As a jazz songstress, she possesses an earthiness and willingness to share her good music with the world! Yolandra’s stage presence, dry wit and humor is gracefully combined with her gift of song as she engages her audience.
Recently nominated as Best Jazz Vocalist by the Northern California Entertainer Music Awards and Semi-Finalist in Jazz
Search West 2018, Yolandra can uplift spirits and stir the emotions of her listening audience with an easy grace and a subtle confidence. Her selections of tunes previously performed by jazz visionaries, such as Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson or even Rachelle Farrell, often likens favorable comparisons.
This professional has honed her skills with both local and nationally-known performers, which includes Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes (performed at Kimball’s East), and “showed-out” when she performed her interpretation of Sharon Paige’s “I Hope That We Can Be Together Soon”, equally challenging the memory of this always-popular tune.
She was also invited to perform on Clifford Brown Jr’s (formerly with KBLX) “Jazz Cruise to the Caribbean”, which also featured Gerald Albright and Alex Bugnon. Talk about luminaries!!
This classy Lady of Jazz has done vocal work and studio sessions with other great artists such as Najee and Felton Pilate. Mr. Pilate, who himself is an accomplished musician, producer, and vocalist. She is popular and well-received at various Bay Area clubs, including private and/or corporate parties.
Other appearances include Oakland's renown Art & Soul Festival, San Francisco African American Chamber of Commerce Black Tie Gala, Yoshi's, The 57th Street Gallery, The Fenix, The BackRoom, Geoffrey’s Inner Circle with Mr. Yancy Taylor, her guest appearance with Gail Jhonson at Yoshi's Jack London Square.
She wowed the crowds when she opened for Najee at the Paramount Theater, performing the Negro National Anthem for BHM. Yolandra’s talents expand to the theater, where she developed her “act sing chops”; touring with David Talbert’s hit comedy, “Lawd Hav’ Mercy”. This exposure to such a wide range of performing artists enhanced her own abilities and fueled her songwriting talents.
Yolandra has also performed the U.S. National anthem at Golden State Warriors and the U.S. soccer team.
Possessed with a God-given talent; she professes a continual awareness of God ’s presence in both people and opportunities in her life. She says her motto is “success is when preparation meets opportunity”.
