Debbie Duncan © Andrea Canter

Born in Memphis, Debbie Duncan grew up in Detroit, where her parents surrounded her with their favorite jazz, gospel, folk, and classical recordings. From her earliest years, Debbie was steeped in Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Gloria Lynne, Dakota Staton, Mel Torme, Ray Charles, and Chris Connors. She was also exposed to heavy gospel during summers with her grandparents in Memphis and St. Louis. While declaring her career intent “to be a singer” before she started school, Debbie was a reluctant star, keeping her talent at bay until she started classical voice lessons at age 14. Even then, she held back, instead studying flute in high school and not auditioning for the school choir until her senior year. Still concentrating on flute as her major at Wayne State University, Debbie continued to study voice, ultimately joining the Wayne State Women’s Chorale. Her vocal talent now at the forefront, soon she had a regular club gig and recorded back-up vocals for Mitch Ryder and Bob Segar.

Moving to Los Angeles in 1976, Debbie had a seven-year stint at the Hungry Tiger, played at Medleys (with Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers) and throughout the area club circuit. Eventually she worked with drummer Pete Johnson (formerly of Manhattan Transfer), and when he moved to Minneapolis, he convinced Debbie to join him for what was to be a six-week job at Rupert’s Night Club in 1984. The short gig lasted seven years. Forming a quartet with Don Stille, Gary Raynor and Phil Hey, Debbie soon became known as the “Working-est Singer” in the Twin Cities, winning many Minnesota Music Awards as well as the MMA’s first award as “Perpetually Outstanding Performer.”

Debbie’s performance resume includes opening for Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Stephane Grapelli, and appearing with Bobby Watson (Horizon), Mark Murphy, Von Freeman, Marlena Shaw, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Joe Henderson, Jimmy McGriff, and John Hendricks. Her credits also include recording with Oleta Adams and Jimmy McGriff, with pop bands Iffy and B-3, and with numerous local bands including Fat Kids Wednesday. She has released five of her own recordings, Nice One for Boo, Live at the Dakota, It Must Be Christmas, Travelin’ at the Speed of Love, and her latest, I Thought About You (FS Music), all featuring casts of first-call area musicians. Local gigs include frequent appearances at the Artists Quarter, Times, and Dakota; she was a popular performer for several years with “The Girls” and with the Adi Yeshaya Big Band, and has toured Italy with local pianist Mary Louise Knutson. This past spring, Debbie appeared in an acclaimed role in the Ordway’s production of Blues in the Night.

And, while Debbie Duncan is often on stage, she still manages to find time to teach at the McNally Smith College of Music (formerly MusicTech), which has established the Debbie Duncan Award for Excellence in Voice, and to serve as an instructor at the Twin Cities Youth Jazz Camp. Debbie also sings to support a number of causes, including benefits for AIDS research, domestic abuse prevention, Black College Funds, Alzheimer's research, and senior citizen’s organizations.

Poised for global recognition as the rightful heir to the legacy of Ella, Sassy, and the generation that defined the jazz diva, Debbie Duncan doesn’t just stand up there and sing. Above all, she is a storyteller and comedienne who always engages her audience. If she didn’t sing, her shows would still be pure entertainment. But of course she sings like no one else.

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St. Peter Street, in downtown St. Paul. Debbie Duncan performs at 9 pm, Friday and Saturday nights, July 25-26. Prior to the Friday performance, Rick DellaRatta bring his Jazz for Peace fund raiser to the AQ, 6-8:30 pm, tickets (donations) $25. Visit www.artistsquarter.com for more information and full calendar.