"Years ago they used to call jazz singer Dinah Washington ‘The Queen of the Blues.' Well, these days that title could very easily go to the dynamic, persuasive Barbara Morrison... she can deliver that rhythmically charged genre with consummate flair." --Zan Stewart, L.A. Times

A native of Ypsilanti, Michigan, Barbara Morrison made her show business debut recording for Detroit radio at age 10. Ever since, she has been performing at festivals, including the Montreux and the North Sea Jazz Festivals, and on stage with such legends as Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Ron Carter, Etta James, Jimmy Smith, Johnny Otis, Dr. John, Kenny Burrell, Terence Blanchard, Joe Sample, Cedar Walton, Nancy Wilson, Mel Torme, Joe Williams, and Tony Bennett. She opened for Ray Charles and was guest vocalist for the Count Basie Orchestra, the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, and Doc Severinsen's Big Band. Other credits include lead vocalist on the movie sound track for The Hurricane (starring Denzel Washington), guest vocals on The Duke Ellington Millennium and Johnny Otis' Ooo Shoo Be Dooo recordings, and appearances on the NBC TV comedy, The Naked Truth, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The Dennis Miller Show. Some of her more memorable performances have included her Salute to Dizzy Gillespie and Tribute to Benny Golson. Wrote the LA Times, "She can be as playful as Ella, as thoughtful as Sarah, as naughty as Etta... Barbara Morrison... has gained a national following with her big personality and delicious sense of swing."

Barbara Morrison can belt out the blues, torch a torch song, and squeeze the soul out of soul, and along the way, she's a dazzling entertainer and comedienne. Said Rob Adams in the Glasgow Herald, "She makes an audience feel good, like we're all round at her place and she's feeding us in the kitchen." But it is indeed her voice with its two-and-a -half octave range that ultimately puts her at the top. With over 20 recordings in almost every genre from jazz to blues to gospel and pop, she has received world-wide acclaim: "She can swing a tune with the best of them, and the pointed quality of her vocals allows her to penetrate even the most formidable instrumental accompaniment. To hear her ride the great, roaring orchestral sound is to behold one of the more accomplished jazz-blues singers in the business" (Sidney Morning Herald).

Among her many recordings, her 2002 release (Barbara Morrison Live at the 9:20 Special) has a special connection of its own to Minnesota and the Dakota. Producer Elliott Donnelley recalls that his interest in jazz was kindled in part when visiting his grandmother in St. Paul in the early 1990s; after a brief and accidental meeting with a vocalist, the two spent an unforgettable evening at the Dakota. Donnelley's grandmother, Jane Matteson, went on to become the Dakota's most ardent fan and benefactor until her death two years ago; producer Donnelley went on to develop venues for Lindy dancing, ultimately inviting Barbara Morrison to do a live recording at the San Francisco club, the 9:20 Special, which hosts a weekly dance event. Backed by a band of some of the best musicians in the San Francisco Bay Area, Morrison energized a sold-out crowd of Lindy Hoppers and fans of jazz and blues, and the live recording became a big hit.

Celebrating her new release, Live at the Dakota, Barbara Morrison will no doubt energize the Minneapolis crowds with her soulful and swinging renditions of blues, ballads, and standards. This is classy music in the guise of down-home entertainment.

"...a superlative display of eclectic music-making, engaging as entertainment, compelling as jazz..." (Don Heckman, LA Times)

Upcoming performances in southern California: December 17-19, Pasadena Civic Center (www.lakertickets.com); December 28, Palm Springs Desert Jazz Party (805-496-5400); New Year's Eve with Freddy Cole, Hollywood Park Casino, Finish Line Lounge (310-330-0178 or contact Ticket Master).