Loretta Lee
Green Dolphin Street

Chicago,IL
Mar. 20, 2008

Loretta "Lady" Lee

Story and Photos by James Walker

Jazz vocalist Loretta Lee, also known around Chicago as "Lady Lee," recently performed at the Green Dolphin Street on North Ashland Street in Chicago. Lee has been performing around the Chicago area for several years and has been dubbed "Lady Lee" for her passionate impersonation of the great Billie "Lady Day" Holiday. Although this performance embodied her jazz repertoire only, she has been known to embrace Gospel and R&B genres as well. Nevertheless, her love for jazz was developed growing up as a child and listening to the music of Sarah Vaughn, Nancy Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams, Nat King Cole and others.

On this evening, Lady Lee was joined on stage by the first rate trio of Joel Burk on piano, Clarence Boykins on Bass and Walter Kindrick on Drums. This writer arrived at the beginning of the second set as the trio admirably played a couple of jazz standards with nice extended solos by Burk. Burk is one of those veteran keyboardist seen throughout the Chicago area as a "sideman" working with many jazz bands. His work on the piano is a thing of beauty and on this evening he was in top notch form.

Loretta opened the set with "Killer Joe," a standard that was well done by this sultry vocalist as she weaved throughout the room. This number was followed appropriately by "Green Dolphin Street." What a nice touch by her to pay homage to this fabled room with the song of the same name.

Lady Lee's version of "Funny Valentine" was sung with conviction as she displayed her theatrical background while serenading that "someone" special in the audience. Beautifully and eloquently attired, she "worked" the crowded room with confidence and grace. Listening to the music at the Green Dophin Street this evening was WVON radio personality Cliff Kelly, and Channel 5 news anchor Bob Sirott. Both gentlemen are huge music fans and seemed to be enjoying the sounds of Lady Lee. On this number, Burk's soft tickling of the 88s could be easily heard in the background without "stepping" on Lee's vocals.

It was during the last set that Lady Lee seemed to reach her peak with such well known standards as "Misty," "Summertime," "Night and Day," "At Last" and "Time after Time." Her knack to tell stories of love and romance was quite evident during this segment. Nevertheless though, it must be noted that Lady Lee has a little work to do on the conclusion of her songs. Often, her songs appeared to abruptly end without her carrying out the final note to its natural crescendo.

For future Lady Lee performances, refer to her website at: www.ladylee.info.