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Volora Howell

Volora has been compared to Phyllis Hyman, this soulful chanteuse has her own voice and style and a five-octave range that sends chills down your spine.

About Me

Volora Howell - Vocalist/TV Producer-Host. Although she has been compared to Phyllis Hyman, this soulful chanteuse has her own voice and style and a five-octave range that sends chills down your spine. Growing up in Newark, New Jersey, Volora graduated from the prestigious Arts High School, which produced such talents as Sarah Vaughn, Savion Glover, Wayne Shorter, Tony award winner Melba Moore, jazz vocal legend Andy Bey, and James Moody. There she studied classical music, gospel, voice and music theory for four years, before going on to earn a B.S. in Journalism from Suffolk University and a Masters from New England Conservatory of Music. Thereafter, Volora worked as Jazz Journalist for WILD Boston Radio; as Jazz Editor for Harlem Times; as free-lance Reporter for NBC Affiliate Boston WBZ-TV; and as Associate Producer for Black News Boston (CBS Affiliate). Volora is the Executive Producer of Sahara Entertainment Productions which creates original programming for television, and President of Sahara Entertainment Inc., a music enterprise. The Volora Show originated on Primetime New York Cable 850. She has interviewed performers such as Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, Art Blakey, Betty Carter, and opera Diva, Shirley Verrett. As a vocalist Volora has performed in New York City hotspots the Lenox Lounge, Blue Note, Sugar Hill Bistro, Copeland’s, and the 5-Spot, among others. She has also has toured Italy, Japan the UK, Trinidad and Tobago, and Grenada. Volora is winner of the Producer and Host Cable Award - “Woman of the Week;” received “Diva Award” for newcomer artist extraordinaire on the Piscataway, NJ Cable Show “Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!!!; and was nominated “Best Female Jazz Vocalist” in Boston for her show A Tribute to Phyllis.

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because it's a spiritual and intellectual music which allows you to be creative. You improvise, think out of the box, it's so much fun. I was first exposed to jazz at home my mother was a huge Sarah Vaughan fan. I met [Dizzy Gillespie]I interviewed him when I had my own radio show on WILD Radio in Boston. The best show I ever attended was hearing Dizzy Gillespie perform Round Midnight, it was truly intoxicating, I thought he hypnotized me. The first jazz record I bought was Ramsey Lewis was the first, he was a great crossover musician. Day-O was my favorite in the mid 70's My advice to new listeners... Or whatever else you have in mind.