Janet Stevenson

Janet Stevenson's love of jazz is evident in her straight-ahead, conversational style. She captures the intimacy of ballads with her alto voice, and cites her father's influence as a jazz drummer for her rhythmic phrasing. Janet's talents were first recognized by Cleveland Eaton, who was then the bassist for The Count Basie Orchestra, and she began singing regularly with jazz musicians in Birmingham, Alabama. She also credits vocalists Shirley Horn and Carmen McRae as major musical influences. She currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Her official website is janetstevenson.com

Janet was fortunate to grow up in a musical family. Her parents' friends were jazz musicians who often dropped in for jam sessions, and there was a music room in her home with a piano and drumset. Her father, the late William (Bill) Stevenson was a Birmingham jazz drummer who encouraged her musical talents with classical piano lessons at the age of six. At the age of eight, she studied voice in public school. She took up jazz piano in the 1970s, and began singing jazz in the 1980s.

Her smokey sweet voice made her a hometown favorite, and she performed at major venues like City Stages in Birmingham. In addition to leading her own jazz quartet, Janet has performed with some of Alabama's most notable jazz musicians, including Cleveland Eaton, bassist, formerly with the Count Basie Orchestra and the Ramsey Lewis Trio. Eaton has asked her to sing on his next CD. She also appeared in the musical “Tuxedo Junction”, with renowned bandleader and trumpeter Erskine Hawkins and arranger Sammy Lowe.

Janet studied jazz vocals with Judy Niemack, and Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Janet Lawson. She has also studied with Ellis Marsalis, Barry Harris, and David Amram. She is working on her first CD to be released in 2009. Janet is a member of the Georgia Association of Jazz Educators and is dedicated to the cause of jazz education.