23-year old Kate Kortum won the 14th annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition on November 23 at NJPAC.
WBGO's "Daybreak" host Gary Walker, the evening's host, made the official announcement on stage before a packed audience who gave a thunderous ovation for Kortum.
Kate is a breakout jazz vocalist from Houston, Texas, whose warm, distinctive sound blends bebop, blues, the Great American Songbook, and musical theatre with captivating, story-driven lyrics. Her artistry bridges tradition and innovation, offering audiences a fresh, contemporary take on the jazz vocal legacy.
Kortum now lives in New York City and has appeared at Mezzrow, SXSW, Birdland, Blue Note and Dizzy’s, collaborating with Peter Bernstein, Emmet Cohen, Bryan Carter, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Kate discovered her passion for music at Houston’s legendary High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where she studied flute and saxophone before ultimately falling in love with singing. She went on to earn a degree in jazz voice from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and a master’s degree from the Juilliard School, studying with some of the leading voices in modern jazz.
Her debut album, Good Woman (Bandstand Presents, 2023), reimagines jazz standards originally written by men, reclaiming them through bold arrangements and a distinctly female perspective. The album struck a chord with listeners, surpassing one million streams in its first month and now boasting over 3.5 million streams.
Emma Smith (London, England) was the competition's first runner up. The other finalists were Julia Moscardini (Buenos Aires, Argentina)Candace Jones (Hollywood, FL) and Diamond Franklin (Philadelphia, PA).
The distinguished panel of judges included TONY-nominated singer/lyricist Ann Hampton Callaway, GRAMMY®-nominated trumpeter Jon Faddis, GRAMMY®-nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon, GRAMMY® Award-winning bassist and Artistic Advisor for Jazz Programming at NJPAC Christian McBride, and founding member of The Manhattan Transfer and co-host of WBGO Radio’s Singers Unlimited, vocalist Janis Siegel.
You can meet all the finalists here.
