Jazz Vespers: A Tribute to Billy Strayhorn Featuring Amy London

NYC's unique jazz prayer service, Sundays at 5 since 1965. All are welcome. Free to attend!

This week, we welcome Amy London (voice), John DiMartino (piano), and Michael Hashim (sax).

About Amy London

Jazz Vocalist and educator Amy London has enjoyed a diverse career spanning 40 years, performing at such top NYC venues as Birdland, Dizzy's, Blue Note, Minton's, Kitano, Sweet Basil, Visiones, Pangea, North Square and Smalls, as well as The Newport Jazz Festival, Embarcadero Center in San Francisco, Caffe Vivace and Blue Wisp in Cincinnati, Ronny Scott's in London, The Half Note in Athens, Nardis in Istanbul, Veneto Jazz Festival in Italy, and many other stages across the US and in Europe.

Ms. London was hand picked by Cy Coleman to be the lead singer in 'The Angel City Four' vocal quartet in his 6 Tony Award winning Broadway hit, 'City of Angels.' She can be heard on the Grammy nominated 'City of Angels' Original Broadway cast album. (Columbia) Ms. London also shared the stage with Martin Short and Eugene Levy in Burt Bacharach's revival of 'Promises, Promises' at City Center 'Encores.'

A Motema recording artist, Ms. London is the leader and soprano of The Royal Bopsters vocal quartet, whose first two recordings 'The Royal Bopsters Project' and 'A Party of Four' received rave reviews and continual airplay around the world, including 4 1/2 stars, (Downbeat) Best Vocal Jazz Group, (JazzTimes Critics' Award) and 'Outstanding Jazz Vocal Award' (Bistro Awards.) As a solo vocalist, Ms. London has released 4 CD's, 'Two for the Road', 'When I Look In Your Eyes', 'Let's Fly' and 'Bridges,' all to critical acclaim and regular airplay.

A world renowned vocal jazz educator, Amy London is one of the principal architects of the highly successful vocal jazz program at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, and has been adjunct voice professor there since 1992. She is also an adjunct professor at Hofstra University, City College and created the Vocal Jazz Academy at Jazz House Kids, at the invitation of bassist Christian McBride. Ms. London has led vocal jazz camps around the world for more than 20 years, and has been invited back onto the faculties of Tritone Jazz Camp, Vermont Jazz Center Camp and JazzWorks Canada Camp for summer 2025.

About John DiMartino:

John Di Martino is a composer, arranger, jazz pianist, producer, and educator, based in New York City. He is described as a "shape-shifter", for his creativity across musical genres.

"John's soul and being come straight through to his music, the jazz world needs him!"

- Sheila Jordan ( NEA Jazz Master )

"John Di Martino is one of my absolute favorite pianists today. His music is an honest outpouring of light!" - Benny Green ( Jazz Pianist )

"John di Martino's middle name should be 'taste', for he conveys that quality in both solo and supportive roles, in jazz and Latin music." - Ray Barretto ( NEA Jazz Master )

About Michael Hashim

The Artie Shaw Band, Cab Calloway (he was 80, I was 22), Benny Bailey, Eddy Davis, Shel Silverstein (a dearly missed friend) etc. He has been on over 100 issued recordings, a dozen as leader, including two CD’s of Billy Strayhorn material. Some Dutch guy published his discography and he is in the Encyclopedia of Jazz and lots of other publications.

He has been a member of such diverse groups as The Widespread Depression Orchestra, The Flyng Neutrinos, The Raymond Scott Orchestrette, infamous Punk rebels Devil Doll, The Microscopic Septette, Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, The Judy Carmichael Trio, and is the leader of the 15-piece Billy Strayhorn Orchestra, giving sold-out concerts at Lincoln Center, The Winter Garden, and The Miller Theater. Performed at about 70% of the world’s biggest Jazz Festivals and had the great joy of playing in the first production in 91 years of “Blue Monday”, George Gershwin’s opera that he wrote 17 years before “Porgy and Bess”.

Movie soundtracks, of course, including original music for PBS Playhouse and solo saxophone throughout the entire Hollywood film of “I’m Not Rappaport”. He can be seen and heard in “The Sopranos”, “Madmen” “Boardwalk Empire” and Walt Disney’s “Enchanted”. In the off-Broadway hit “Song of Singapore” he played a role that was based on his actual self!

He is VERY well-read, and a sharp dresser.

Host or Publisher Saint Peter's Church