The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), as part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, announced April May Webb as the winner of the 13th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. The competition’s final round took place yesterday at NJPAC, with the “SASSY Awards” hosted by WBGO Radio’s Sheila Anderson. The event showcased the Top Five finalists on stage, with a distinguished panel of judges that included four-time GRAMMY-winning drummer and NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington, GRAMMY-winning pianist Bill Charlap, GRAMMY-winning vocalist Lisa Fischer, NJPAC’s Jazz Advisor Christian McBride, and renowned singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux.
With over 220 entries from 21 countries, the competition highlighted the next generation of outstanding jazz vocalists. April May Webb, a talented musician, composer, and educator, took home the top prize of $5,000. Originally from Kansas and currently based in Connecticut, April May has worked with jazz legends like Thelonious Sphere Monk III and received accolades such as the 2023 Chamber Music America Grant and Jazz Road Artist recognition. She made history as the first Black woman to graduate from the William Paterson University Jazz Education program. April May will perform at Dizzy’s Coca-Cola Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Manhattan in Spring 2025.
The Second Place prize of $1,500 went to Syndee Winters, a Los Angeles-based singer known for her role as “Nala” in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway. Georgia Heers, an Oberlin alumna from South Carolina, claimed Third Place and received a $500 prize. The remaining Top Five finalists included Amira B from New York City and Angélique Nicolas from France, both of whom showcased exceptional talent and skill.
Photos courtesy of NJPAC
