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Arts & Entertainment

Seasonal Concert a Chance to Hear Big City Jazz at the Raven

Clairdee has been doing the Christmas Eve show at Yoshi's for nine years, and this year she adds Healdsburg to her Christmas list

 

There’s no shortage of holiday events in Healdsburg this year, from bargain shopping to fine dining. But the season is not only about indulgence, but sharing, and few things are as fun to share as a song.

For jazz vocalist Clairdee, who comes to the on with a six-member band, “This show is mostly about joy, and celebrating the season.”

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If anyone knows how to put on a holiday show, it’s got to be Clairdee. She inherited one of the jazz world’s most coveted gigs nine years ago, the Christmas Eve concert at Yoshi’s Jazz Club in San Francisco. Her predecessor in the role was Charles Brown, whose “Merry Christmas Baby” virtually defines the bluesy heart of Christmas.

“It all started with a friend of mine who said, I love your music, why don’t you do a holiday CD? I said, Why? Who would buy it? And she said, I would!

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“It snowballed from there. I casually mentioned it to Peter Williams, who at the time was the artistic director for Yoshi’s, and he said, You’re booked. Now here we are, going into our ninth year.”

Clairdee – she goes by the one name – is no stranger to Healdsburg, having been a teacher/performer in, the Healdsburg Jazz Festival’s education program for fifth graders. “Healdsburg is a beautiful town,” she said when I spoke to her by phone earlier this week. “The whole mood there is just wonderful, very uplifting. Everyone is very nice, very open – and I like that.”

In fact, it’s her role as a teacher that seems to bring her as much satisfaction as her role as an artist. “There’s something very magical and exciting about looking at the faces of the children. They just light up when they accomplish something that they didn’t know they could do. It gives them the feeling of empowerment – and it’s fun for us!”

“She’s not only beautiful to look at, but a beautiful spirit,” said of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. “And that’s why the kids relate to her so well.”

The program at the Raven is called Soulful Sounds of the Season, and Clairdee’s voice and style are perfect for delivery not only the soul of the season, but the spirit as well. Her 2003 CD “This Christmas” features classics such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Let It Snow!” plus songs more closely identified with jazz, like “Baby It’s Cold Outside.”

As well as songs from the CD, the family-oriented concert will introduce new ones as well. “There will be a couple songs from ‘A Charlie Brown’s Christmas,’ which kids will recognize, and there will also be an interactive piece which I going to hold as a surprise, Not only kids but the whole audience will have a lot of fun with it.”

“I’ve been wanting to do something like this for Healdsburg for years,” said Felix, “a seasonal concert that’s really jazz. She does such a great job with these shows – that’s why she’s been at Yoshi’s for so long. And we get to hear it right here in Healdsburg.”

Many members of the band on stage with Clairdee have been playing with her for years, including bassist Ruth Davies – who was also Charles Brown’s bassist while the singer and pianist was still living. Her musical director Ken French will be on piano, with John Hoy on guitar and Jim Zimmerman on drums. Clif Payne will handle the male vocal on such duets as “Baby It’s Cold Outside.”

She emphasizes that this is a non-denominational concert. “This show is about the gift of joy, and celebrating the season.

“I want people to come ready to have a good time. And I want them to leave happier than when they got there.”

The concert begins at 6:30 on Sunday, Dec. 18; doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at the Healdsburg Jazz Festival website.

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