The Blues Alley jazz club in Washington, D.C. held its fifth annual Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition this past week, and they have announced the winners. Julia Daniele from Chicago took first place, with Becky Alice from London winning second place, and Dominique Blanco (Staten Island, NY), Alicia Lindberg (Jarna, Sweden) and Deeyo McDuffie (Miami, FL) sharing third place. All the contest winners received cash prizes, and as an additional prize Ms. Daniele sat in with the Tierney Sutton Band at Blues Alley on April 23. Judges for the competition were Dr. Darden Purcell, Irene Jalenti, and Lena Seikaly, who adjudicated as a panel using the criteria of style, musicality, and technical skills. You can watch the competition here or below:
Registration for the 2023 Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition opens on November 1, 2022.
