Before she became the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald was a young girl with a dream and determination who overcame extraordinary odds. Acclaimed chanteuse and music historian Amanda King shares Ella Fitzgerald’s origins, inspirations, and music from the 1930s era and her time with the Chick Webb Orchestra in ELLA The Early Years, a swinging show of song and history!
ELLA The Early Years focuses on the formative time Ella spent with the pioneering drummer, Chick Webb, and his orchestra. Webb’s orchestra also served as the musical foundation for many legendary sidemen, many of whom Ella would go on to work with for decades. This early partnership of Ella and Chick catapulted both their careers to new heights and is the backdrop for a heartwarming, joy-filled celebration of an American icon by a voice that was born to sing Fitzgerald!
A classic chanteuse who performs standards and jazz, Amanda King is an avid preservationist of the music and performers of the early 20th century. Amanda has been hailed by The New York Times critic Stephen Holden as one of the nightclub world’s “exceptional rising talents” and is a repeat performer at the Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention. A long-time San Francisco resident, she moved to Las Vegas in 2017 and has quickly become one of its top jazz performers. The Las Vegas Review Journal says, “King is Queen”.
Combining the best of the jazz and cabaret worlds by focusing on the words, the music, and the swing, Amanda masterfully interprets the music she performs. She relishes diving into history by sharing the stories, songs and people that make up the treasure trove of pre-1950’s American Popular Music. A knowledgeable educator, she teaches jazz history classes for OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at UNLV and has presented workshops for the SFJAZZ Discover Jazz series. Amanda is the proud parent of a Gen Z child who could survive without his cell phone.
Learn more about Amanda and her upcoming performances by visiting www.amandaking.com.
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