The Art of Jazz with Tracey Whitney

The Art of Jazz with Tracey Whitney, last heard at Outpost in Spring 2021 in a special virtual concert, returns for a live concert with their unique brand of classic jazz and sophisticated soul. Over the past couple of years, during the pandemic, the group has stayed active performing virtually for events like Mayor Tim Keller’s State of the City address, the New Mexico Jazz Workshop’s “Staying With The Beat” series, Albuquerque Culture & Arts department’s Biopark Botanic Gardens virtual series, and the New Mexico Philharmonic’s New York Lights gala.  A former “Raelette” with the legendary Ray Charles, L.A. native Tracey Whitney began performing at age 11 with her family group, The Whitney Family. After touring with “Brotha’ Ray,” she spent 5 years singing as a soloist in Japan before returning to her roots in Los Angeles. She has opened for contemporary jazz stars Nathan East, Marc Antoine, Euge Groove, Will Donato, Darren Rahn and Julian Vaughn and since relocating to Albuquerque in 2012, she has performed with The Art of Jazz in residency at the Hotel Andaluz’s Casablanca Room as well as for the Santa Fe Bandstand, St John’s College “Music on the Hill,” Route 66 Summerfest, the New Mexico Jazz Workshop’s Women's Voices and Ladies Sing the Blues series at the Albuquerque Museum. Her Nancy Wilson tribute, “Guess Who I Saw Today,” was premiered at the African American Performing Arts Center and Outpost, and her third CD Live at the Outpost Performance Space received a New Mexico Music Awards nomination for “Best Vocal Performance.”  The Art of Jazz also features Sid Fendley, keyboards; Rodney Bowe, bass; and Wayne Johnson, drums. Opening the evening is the young rising star, Santa Fe based jazz vocalist Fae Ordaz, accompanied by her teacher, pianist John Rangel. A composer, creative producer, songwriter, Ordaz is currently completing her senior year at the New Mexico School for the Arts. In 2021, she was selected to be a Fasken Scholar for her music compositions and she is recognized her interpretive approach to singing. She is also a talented visual artist who illustrates her songs with creative videos. A well-known pianist, composer and record producer here in New Mexico, John Rangel, along with Tracey Whitney, has been working with Ordaz at the New Mexico School for the Arts where Rangel Chairs the Music Department. He recently finished composing music for Origami In the Garden, a film by his wife Barbara Bentree, which has begun a film festival run in January and is already winning awards.