The performance will feature Stephanie Jordan's acclaimed vocals, framed by an eight-piece jazz ensemble and accompanied by a string quartet led by her sister, classical violinist Rachel Jordan.
—Vincent Sylvain
Music Alive Ensemble of New Orleans will feature Stephanie Jordan and Rachel Jordan on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Arts Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
The performance will include Stephanie Jordan's acclaimed vocals framed by an eight-piece jazz ensemble encased by a string quartet led by her sister, classical violinist Rachel Jordan. A version of their recent performance at The Historic Eldorado Ballroom in Houston, TX for the ROCO’s Unchambered Series may be viewed on YouTube. It builds on Stephanie’s signature trademark of singing jazz standards from the Big Band era.
The Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Arts Center is the keystone of the public arts community in Ocean Springs. Affectionately known around town as The Mary C, it is located in the historic 1927 Ocean Springs Public School Building, located in downtown Ocean Springs.
A relaxing 90-minute drive from New Orleans, you should make a day of it on the Mississippi Gulf Coast!
Founded by classical violinist Rachel Jordan, Music Alive Ensemble (MAE) is a blend of professional classical and jazz musicians, composers, arrangers, and educators. MAE perpetuates cultural diversity and finds common ground through classical and jazz artistic collaboration. Our goal is to bring families into artistic venues in hopes that the experience will educate, and encourage burgeoning artists and develop a supportive listening base for future generations of musicians.
Rachel serves as the String Instructor for the Talented Music Program at Benjamin Franklin Elementary, and formerly at Jefferson Parish Public School. Rachel is a member of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra in Houston, Texas, and the James Carter Quartet at Loyola University in New Orleans. Rachel has served as adjunct faculty at Xavier University, Southern University, and Dillard University, Loyola University, and a Professor of Violin at Jackson State University. She is also a former member of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in New Orleans for 12 years. She received both her Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland where she studied with Berl Senofsky. Rachel is a graduate of New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts High School (NOCCA).
Rachel has performed with her siblings for Jazz at Lincoln Center Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert, as well as numerous concerts throughout the United States. Ms. Jordan performs on and is the executive producer of the Marlon Jordan Featuring Stephanie Jordan CD titled You Don't Know What Love Is. She also produces the annual “An Afternoon of Classical Music" chamber music series.
Jazz at Lincoln Center notes, “Every so often a new voice stands up and proclaims itself, but few do so with such supreme depth and understated soul” as Stephanie Jordan.
JazzTimes Magazine writes “Stephanie Jordan… haunting rendition of (Here’s to Life) this bittersweet ode associated with Shirley Horn was delivered with uncanny poise and a depth of understated soul that mesmerized the crowd... Singing with a clarity of diction that recalled Nat “King” Cole.” Jordan’s impeccable diction, dead-center pitch, and a personal point of view, acknowledging Horn’s antecedent version while drawing independent conclusions about tempo, phrasing, and dynamics. In the process, Jordan… revealed a fully evolved tonal personality, one that can be mentioned in a conversation about such distinguished mentors and influences as Horn, Abbey Lincoln, and Nancy Wilson.”
A graduate of Howard University, Stephanie is also a certified fitness instructor and creator of Jazz Pilates. Stephanie is the Choir Director and Vocal Instructor at Fannie C. Williams Charter School.
Stephanie and Rachel Jordan emerge from a family of New Orleans-bred musicians. As the daughters of the late saxophonist Edward “Kidd" Jordan, their musical roots run deep; siblings include flutist Kent, trumpeter Marlon Jordan, and their uncle trombonist Maynard Chatters and clarinetist the late Alvin Batiste.
This concert is proudly supported by Jazz Road Tours, a program of South Arts made possible with funds from the Doris Duke Foundation with additional support from the Mellon Foundation.
The performance will include Stephanie Jordan's acclaimed vocals framed by an eight-piece jazz ensemble encased by a string quartet led by her sister, classical violinist Rachel Jordan. A version of their recent performance at The Historic Eldorado Ballroom in Houston, TX for the ROCO’s Unchambered Series may be viewed on YouTube. It builds on Stephanie’s signature trademark of singing jazz standards from the Big Band era.
The Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Arts Center is the keystone of the public arts community in Ocean Springs. Affectionately known around town as The Mary C, it is located in the historic 1927 Ocean Springs Public School Building, located in downtown Ocean Springs.
A relaxing 90-minute drive from New Orleans, you should make a day of it on the Mississippi Gulf Coast!
Founded by classical violinist Rachel Jordan, Music Alive Ensemble (MAE) is a blend of professional classical and jazz musicians, composers, arrangers, and educators. MAE perpetuates cultural diversity and finds common ground through classical and jazz artistic collaboration. Our goal is to bring families into artistic venues in hopes that the experience will educate, and encourage burgeoning artists and develop a supportive listening base for future generations of musicians.
Rachel serves as the String Instructor for the Talented Music Program at Benjamin Franklin Elementary, and formerly at Jefferson Parish Public School. Rachel is a member of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra in Houston, Texas, and the James Carter Quartet at Loyola University in New Orleans. Rachel has served as adjunct faculty at Xavier University, Southern University, and Dillard University, Loyola University, and a Professor of Violin at Jackson State University. She is also a former member of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in New Orleans for 12 years. She received both her Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland where she studied with Berl Senofsky. Rachel is a graduate of New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts High School (NOCCA).
Rachel has performed with her siblings for Jazz at Lincoln Center Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert, as well as numerous concerts throughout the United States. Ms. Jordan performs on and is the executive producer of the Marlon Jordan Featuring Stephanie Jordan CD titled You Don't Know What Love Is. She also produces the annual “An Afternoon of Classical Music" chamber music series.
Jazz at Lincoln Center notes, “Every so often a new voice stands up and proclaims itself, but few do so with such supreme depth and understated soul” as Stephanie Jordan.
JazzTimes Magazine writes “Stephanie Jordan… haunting rendition of (Here’s to Life) this bittersweet ode associated with Shirley Horn was delivered with uncanny poise and a depth of understated soul that mesmerized the crowd... Singing with a clarity of diction that recalled Nat “King” Cole.” Jordan’s impeccable diction, dead-center pitch, and a personal point of view, acknowledging Horn’s antecedent version while drawing independent conclusions about tempo, phrasing, and dynamics. In the process, Jordan… revealed a fully evolved tonal personality, one that can be mentioned in a conversation about such distinguished mentors and influences as Horn, Abbey Lincoln, and Nancy Wilson.”
A graduate of Howard University, Stephanie is also a certified fitness instructor and creator of Jazz Pilates. Stephanie is the Choir Director and Vocal Instructor at Fannie C. Williams Charter School.
Stephanie and Rachel Jordan emerge from a family of New Orleans-bred musicians. As the daughters of the late saxophonist Edward “Kidd" Jordan, their musical roots run deep; siblings include flutist Kent, trumpeter Marlon Jordan, and their uncle trombonist Maynard Chatters and clarinetist the late Alvin Batiste.
This concert is proudly supported by Jazz Road Tours, a program of South Arts made possible with funds from the Doris Duke Foundation with additional support from the Mellon Foundation.
Visit Website | Purchase Tickets
For more information contact Sylvain Music Notes.
