“My sound is not so much straight-ahead jazz,” Ashleigh Smith claims. “It’s very R&B and funk infused. That’s a part of my upbringing and I love that about my singing.” The 27-year-old Dallas-based singer and songwriter was reflecting on what set her apart from other singers at the 2014 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition of which she won. “I noticed it more when I was competing against other people. You are what you listen to.”

Raised in a nurturing, musically enriched household with her two sisters in LaGrange, Georgia, Smith seemed destined to become a musician. Her mother, Deborah Smith sang constantly even though she’s physical therapist by trade, while her father, Edwin Smith, is a pianist and former school band director. Smith also had a grandfather who played jazz saxophone; a grandmother who played classical piano and sang; and an uncle who played jazz trumpet. At the tender age of four, Smith began singing along records that her father played. “I would just imitate everything. When I heard Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘How High the Moon,’ that was it for me,” Smith fondly recalls.

But Smith also absorbed the sounds of Stevie Wonder, Prince, Bill Withers, and Sting during her early years. Those touchstones and several others echo on her August 19, 2016 Concord debut, Sunkissed, produced by Chris Dunn and Nigel Rivers. “I listen to a lot of new stuff but I really dig a lot of old stuff,” she says. “I wanted that side of me to be a part of the album. I believe in that older R&B and pop music and the time when real instruments were used. And while some of those old recordings with singers weren’t always perfect, they were beautiful. The mistakes are what made them beautiful.”

In choosing which covers to include on Sunkissed, she was mindful of exploring fresher terrain. That explains her winning renditions of Hall & Oates’ 1975 classic, “Sara Smile” and Chrisette Michele’s 2007 soul ballad, “Love Is You.” Other none originals include a R&B-inflected makeover of the Beatles’ 1968 gem, “Blackbird,” and mesmerizing a capella version of “Pure Imagination,” which features Smith harmonizing with herself via various overdubs.

Those covers are juxtaposed with enticing originals, many of which Smith co-wrote with bassist Nigel Rivers or guitarist Joel Cross. As a songwriter, Smith explores themes of romantic heartache (“Best Friends,” “Into the Blue,” and “Brokenhearted Girl”), self-empowerment (“Sunkissed”), and universal love (“The World Is Calling”).

Before Smith won the 2014 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, she studied classical music at Georgia’s Columbus State University on a full-ride scholarship. After attending a jazz camp at the prestigious University of North Texas, she transferred.

It was there that she met Rivers, Cross, and the cadre of other musicians, including percussionists AJ Flores and Greg Beck; pianists Shelton Summons and Sergio Pamies; and drummers Cedric Moore III, Marcus Jones, and Cleon Edwards.  “The album features no big names,” Smith says. “I don’t think I tried for it to be that way. But I wanted people who have already been an integral part of my musical development. It was only natural for me that they would be on the first album because they played a big part into the making of who I am as a musician.”

Music teacher Rosanna Eckert also played a pivotal role in Smith’s musical development at the University of North Texas. The singer shows her respect to her mentor by including Eckert’s gorgeous composition, “Beautiful and True.” “Rosanna was one of my first teachers and biggest mentors there,” Smith says. “She’s a phenomenal singer, pianist and teacher. I wanted Rosanna to write a song because she knows my voice very well. I love her ease of lyrical expression. I love how fluid her lyrical thoughts are and how well they match her musical thoughts.”

Smith was already recording an EP before she won the 2014 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition. She says the process of finding her voice and material was organic. “When it came to writing, my voice is what just came out,” Smith remembers. “I was very picky in choosing the musicians to help bring that out. I’m very big on authenticity. Everything was very organic – even up to the week of recording. That’s exactly what I wanted.”

Ashleigh Smith's full-length debut album, 2016's Sunkissed, is a languid, sophisticated combination of jazz and R&B that beautifully exhibits Smith's warmly resonant vocals. A graduate of the University of North Texas and winner of the 2014 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, Smith is a gifted singer with a burnished, romantic vocal style. While contemporary in tone, Smith is clearly as adept at delivering a jazz standard as she is a more modern pop tune. Produced by Chris Dunn and Nigel Rivers (who also handles most of the arranging), Sunkissed features a mix of originals and well-chosen pop covers reworked here with a nuanced and expansive soul-jazz style. Cuts like Hall & Oates' "Sara Smile" and the Beatles' "Blackbird" are transformed by Smith and her bandmates into flowing, harmonically rich grooves that touch upon the passionate R&B of Alicia Keys, the '70s soul of Stevie Wonder, and the forward-thinking jazz of Esperanza Spalding. Interestingly, Smith doesn't lock herself into the past -- she delivers an inspired, orchestral soul reading of former boss (whom she sang backup for) Chrisette Michele's "Love Is You." Similarly, Smith's originals, including the Latin-tinged "Best Friends" and the horn-driven "Into the Blue," are highlights that display her broad stylistic range. While Smith certainly has chops to spare as evidenced by her multi-tracked vocal harmonies on the classic standard "Pure Imagination," she generally sings in an understated, supple style that makes for a relaxing and intimate listening experience. In the end, it's Smith's relaxed warmth on Sunkissed that leaves you feeling good.

For the eyes of a man, for the heart of a woman: Mahogany is a true artist for any music advocate to love. Candace "Mahogany" Miller is a native of Dallas, TX (Richardson). She has been a vocalist all of her life, playing both piano and drums, while keeping a steady hand in writing and production. Mahogany and her band JAMBOX bring to you unforgettable performances that features an amazing mix of jazz, soul, and even a bit of blues, infusing tunes you know and love with original material they had made popular on the music scene. She has frequented clubs and restaurants locally including, Dallas Museum of Art, Buttons Restaurant, Sandaga Jazz, Devine Wine, Brooklyn Jazz, and was a weekly performer at former Sambuca Jazz (Addison), She has been honored to be featured with artist such as Roy Hargrove, Texas Tenor Jason Davis, Jazz Vet Roger Boykin, and she has shared a stage with greats like smooth Jazz artist David Sanborn, The Late Great Marchel Ivrey, Organist Soul Man Red Young, band leader Joe Firstman, and Blood Sweat and Tears member and classic rock artist Bill Tillman. Mahogany has stretched her soul vocals singing back ground with world-renowned bass player Foley (Miles Davis/Joni Mitchel/Chaka Khan). She  graced the stage with percussionist Victor Orlando (GAP band, Tina Marie, Chaka Khan) live in Dallas and has also recently served as Music Director for artist Dani Mimms (Klymaxx) live in Dallas. Mahogany has been a featured vocalist in the super GOGO Band, under the direction of 5-time Grammy Award winner Shaun Martin (7 Summers, Snarky Puppy) for the past six years.

Mahogany is an educator and motivator. She has recently pioneered an amazing movement and her biggest dream, The Jazz BeCuzz Arts Group and Center. This improvisational driven school of thought is quickly becoming a nationwide arts movement for families. While teaching students ranging in age from 3 to 95, she is still making headway in the industry through her own recording and through collaborations. Mahogany's Debut CD titled JAMBOX is currently distributed digitally world-wide and being sold via iTunes and CDbaby. Mahogany’s national and international journey has lead to several prestigious performances including the various city and state political events, striking performances with the Stage Band South Big Band, playing for the Mexican Consulate (featured vocalist with Jason Davis Jazz Band), Jazz in Pink, taking the stage at the House of Blues in LA and playing privately for many elected officials throughout the years. Her music can be heard as far as Russia via both internet and mainstream radio and her voice has been featured on movie sound tracks including YOU GOT SERVED, KINGS RANSOM and SOUL PLANE. Mahogany is a staff writer, producer and engineer with the Dallas Track Factory. You can hear and purchase Mahogany on the most recent JAZZ BECUZZ Jazz 101 release HER SONG (releasing Dec 1, 2015)  and is currently recording her next feature CD project with award winning producer Shaun Martin (Spring 2016)

Corey Breedlove is a singer/songwriter/entertainer born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Although never formally taught, Breedlove developed a strong connection with music through means of guitar and songwriting at a young age. After years of writing, recording, and performing with several original psychedelic rock groups throughout grade school, Breedlove developed a passionate interest with tunes from the Great American Songbook, following a spontaneous purchase of a $1 Sinatra CD at his local bookstore. "The music spoke with grace I had never heard." Immediately after, Breedlove began the formation of a group that would become his jazz combo.

A professional singer/voice over artist, I currently returned to my Dallas/Ft. Worth roots, but worked in New York for over twenty years. I’ve done hundreds of voice overs and thousands of singing jobs which include jingles, studio sessions, jazz gigs as well as corporate and social gigs. Voice over clients include MasterCard, Allstate, Travelocity, and Johnson&Johnson. Ballads, Latin, smooth and swing jazz plus pop.

Heather Paterson studied music at SMU where she received a degree in opera, vocal performance, and music pedagogy. She subsequently taught voice in the Dallas area and sang with several jazz and pop groups. After several years of teaching and performing in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, she returned to college to study nursing, earning two associate degrees, one bachelor’s, and her master’s in science and nursing.

Heather has had a long career (more than 25 years) as a pediatric nurse at Children's Medical Center Dallas, and is currently a Masters' prepared Nurse Practitioner in the Pediatric Palliative Care Department at Children's. She is one of only 69 nurses in the USA certified in pediatric hospice and palliative care (CHPPN).

She returned to the music scene in the 1980s after a 10 year absence and, along with her husband, saxophonist Walter Pearson and pianist Jody Binford, founded The Straight Ahead® Jazz Quintet (aka Straight Ahead®). With the band she performs at corporate events, private parties and area restaurant/clubs. The band’s name says it all about its favorite jazz form. The group has played at the WinStar Casino and at jazz festivals in Corpus Christi and Lake Texoma, the Dallas Jazz Society's Salute to Duke Ellington, The Denton Arts and Jazz Fest, Fort Worth’s Main Street Art Fest and the Taste of Dallas in The West End.

Heather freelances with other jazz groups and big bands, too, including The Celebration Orchestra, Swing Time, and Pecos River Brass. Her inspirations are the famed practitioners of the Great American Song Book, most particularly the late Ella Fitzgerald. She also counts Sarah Vaughan, Chet Baker, Carmen McCrae, and Keith Jarrett (not his singing!) as influential.

She has performed with many local favorites, including Neil Slater, her most significant musical mentor, Dave Zoller, Jeffry Eckels, and Brian Piper along with conducting vocal forums for the vocal division of the Department of Jazz Studies at UNT. Heather has been the featured performer many times at Sammons Jazz, performed in the inaugural season of Sammons Cabaret, and was the 2011 recipient of the Sammons Jazz Artist of the Year award.