On Friday, July 25th, a concert performance by singer, actress, and 1st runner-up of the 2024 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Jazz Competition, Syndee Winters, was a crowning success. The show delighted over 4,000 spectators at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) on a sultry summer evening.
Winters’ carefully curated set list honored Lena Horne’s artistry while asserting her own contemporary relevance. Performed in a venue steeped in decades of jazz history and community engagement, the evening felt both personal and universal. It was an affirmation of legacy, artistry, and enduring inspiration.
She delivered masterful vocal control, bending notes with theatrical elegance and raw fire. While channeling Horne’s emotional nuance, she infused each phrase with her own voice and personality. Songs like “Stormy Weather” and “If You Believe” stood out as reinterpretations rather than imitations, revealing Winters as a vocal storyteller in her own right.
As a solo performer, Winters sustained a compelling presence throughout. She didn’t just sing—she embodied personas, emotional textures, and wore illustrious wardrobe designs by international award-winning fashion designer and creative director Marrisa Wilson. Produced by Syndee Winters, Wilson brought Syndee’s vision to life on stage, crafting a cinematic performance that transformed the space into a living narrative. Each song became an intimate revelation. The result echoed both Horne’s legacy and Winters’ own Caribbean‑American heritage.
Winters was joined by a stellar ensemble of top-tier jazz musicians: Max Haymer on piano, Yafeu Tyhimba on bass, Brad Allen Williams on guitar, Jay Flat on saxophone, and Brian Collier on drums. Their understated virtuosity supported Winters’ vocals with sophisticated interplay and subtle color.
The concert also served as a record release party, celebrating the debut of Syndee Winters Sings Lena Horne, a 10‑track tribute album released on June 30, 2025, in honor of Horne’s 108th birthday. The album Syndee Winters Sings Lena Horne is executive produced by Eulis Cathey, with Carl Griffin as associate producer. Additional featured musicians include Michael Eckroth, Freddie Hendrix, Warren Wolf, Alexis Lombre, and Ben Williams, among others.
The show sold out as part of LACMA’s Summer Nights Jazz series. The response spoke volumes. The energy in the audience was electric, and Winters connected deeply with fans. Many were experiencing Horne’s music anew through her interpretation.
“The entire performance was electric, and the highlights for me came when Syndee performed ‘Stormy Weather’ and ‘If You Believe’ to cap the show off!”
—Audience Member
Syndee Winters Sings Lena Horne is a brilliant fusion of reverence and originality. The show offers not only an homage but a theatrical reinvention, allowing Horne’s spirit to resonate through a contemporary lens. Winters’ vocal sophistication, magnetic stage presence, and thoughtful song selections affirm her as both a steward of jazz tradition and a compelling voice for its future. The album debuted on the jazz radio charts and quickly climbed into the Top 100.
If you had the chance to see Syndee’s performance, you witnessed something truly special. If not, keep an eye out - she is taking this one-woman show on tour.
Listen to ‘Syndee Winters Sings Lena Horne‘ on all digital platforms and your local jazz radio stations.
Order vinyl and bespoke merchandise at SyndeeWinters.com
Follow @syndeewinters on all social media.
Bookings:
Ed Keane Associates
Phone: (617) 846-0067
Email: info@edkeane.com
www.edkeane.com Management:
BulLion
bullionent@gmail.com
(917) 833-2693
Posted By: Robert Walker
Thursday, August 14th 2025 at 6:20PM
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