Annette St. John Appearing at Smoke

Brunch enthusiasts can catch vocalist Annette St. John at SMOKE

Singer Annette St. John is presently appearing at the Smoke
club in NYC every Sunday.

St. John has always had music in her blood but opted to
raise a family before plunging into the music business, so she got a late
start. However, Ms. St. John has not allowed dust to grow at her feet. Instead
she has taken her talents on cruise lines, performed at Jazz Outdoors at
Lincoln Center, the Cotton Club, and various clubs throughout the Tri-State
area.

Presently, St. John is performing at SMOKE, located on 106th
and Broadway, in Manhattan.  She can be
seen on Sunday afternoons where she does 3 sets starting at 11:00 a.m. SMOKE
has a wonderful afternoon brunch which allows folks to catch Ms. St. John and
band members Vinnie Reggeri on piano; bass player Bill Morin and Wayne
Henderson on drums while enjoying a tasty meal. St. John and the Annette St.
John Trio have performed at Smoke every Sunday afternoon for the last six
months. On Monday nights she appears at the Cotton Club at 9:00 p.m.

“I admire singers like Etta Jones, Della Griffin, Irene
Reid, Dakota Stanton, Sarah Vaughn and sometimes sing songs by George Benton
and Natalie Cole at the club.  I
personally like to sing songs that make me feel what I am singing. I hope to
make those listening feel what I am feeling via the musical stories I am
attempting to tell them” explained the talented vocalist.

“I am a native New Yorker.  Born and raised in Harlem,” remarked
Annette.  “I always wanted to be a
performer but fell and love and got married so I put my musical ambitions on
the back burner at that time” recalled Ms. St John who believes her voice
is a gift from God.  “I consider
myself a natural singer.  I didn’t go to
school to learn how to sing.  However, I
took several workshops and still do. I went to coaching places, to the Manor House
and studied at the Jazz Mobile and study wherever I can get a taste of what I
am looking for musically. I also work with the NY Jazz Academy at St Peter’s
Church.  I am taking a workshop there
currently with Miles Griffth.  Everyone
has a different approach and style but you are never too old to learn.  I just like to keep myself and my music
fresh. I did some gospel with a group called the Healing Balm.  We used to go around singing at various
churches and that is how I expressed the gospel within myself” stated the
jazz vocalist.

Annette St. John will be appearing at Whole Food Markets,
located at 808 Columbus Avenue (97th St) in Manhattan from 5-7PM on Friday,
September 9th. She will be performing at Piccolos on August 6th and 13th at
8:30 pm.  Piccolos is located at 24
Prospect St, in Ridgefield, Ct. Fans can also view the singer performing at
Smoke and the Red Rooster on You Tube.

This reporter had the opportunity to talk with Ms. St John
about her current CD recorded at SMOKE entitled INSIDE LIVE AT SMOKE.  The Hammond organ played by Michael Ladon,
guitar by Peter Bernstein, sax by Eric Alexander and Joe Farnsworth on drums,
gives the CD a wonderful rhythmic appeal that has St John belting out sassy
renditions of songs like East of the Sun, Serenade in Blue, Crazy, and CC
Ryder, et al.  She also recorded a CD
entitled “Now is the Time,” which featured songs like A Train and
Misty.

St John’s talents has earned her stints at famous clubs such
as Sweetwaters, The Blue Note, Cotton Club, The Apollo, Village Vanguard,
Londell’s, Tavern on the Green, Showman’s, Birdland, The Europa Club, The Sugar
Bar, Cajun and the American Legion in Harlem. Annette has worked with musicians
and vocalists the likes of Della Griffin, Lonnie Youngblood, Irene Reed, Fred
Staton, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Seleno Clark, Nate Lucas, the late great Etta Jones,
Doc Pittman and Jimmy Butts.

Interested parties who wish to buy Ms. St John’s CDs can
reach her at [email protected] or purchase her CDs at Smokes or at the
Cotton Club in Harlem.

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