Vickie Smith and her Band

A spirited jazz vocalist with a special connection with her audiences, Vickie Smith has been called “intriguing” by reviewers. “Vickie Smith is just exciting,” says the legendary Joe Franklin, of WOR AM radio. With a sophisticated selection of tunes and arrangements that she has a personal hand in creating, Vickie can mesmerize audiences with a ballad, and in the next number, “She can get into a song and she can swing. Smith obviously has appeal,” says Zan Stewart of the Star-Ledger. Audiences of all ages enjoy Vickie’s performances, and by popular demand, she is often booked for repeat engagements. At one such venue, The Richard Stockton College in Pomona, NJ, Vickie and her band recently performed at their performing arts center in a “best of the best” jazz series. Campus Activities Director, Tom O’Donnell, says delightedly, “WOW! Vickie is a tremendous hit and outstanding talent. Our students welcomed her back to our Night Of Jazz, held in our Performing Arts Center. She warmed everyone’s hearts and was embraced by our entire college community.”

Vickie was introduced to live jazz at the tender age of 3 by her father, a well-known jazz guitarist in New England. As a young child, she would sit in on her father’s band rehearsals, often grabbing the mike to “get in on the act”. This was her first taste of the standards that would become the foundation of her career. A few years later, her parents split, and Vickie was raised by her mother in her grandparents’ home in Brooklyn. Vickie grew to adore the jazz standards that she had heard as a youngster. “My grandparents greatly influenced my taste in music, with loads of original 78 rpm records, an antique hand crank victrola, and stories that brought the music to life.” Through the years, she studied piano and violin, often playing songs she would learn just for her grandparents.

Bringing the music to life once again for audiences of all ages, Vickie’s latest project is “Satin Dolls,” a loving tribute to the ladies of swing. “I want my audiences to feel they are part of something special, something created just for them.” After months of research on the female vocalists of the swing era, Vickie chose different stylists for her show, women such as: Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Anita O’Day, and Rosemary Clooney. Vickie weaves a common thread through the stories of these lady legends - how they each made the transition from “chick singers” originally viewed as a novelty, to becoming well-respected musicians at the top of their field. These female artists were involved in every step of the music process, from arrangements to delivery. For example, Sarah Vaughan was a consummate pianist, who accompanied Billy Eckstine’s orchestra before she got her break. Ella Fitzgerald was cultivated by musicians she worked and toured with after she was an overnight sensation with “A-Tisket A-Tasket”. “Vickie hasn't just learned this music," concludes Bob de Benedette, Vickie’s accompanist and co-arranger, "She lives it. She brings youthful energy to it, like nothing else I've ever heard. She's at the beginning of a very long career, and that’s why I enjoy spending so much time working with her closely on the arrangements."

Vickie Smith presents more than just songs in her fast-paced, high-energy show. Her varied program showcases her multi-talents and those of her band members, while weaving the story of these dynamic legendary divas. Vickie includes a tune that has made a popular comeback recently, “Sway,” in tribute to the inimitable Rosemary Clooney. Through her research, Vickie uncovered a version of this song that Rosie recorded with Perez Prado, universally known as the King of Mambo, and the bright and swinging arrangement inspired Vickie immensely. Learning that the song was originally entitled “Quien Será,” complete with Spanish lyrics, Vickie decided to include the exciting selection in her sets. She is fluent in Spanish - yet another side of this well-rounded performer. She also includes a Jobim selection, “Só Danço Samba,” often requested by fans at monumental Ella & Duke Ellington concerts. Vickie sings her own high-energy version in both Portuguese and English, with scat and percussive scat sections.

Vickie developed the show “Satin Dolls”, upon repeated requests and after the success of her two tribute shows to Ella Fitzgerald. The first show focuses on Ella’s early recording years on the Decca Label, and is an insightful look into the development of a 17-year-old novelty big band singer, into one of the greatest jazz legends of all time. Shortly after several well-received runs of the tribute, Vickie got to meet Hank Jones, one of Ella’s long time accompanists. Jones was impressed with her musical selections and tastes and encouraged Vickie to continue her tributes to the jazz great. Vickie went on to research, produce, co-arrange and direct another unique Ella tribute, “Ella and Duke, Love You Ma