Overview
Meet the new generation of jaw-dropping jazz talent! The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition is the search for the world’s next great jazz singer, and the only contest of its kind. At this public performance, vocalists compete for a $5,000 prize and a one-of-a-kind platform for embarking on a career in the music business.
Many esteemed jazz artists have started their career at “The SASSY Awards”: Samara Joy, Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, Ashleigh Smith, Arianna Neikrug, Deelee Dubé, Quiana Lynell, Laurin Talese, Gabrielle Cavassa, Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim, Tyreek McDole, Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso and G. Thomas Allen.
The 2025 event is hosted by Gary Walker, host of WBGO’s DayBreak. Christian McBride, Ann Hampton-Callaway, Jon Faddis, Nnenna Freelon and Janis Siegel comprise the all-star judging panel. There will be a special performance by competition winner Tyreek McDole, who blew us away in 2023 with his performances of “September in the Rain,” “Lush Life” and “Every Day I Have the Blues.”
