Home » Member Page
Liz Whitted Dawson
Jazz Singer Songwriter
About Me
With her deep sultry range, Liz Whitted Dawson is a consummate Singer/Songwriter with JAZZ leanings. She’s been performing professionally for more than a decade in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Liz takes her audience on an adventure from love to tears to joy. She brings both a fresh new sound and perspective on the Jazz scene that is steeped in Black music which began with her singing at the age of 5 in the church with her family’s gospel group.
Bringing her unique sense of style and class to venues such as The World Stage Performance Gallery and Geoffrey's Inner Circle, Liz has graced the stage with two time Grammy nominee, world renown Jazz recording artist and founding member of the Blackbyrds, Kevin Toney and with notable Jazz and R&B musicians as the late Earl “Big Juicy” Johnson, Glen Pearson of the Count Basie Orchestra, Mahesh Balasooriya, former pianist for Natalie Cole, Yancie Taylor, Vibes and his Jazztet, mentors: the late Rose Gales and Howlett Smith (deceased), Jerrell Ballard, Mike Alvidrez, Randal Fisher, Rayford Griffin and Ranzel Merritt, Sr. As a singer songwriter, Liz has placed her signature stamp on originals “Ancestors” and “Day by the Bay (in LA)” with the late Prince Lasha and New York based Impresario, Rudi Mwongozi.
Liz sang with Paula West at the Razz Room in San Francisco (currently known as Feinstein’s at the Nikko) along with the late George Mesterhazy (Arranger/Accompanist for Shirley Horn), Ed Cherry (Guitarist with Dizzy Gillespie Quartet & Big Band), Barak Mori (Bassist) and the late Tony Reedus, (Drummer with Woody Shaw).
September 2019, Liz was nominated as Best Female Jazz Artist at the Los Angeles Black Music and Film Awards (Black Music Association-BMA). Liz Whitted Dawson is a 2022 Recipient of the South Arts/Jazz Road Tours Grant which provided support for the Liz Whitted Dawson Jazztet “ Jazz in the Time of Corona” Tour...Oakland San Francisco and Los Angeles CA. Liz's Jazztet for this tour was Kevin Toney, Music Director/piano; Michael Alvidrez, bass; Randal Fisher, sax/flute, Don Littleton, drums/percussion, Ranzel Merrit, Sr. drums.
Influenced by Sarah Vaughn, Shirley Horn and Carmen McCrae, the Liz Whitted Dawson Jazztet produced a live recording EP co-produced with the late Kevin Toney in 2023. In 2025, The Jazztet premiered “The Waters of My Life” experience Jazz Salon -at The World Stage Performance Gallery in Los Angeles to a multi-cultural, inter-generational audience of Jazz lovers. 2025 Jazztet members include: Liz Whitted-Dawson, vocals and songwriter, Robert Turner, Music Director/piano; Michael Alvidrez, bass; Randal Fisher, sax/flute, Rayford Griffin, drums,
