January 27, 2011 -- Oakland, CA: Sankofa Events Management proudly announces that The Black Music Association (BMA) and Academy of America's Spotlight Awards Panel has selected Jazz, Funk, Soul and R&B Artist Kymberly Jackson (aka KJ "The Pied Piper of The Bay") as the 2011 Winner of the prestigious title of ‘Best Jazz Performer of the Year.’ The red carpet award ceremony took place on January 30th, 2011 at Kimball’s in Oakland, CA. All of the nominees, performers and honorees, local Bay Area favorites, were selected through a voting process that included local radio personalities, promoters, industry insiders, fans and peers. This year the diverse beauty of the Bay Area music scene yielded over 20 categories for this 4th annual event, including: Best Spoken Word Artist; Best Blues Artist; and Best Reggae Performer. The 2011 BMA honorees included: Lotho; Blues legend Bobby Webb; songstress Rosie Gaines and Country Music vocalist Miko Marks.Kymberly Jackson's stage and recording companions have included: Gerald Albright, Jeff Lorber, Donnie Osmond, Stevie Wonder (see the Hotter Than July album liner notes), Karen White, Dwayne Wiggins, Pete and Juan Escovedo, El DeBarge, Norman Brown, Ricardo Scales, Walter Beasley, The Gap Band, HipHop activist Boots Riley and the Coop and Kev Choice - among many others. However, it is in her capacity as a solo artist, that KJ (with her band Urban Legends) truly demonstrates her genius as a dynamic entertainer, instrumentalist, vocalist and composer. In 2010, KJ and Urban Legends played to thousands of delighted SF and Oakland Pride celebrants. And, her Jazz Funk Fusion skills had Yoshi's (SF and Oakland) standing room only audiences on their feet. She is a uniquely gifted woman who has been recognized within an industry that doesn't offer many coveted slots to female instrumentalists.
Kymberly Jackson's ongoing music achievements and genius are undoubtedly impressive. Yet, it is Kymberly's life story that inspires others to trust the gifts they came into this world with. She encourages young musicians through her work as a college educator (teaching her popular "From Jazz to Hip Hop" class). She motives all toward scholarly pursuits, once they learn that KJ is finalizing her second masters degree in Educational Leadership this Spring en route to her Ed.D. Her first degree is a MFA in Performance and Literature, Flute. In true KJ powerhouse fashion, to celebrate a milestone birthday this year, she rises early 5 days a week to train for her 1st run in the 2011 Bay to Breakers race. She is an inspiration - to her students, her fans, her teachers, her peers, her community, family and friends - and an authentic force for positive change.
Dwayne Wiggins (Tony Toni Tone) describes her as "the most hype flautist in the Bay Area, she can go from hip hop to soul to R&B with ease," and Michael Morgan (Conductor, Oakland East Bay Symphony) notes that, "she has real style and personality!" Ask Kymberly if she agrees and she'll nod then, humbly say... "I'm just being me to the best of my ability."
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