Diane Schuur at 70: An Evening of Songs and Stories

Long regarded as one of contemporary jazz’s leading vocalists, Diane Schuur is as eclectic as she is brilliant. Born in Tacoma, Washington on Dec. 10, 1953, Schuur was blind from birth; but she was gifted with perfect pitch and three-and-a-half-octave vocal range. She initially taught herself piano by ear and later received formal piano training at The Washington State School for the Blind, which she attended until she was 11 years of age. In creating a special music program in honor of her 70th year, Schuur has hand-picked songs from her vast catalog to present a lyrical biography, spotlighting both her music and memories from a creative, visionary life. From Schuur’s early years of finding her voice, to collaborations with jazz, blues and country giants including Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Stan Getz, B.B. King, the Count Basie Orchestra, and Vince Gill (to name but a few), the artist shares the music and the moments. Diane Schuur at 70: An Evening of Song And Stories will include blues, straight-ahead jazz, a slice of gospel, and a few tunes that defy categorization, fashioning a musical blueprint of her current place in time.