Dee Alexander
Dee is among the premier vocalists/songwriters and one of Chicago's most gifted and respected artists. Her performances span virtually every music genre related to the African diaspora: gospel, blues, neo-soul, R&B, and world music. Her true heart belongs to jazz, the idiom that encompasses all her influences. She gravitated toward jazz at an early age naming several vocalists and musicians among her major influences. Her collaboration with Chicago saxophonist “Light” Henry Huff encouraged her to take risks and cross boundaries, setting her on the path to becoming an accomplished voice improviser. She produced a concert in tribute to Dinah Washington’s centennial at the 2024 Blues Festival at Chicago’s Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. In 2018, The Art Institute of Chicago commissioned Ms. Alexander to create/perform a music body of work inspired by artist Charles White: A Retrospective exhibit. The Dee Alexander Trio performed at Newport Jazz Festival in 2013 to rave reviews. Her 2007 "Sirens of Song" tribute to Nina and Dinah (commissioned by the Jazz Institute of Chicago and Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events), at Chicago's Pritzker Pavilion, introduced her to a larger audience resulting in frequent tours to Europe, Africa and Asia. She has long and fruitful associations with Chicago's jazz elite and leads her own groups: Dee Alexander Quartet, Evolution Ensemble and co-leader of Alexander/McLean Project. Her accolades include 2020 Esteem Artist Award; "Chicagoan of the Year" (Chicago Tribune, 2008); "Jazz Entertainer of the Year" (Chicago Music Awards); her 2009 album Wild Is The Wind received five stars (highest honor) from Downbeat Magazine, which named it among the Top Ten recordings of the new millennium. She was the 2012 3Arts/Southwest Airlines Award recipient and is a member of the 3Arts Artist Council. Currently, she is also a member of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians), Chicago's internationally known musicians' collective and has performed in other large-scale works on Chicago stages and television. Dee Alexander is a radio host of the syndicated WFMT Jazz Network which broadcasts in over 200 markets.
