Five Singers Named Finalists for the Sarah Vaughan Jazz Vocal Competition at NJPAC on Nov. 22
Alyssa Allgood, Vahn Black, Nathan Farrell, Angélique Nicolas and Jackie Ribas — chosen from a record pool of more than 360 entrants from 38 countries — will compete on the NJPAC stage in Newark on Nov. 22 for the 15th annual SASSY Awards.
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center has named the five finalists for the 15th annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, according to NJPAC's announcement carried by New Jersey Stage and read in full by this desk. The finalists are Alyssa Allgood of Chicago, Vahn Black of Detroit, Nathan Farrell of New York City, Angélique Nicolas of Paris, France, and Jackie Ribas of New York City, selected from a record-breaking pool of more than 360 entrants spanning 38 countries, the announcement said.
The five will compete live at NJPAC in Newark on Sunday, Nov. 22, beginning at 3 p.m., before a jury that includes vocalist José James, three-time Grammy nominee Gretchen Parlato, Jazz at Lincoln Center programming vice president Jason Olaine, actress and singer Lillias White and percussionist T.S. Monk, according to the announcement. WBGO host Gary Walker hosts the event, which also features a performance by April May Webb, the competition's 2024 winner. The first-prize winner receives $5,000, with $1,500 for second place and $500 for third, the announcement said.
The competition, known as the SASSY Awards, honors Sarah Vaughan, who was a Newark teenager when she won an amateur singing contest at the Apollo Theater in 1942 and launched one of the most influential careers in jazz, according to the announcement. Past winners include Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn and Samara Joy. The final is part of the closing day of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival at NJPAC, and tickets are available through NJPAC, the announcement said.
