Clairdee sings Jimmy Van Heusen & Sammy Cahn

Jazz vocalist Clairdee brings her celebrated artistry to an evening dedicated to the songbook of Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn, the legendary duo behind Frank Sinatra's most sophisticated hits. Known for her warm, sophisticated interpretations that draw from jazz legends like Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae while maintaining her distinctly personal style, Clairdee has earned Grammy nominations and a 2018 Bay Area Jazz & Blues Artist Lifetime Achievement Award across her four-decade career.

Van Heusen and Cahn formed one of the most renowned partnerships in the Great American Songbook, crafting Sinatra's swinging signature songs including "Come Fly With Me," "All the Way," and "(Love is) The Tender Trap." As Sinatra himself said, "Of all the writers, Sammy's words fit my mouth the best." Tonight's performance promises to showcase these timeless classics through Clairdee's lens—her gift for finding fresh emotional depth in familiar material while honoring the original spirit of the songs.

Reviews consistently praise Clairdee as a masterful storyteller who "imbues each tune with a genuine feel for the lyric" and brings "playful banter" and infectious energy to her performances. Her approach blends serious artistry with joyful stage presence, creating an atmosphere where she might ad-lib with the audience between verses or surprise listeners with unexpected rhythmic twists on beloved standards.

Supporting Clairdee is an exceptional rhythm section: Ken French on piano and musical direction, whose arrangements challenge traditional interpretations just enough to showcase Clairdee's unique stylings; Ron Belcher, the highly respected bassist known for his rhythmically buoyant style who has performed with Branford Marsalis and Regina Carter; Jason Lewis on drums, a Professor of Jazz Studies at SJSU who has recorded with Gary Burton, James Moody, and Kurt Elling; and guitarist John Hoy completing the ensemble.

This focused tribute to Van Heusen and Cahn's songcraft offers an intimate opportunity to experience one of the Bay Area's most treasured vocalists celebrating the architects of Sinatra's most enduring repertoire.