How to Smell the Roses

I am one with nature and definitely learning how to smell the roses. Each new day a new blessing. Each new blessing, something to not only be thankful for but to build on and also learn from. 

Thankful for fresh opportunities that break me out the box and transform me just a little bit more. I feel just like the roses when you shed your light on me and enable me to stand tall and lift my face unto your beauty. Thank you Lord for loving me as softly as a morning sunrise.

God is good!!! (EVERYDAY) 

I Know you love me Lord because even as imperfect as I am, you loved me. 

Please check out my original tune "You Loved Me" on Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/stephanay-jnote/stephanay-jnotes-tracks-1 on SoundCloud

Meeting of the Mindz

Have you listened to the new album by drummer Aaron Bernard Brim yet? 

Not only is it a wonderful display of jazz music at its best, but I am a featured vocalist on one of the 10 songs. 

You can check out some of the snippets of the hot new music by visiting http://www.aaronbernardbrimdrummer.com

The CD is currently available on www.amazon.com so please go and get your copy today! 

I Entered the Sarah Vaughan International Singing Competition; Pls Listen and Vote

I love Jazz music and have been truly inspired by so many jazz artists that have come and graced the world with their wonderful talents. Sarah Vaughan is definitely one of those artists.     Her voice is da bomb. She has such an incredible range and her vocal stylings are fantastic. Some of the riffs that you hear in her songs, you do not hear from any other vocalist's voice. I love the depth of her voice and I like her approach a lot.   Plus, I love her sophistication. She graced the stage with such beauty and charisma. Always makes me feel like trying to imitate and get bedazzled to croon, like she and many of the other jazz vocalists did.     Often times, I find myself doing searches on artists or singing opportunities on Google. And surprisingly, I came across the Sarah Vaughan International Singing Competition and so decided to join in. For one, Sarah Vaughan has the biggest playlist of songs on my IPOD. I could listen to her voice and sing along with her all day and never get tired. Not to mention that, her songs and the way she sings them always makes me feel like getting on my feet and singing; wherever I am.   So when I went to the Indaba Music site and saw that this competition was live and on-going, I decided that it would only be right to honor such a wonderful singer as the Divine One.     The contest directs each singer to upload three selections that Sarah Vaughan sang by either downloading the track made available to competitors or some other suggested songs featured on a PDF file to choose from and adding your vocal rendition to it and submitting them  into the contest.         I'd like to invite you today to listen to my submissions and please if you listen and you liked what you heard, vote.  The only way for me to advance to the next round is by the votes of anyone willing to vote for me. I hope you will! Here are the links:   What Is This Thing Called Love https://www.indabamusic.com/opportunities/sarah-vaughan-international-jazz-vocal-competition-2014/submissions/7dfe51ca-257f-11e4-a0d0-22000b300299   Tenderly https://www.indabamusic.com/opportunities/sarah-vaughan-international-jazz-vocal-competition-2014/submissions/9f9ae646-257e-11e4-ad7b-22000b238357   I Can't Give You Anything But Love https://www.indabamusic.com/opportunities/sarah-vaughan-international-jazz-vocal-competition-2014/submissions/371c2f62-257e-11e4-816c-22000b2808b7   Thank you in advance for voting!

Celebrate Band at JAMS Festival

What an exciting afternoon it was on Saturday, August 2, 2014!

I had the opportunity to perform live with the Celebrate Band at the Jamaica Arts & Music Summer Festival and it was awesome. The JAMS festival spanned along Jamaica Avenue and ran from 160th to 170th Street in Jamaica, NY. The stretch, The stage, the sound, the people, the music; awesome, Jamaica, Queens was alive and popping. 

The Celebrate Band consists of Hakim Hanton on drums, Rodney B on keys, Alphonso McGruder on keys, Tony Thompson on bass, Alan Thomas on guitar, JazzEMatt on vocals and Stephanie Jeannot on vocals. 

So glad to have been able to not only perform covers of some of my favorite classic tunes but I had the opportunity to share one of my original songs on that stage and to the people of the community who received it really well. "All Night Long" is a tune originally written by Stephanie Jeannot and produced by Derrick Smith. From a studio recording to a live setting, the energy was definitely there and I really enjoyed it. 

You can check out the live performance by visiting the following Youtube link: 

​http://youtu.be/-rwy52etBsg 

Thank you for reading my blogpost. Have an incredible week.

Performance at Kennedy Park in Hempstead, NY August 1, 2014, 6pm

Hey friends. 

Tonight, right after work starting at 6pm, I'll be performing live with Deverne Williams and Vintage Soul as part of Old Timers Day music festival in Kennedy Park located at 335 Greenwich Avenue in Hempstead, NY (exit 19N on Southern State). 

Event will be outdoors and in the park and we will be performing til about 8pm. Come and join us for a fire packed start to your weekend. Music will be a mixture of R&B, classic soul, funk and pop from yesterday's and today's music, as well as some original material. Hope  to see you there!