Kimberly Jordan Band

The daughter of a preacher, Kimberly Jordan grew up in Detroit with gospel music all around her. She loved it, but upon leaving Michigan for Howard University in Washington, D.C., Kim decided not to study music. That was until she discovered jazz and began playing keyboards again. Eventually, Kim caught the ear of legendary jazz vocalist Gil Scott-Heron, and for the next 12 years after graduation recorded and toured the world as musical director for Scott-Heron's band.

While not on tour leading Heron's band, session work with Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, Vanessa Williams, Take 6, Lionel Hampton and others, kept Kim busy. In June 1996, Kim's publishing company, Kimberlyn Music, received an ASCAP Music Award for writing and producing a song that made it to Billboard's Top Ten charts, "We Must Be in Love," recorded by Pure Soul.

After an auto accident left her unable to perform, Kim moved to Stockholm, Sweden, where she began studying to become a minister. She embraced gospel music once again and worked to create a new genre she dubbed "Gospel-jazz." That uplifting blend debuted on Kim's 2001 release All for You. That same year, Kim was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel at Emmanuel Covenant Church in Hyattsville, Md., where she serves as minister of arts and community worship.

Kim's Broadway credits include Langston Hughes' and Zora Neale Hurston's production, Mule Bone, under the direction of Taj Mahal. Kim also assisted Taj Mahal in recording the Mule Bone soundtrack, and scored the soundtrack for the Showtime's 2002 movie Rain before releasing her second album, Full Circle, in 2006.

Today, she is a much sought after producer, musician, director and vocal coach for choirs, conferences, seminars and workshops, and one of the most electrifying performers that Syracuse Jazz Fest director Frank Malfitano has ever seen. "Richie Havens and I saw Kim recently at BB King's last November, where she appeared with Gil Scott-Heron, and she left us speechless after blowing everyone away," said Malfitano. She's simply one of the most dynamic performers and entertainers I've ever seen, and one of the finest musicians in the world. And her overall musicality is breathtaking, and quite frankly, astonishing. And my prediction is that she will absolutely ignite this year's festival on opening night!"