: Mentor and friend. HUGE heart, generous spirit.

Guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli

Guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli

Dee Dee Bridgewater, shares life lessons and other great stories.

Dee Dee Bridgewater, shares life lessons and other great stories.

Russell Malone & Houston Person

Russell Malone & Houston Person

Singers Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr., & Nicole Henry

Singers Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr., & Nicole Henry

Jamie Foxx, actor, singer, comedian

Jamie Foxx, actor, singer, comedian

Kids: I LOVE working with kids!

Kids: I LOVE working with kids!

Singer-songwriter Boz Scaggs

Singer-songwriter Boz Scaggs

Esperanza Spalding, bassist, composer, educator

Esperanza Spalding, bassist, composer, educator

Regina Carter, violinist, MacArthur Fellow

Regina Carter, violinist, MacArthur Fellow

Gerald Clayton, composer, pianist, bandleader

Gerald Clayton, composer, pianist, bandleader

Patti Austin, singer

Patti Austin, singer

Marian McPartland, pianist, composer, radio host

Marian McPartland, pianist, composer, radio host

Norman Simmons, Paul West, Bernard Purdie. Learning from the masters.

Norman Simmons, Paul West, Bernard Purdie. Learning from the masters.

Freda Payne, singer

Freda Payne, singer

Arsenio Hall, comedian, actor

Arsenio Hall, comedian, actor

Terence Blanchard, trumpeter, composer, educator

Terence Blanchard, trumpeter, composer, educator

Dianne Reeves, singer and excellent cook. We're both from Denver!

Dianne Reeves, singer and excellent cook. We're both from Denver!

Ken Peplowski, clarinetist, bandleader, funny man!

Ken Peplowski, clarinetist, bandleader, funny man!

Johnny O'Neal, pianist

Johnny O'Neal, pianist

Ruth Davies: Talented bassist and best friend

Ruth Davies: Talented bassist and best friend

Earl Klugh, guitarist, songwriter

Earl Klugh, guitarist, songwriter

Valerie Noble, celebrity hair and make-up artist

Valerie Noble, celebrity hair and make-up artist

James Ingram, singer, composer, pianist

James Ingram, singer, composer, pianist

Amina Figarova, pianist, composer

Amina Figarova, pianist, composer

Henry Johnson, guitarist-singer

Henry Johnson, guitarist-singer

Ivan Lins, singer, pianist, composer

Ivan Lins, singer, pianist, composer

Nnenna Freelon,  vocalist, songwriter, playwright

Nnenna Freelon, vocalist, songwriter, playwright

Richard Bona, bassist, singer, composer.

Richard Bona, bassist, singer, composer.

Rebecca Parris, singer

Rebecca Parris, singer

Sheila Jordan, vocalist and fellow Scorpio!

Sheila Jordan, vocalist and fellow Scorpio!

Dr. Herb Wong: Mentor, friend; nonpareil jazz historian and producer.

Dr. Herb Wong: Mentor, friend; nonpareil jazz historian and producer.

Dena DeRose, pianist and vocalist.

Dena DeRose, pianist and vocalist.

Taylor Eigsti, pianist, composer

Taylor Eigsti, pianist, composer

Paula West, singer

Paula West, singer

Trombone Shorty, multi-instrumentalist, energetic entertainer

Trombone Shorty, multi-instrumentalist, energetic entertainer

Todd Gordon, UK-based crooner

Todd Gordon, UK-based crooner

Herlin Riley: Drumming never sounded SO good.

Herlin Riley: Drumming never sounded SO good.

Charles Brown, singer-pianist, sharing stories in Mexico.

Charles Brown, singer-pianist, sharing stories in Mexico.

Bud Spangler: Producer, drummer, radio personality

Bud Spangler: Producer, drummer, radio personality

Benny Green, pianist

Benny Green, pianist

Paulette McWilliams, singer-songwriter

Paulette McWilliams, singer-songwriter

Jay Leonhart, bassist and humorist

Jay Leonhart, bassist and humorist

Denise Perrier, singer

Denise Perrier, singer

Bill Strickland, ceramicist, community leader, author, and CEO of the non-profit Manchester Bidwell Corporation.

Bill Strickland, ceramicist, community leader, author, and CEO of the non-profit Manchester Bidwell Corporation.

Kim Nalley, singer

Kim Nalley, singer

Dana Goia, poet and writer, former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Dana Goia, poet and writer, former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Gil Gross, journalist & radio personality

Gil Gross, journalist & radio personality

Allen Farnham, pianist (left), and reed man Charles McNeal

Allen Farnham, pianist (left), and reed man Charles McNeal

Broadway star Barbara Cook and pianist Ted Rosenthal

Broadway star Barbara Cook and pianist Ted Rosenthal

Dan Ouellette, noted music journalist and biographer

Dan Ouellette, noted music journalist and biographer

Dmitri Matheny, flugelhornist, composer

Dmitri Matheny, flugelhornist, composer

A Scott Galloway, noted music journalist

A Scott Galloway, noted music journalist

Bill Charlap, pianist

Bill Charlap, pianist

L Peter Callender, actor, director

L Peter Callender, actor, director

Armistead Maupin, writer

Armistead Maupin, writer

Rehearsal with Dick Hyman

Rehearsal with Dick Hyman

Houston Person, soulful sax man

Houston Person, soulful sax man

Maestro Yaacov Bergman

Maestro Yaacov Bergman

Regina Carter and legendary Roy McCurdy

Regina Carter and legendary Roy McCurdy

Monty Alexander (left), pianist; Ken French, (right) pianist

Monty Alexander (left), pianist; Ken French, (right) pianist

Billy Valentine, R&B vocalist

Billy Valentine, R&B vocalist

Jamie Davis, vocalist

Jamie Davis, vocalist

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