Clazzical Notes Presents "The Women"

As Music Director of The Pasadena POPS and a guest conductor of orchestras throughout Europe, South America, Australia and Asia – including the London Philharmonic, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the China Philharmonic and the Herzliya Chamber Orchestra in Israel – conductor Rachael Worby has collaborated with such celebrated singers as Jessye Norman, Andrea Marcovicci, Jubilant Sykes, Eric Owens and Joely Fisher.

On January 12, the maestra will add jazz vocalist Sherry Williams and rising opera star Angel Blue to the list when she appears as moderator of "The Women," the most recent production of Clazzical Notes, a unique program of classical music, jazz and discussion sponsored by The Orchestras of Pasadena.

"As a conductor, Rachael has long been acclaimed for her ability to embrace virtually every musical genre – from Bach to Bernstein to Bebop," says Jerri Price-Gaines, producer of the event, which will take place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Caltech´s Ramo Auditorium. " I can´t think of a better choice to moderate Clazzical Notes, which was developed to show audiences that, if you love jazz, you can love classical music and vice versa. Plus, as anyone knows who has seen Rachael ´in action´ at a POPS´ performance, she´s a fabulous communicator."

"Actually, I predict that two extraordinarily gifted artists like Sherry Williams and Angel Blue will instantly connect with the audience all on their own, from the moment they begin to sing," says Worby, whose recorded collaboration at Pasadena´s Blair High School in 2006 with internationally acclaimed soprano Jessye Norman was rated one of NPR´s Top Ten programs of the year. "But, as enthralling as it will be to hear Sherry and Angel perform, I´m also looking forward to hearing their thoughts on music, jazz, opera and their lives as both musicians and women."

As a musician and actress, Sherry Williams has received worldwide acclaim. After beginning her career as a member of The Young Americans, she appeared on television shows ranging from The Tonight Show to Soul Train and, in addition to touring with such artists as Andy Gibb, Johnnie Ray, Herbie Mann and Eddie Hendricks, has performed at jazz venues, clubs and festivals throughout Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.

Williams is equally comfortable in the recording studio. She released her first CD, The Way You Love Me, in 1997 to rave reviews, following that with the Grammy nominated A Taste of Sherry in 2003 and, later that same year, You Must Believe In Spring.

"Sherry Williams is the incomparable present-day combination of Lady Day, Sarah and Ella," said songwriter Jack Segal, while the LA Times described her as having "...the vocal power of Streisand and ...the emotions of Nancy Wilson. She is liquid fire and magic, this lady."

Although she is just beginning her career, soprano Angel Blue has already garnered an impressive list of accolades. In addition to being selected to take part in the prestigious Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program at Los Angeles Opera, Blue has received awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the Palm Springs Opera Guild Competition, the ACT-SO NAACP Classical Voice Competition, and the Redlands Bowl Competition and earned the Emerging Young Entertainers Award from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Earlier this season, Blue appeared in productions of Suor Angelica and Carmen with LA Opera and, in June 2009, will perform the role of Clara in Porgy and Bess with the San Francisco Opera. She will also travel to Valdosta Georgia to appear as the featured soloist with the Valdosta Symphony. Orchestras with which she has already sung include the Redlands Symphony, the West Los Angeles Symphony, the Los Angeles Festival Orchestra, the California Philharmonic, and the Riverside Philharmonic. "She has killer high notes and killer theatrical instincts," raved the Los Angeles Times.

"This is an exciting time for women in almost every medium, and women have always been most naturally and formally represented in the arts," says Price-Gaines. "At Clazzical Notes´ The Women, we´ll present three powerfully talented women at the top of their game who will come together to create a memorable and most talked about evening of song and conversation."

Clazzical Notes is offered free to the public, thanks to the generosity of its sponsors: The City of Pasadena, Associated Foundations, Lear Family Foundation, The Mari and Edmund D. Edelman Foundation and KJazz 88.1 FM.

Ramo Auditorium is located at 332 South Michigan Avenue, South of Del Mar Blvd. in Pasadena. Parking is available in the lots south of Del Mar Boulevard between Wilson and Chester Avenues, as well as in the parking structures at 341 and 405 South Wilson Avenue, and 370 South Holliston Avenue. Handicapped parking only is available in the parking lot north of Beckman Auditorium, accessible from Michigan Avenue.

For more information about Clazzical Notes, call 626.793.7172 or visit www.theorchestras.org.

The continuing goal of The Orchestras of Pasadena is to make music available to everyone, offering low-cost tickets for children, students and seniors, Each year, The Orchestras of Pasadena present more than 100 community concerts – and reach an estimated audience of over 45,000 music lovers –through performances by The Pasadena Symphony, The Pasadena POPS, The Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra and such free music series as the Musical Circus, Clásica - las raíces de la música (the roots of music) and Clazzical Notes. The Orchestras of Pasadena also sponsor music education programs in 15 public elementary schools and four middle schools in the Pasadena community.