Join Paula Phillips with Jazz Beyond Borders and bebop vocalist Audrey Shakir for an episode celebrating Women’s History Monty as Audre Shakir discusses her professional career as a pianist and vocalist.
Born in Ohio to a musical family, Audrey Shakir began her professional career as a pianist covering tunes by Stevie Wonder and Charka Khan before embracing jazz piano legends Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. With this excellent foundation, she added singing to her talents, influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Joe Williams and Jon Hendricks.
In New York she performed at the Village Gate, The Town Hall, Apollo Theater and Tavern on the Green. Relocating to Atlanta, she established herself as the city’s most prominent jazz vocalist, headlining festivals and shows throughout the Southeast. Her international tours included dates with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Marsalis calls her “one of the greatest bebop singers in the world today.”

Since 1975, Paula Phillips has been one of Maryland’s most active women in arts and culture. As director of Jazz Beyond Borders, she works behind the scenes to present, promote and fund visual and performing arts. Dedicated to cultural diversity and artistic excellence, she has helped artists and arts organizations develop and thrive and established long running educational programs for adults, teens and children. She has been a writer, producer and segment host for radio, TV and cable news programs. Her radio interviews for the series “Voices of the Chesapeake Bay” appear in a 2008 book by the same name. She was nominated for an Annie Award in Anne Arundel County in the Lifetime Achievement category and received two National Association of Counties Awards for her work.

Credits
Beth Crisman – Executive Producer/Director, Montpelier Arts Center
Sara Morgan – Assistant Director, Montpelier Arts Center
Alan Ernstein – Technical Director, Montpelier Arts Center
Kirk Walterick – Recording Engineer