WOMEN IN JAZZ

TWO SHOWINGS | 7PM & 10PM | NO DINNER SERVICE | 21+

Vocals: Allison Adams Tucker, Whitney Shay, Amanda Portela

Keys: Melonie Grinnell

Bass: Evona Wascinski

Drums: Joannah Sy

Percussion: Monette Marino

Trumpet: Elizabeth Howard

Sax/Flute/Clarinet: April Leslie

Lou Lou’s presents Women in Jazz: a killer 9-piece band of ladies coming together from all sides of the jazz family, including blues, soul, Latin, swing, new-jazz, and world music from the four corners of the globe. Co-led by Allison Adams Tucker and Whitney Shay.

4-star DownBeat Magazine-recognized multi-lingual vocalist, bandleader, and composer Allison Adams Tucker brings a globally minded, genre-bending energy to modern jazz—praised by LondonJazz News for her “marvellous articulation, great tonal accuracy, and dynamic drive” and by The Examiner as “lustrous in any language,” a singer who “clarifies every note within a hair’s breath.” A Southern California native raised on the Mexico border, she grew up immersed in diverse sounds—from a cappella and folk to punk and commercial work—before falling hard for jazz in 2005 and running with its freedom ever since. Her catalog spans four acclaimed albums and three EPs, including Come With Me (San Diego Music Awards Best Jazz Album nominee), April in Paris (recorded in Paris during 1st International Jazz Day), Wanderlust (cut in NYC with GRAMMY-winning producer Matt Pierson), and the ambitious RETRO Trilogy project (also recorded in NYC. A 5-time San Diego Music Awards nominee, Allison’s voice has landed everywhere from national ads to the “Saboteur” game soundtrack alongside icons like Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald, while her performances have lit up legendary stages from Blue Note New York to Ronnie Scott’s London. Offstage, she’s just as impactful—producing global jazz events for two decades and keeping the music alive through her “GARDENSTREAM Live” series during COVID lockdown, proving that for her, jazz isn’t just a style—it’s a borderless, ever-evolving conversation.

With sparkly dresses, fiery tresses, and a talent rivaled only by her unstoppable hustle, Whitney Shay is one #busylittlesinger. The five-time San Diego Music Award winner, and Blues Music Award nominee is scorching stages at home and internationally throughout Europe and South America. Shay’s latest release on Ruf Records Stand Up! debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Album Charts, reached #1 on the Roots Music Report Blues Album Charts, and won the 2021 San Diego Music Award for Best Blues Album. Shay has received high praise from music critics calling the singer “a future blues icon” (Blues Matters!), “one of the next best things in soul music” (Blues and Rhythm Magazine), and “the epitome of a rising star” (Elmore Magazine). Shay’s tracks have also been placed in TV/film, including shows on NBC, Fox, HBO, Bravo, BET, Hulu, and Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral. Whether in studio, on screen, or stage, Whitney Shay's electric energy, soulful style, and powerhouse pipes keep listeners connected and coming back for more.

Vocalist Amanda Portela brings a sultry, sophisticated presence to the stage. Her eclectic journey spans from leading Big Bands and Jazz Jams to exploring the soulful rhythms of Boleros and World Music. By weaving her deep Jazz roots into a refined, dynamic performance, Amanda delivers a sound that is both timeless and unforgettable.