Performing at Chicago Singer Spotlight on Wednesday, May 14 at FitzGerald's.

Robert Kramer
Robert Kramer is a musician, composer vocalist and recording artist who has worked with various performers and local musicians over the years of all different musical genres. Reaching into many different styles, his compositions include rock, pop, classical, folk, new age, jazz, avante garde as well as contemporary musical pieces written for film and video. He is also a recording engineer and producer, and runs a recording business and an indie record label. Robert wrote the title song and film score for "Remember Their Lives", an independent film to raise funds for Guardian Angel Basset Rescue, an animal rescue organization that both him and his wife donate their time to. In addition, he has just released a new collection of original instrumental classical works titled "Songs Of Past Lives". This new and exciting project has enabled him to explore and continue research on what Robert calls "tapping into the musical bitstream", creating compositions from any level or style of music desired, essentially redefining the concept and role of composer. Currently in rehearsals with an all new live band, Robert will be appearing at various venues and city festivals during the spring and summer, and is in the studio recording tracks for his next soon to be released album.

Jim Loftus
use the talents that you possess.
the woods would be very silent if
no birds would sing except the best

I find it incredibly difficult to write or talk about myself. Maybe that's the reason I like to observe other people's actions and emotions. Comparing them to what I would think or feel, whether I would agree or disagree, is the basis for a musical response. Taking that emotive reply, shaping it with words and melody, then, forming the entire process into one completed song, is a wondrous accomplishment that I would love to share with anyone who will take the time to listen.

Lara Jenkins
This is the Jazz Debut of Lara Jenkins. She has been singing all her life and attributes her deep appreciation and passion for music primarily to her parents, Alvin and Sheila Adams. Lara pursued her love for music by studying jazz at Columbia College where she received her bachelor of arts (BA) in vocal performance and is currently working to complete her Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree by December of this year. She has performed and/or recorded with many talented artists such as Bobbi Wilsyn, Shawn Roberts, and Tina Jenkins Crawley. Lara also founded a women's vocal ensemble called UNITY over 6 years ago, which just released their debut CD in December and will also be featured here at Fitzgerald's in November. She most definitely keeps herself busy with arranging, teaching and performing, not to mention taking care of her awesome husband, Dell and beautiful daughter, Anya. Her first love is in creating harmony which is why she finds much comfort in singing back-up, but after tonight, Lara hopes to continue her career as a jazz vocalist and dedicates this performance to God who has made this dream come true.

VocalPoynt
VOCALPOYNT IS A SPECIAL BLEND OF FOUR UNIQUE VOICES FEATURING DAN PORTER, DIANNE MADISON, BYRON WOODS, AND MAE KOEN. THE GROUP'S MUSICAL INFLUENCES COVER A WIDE RANGE OF STYLES WITH JAZZ BEING THEIR FORTE. VOCALPOYNT'S SWEET HARMONIES AND DISTINCTIVE VOCAL STYLES HAS BEEN COMPARED TO SOME OF THE MORE LEGENDARY GROUPS SUCH AS TAKE 6, MANHATTEN TRANSFER, THE 5TH DIMENSION AND LAMBERT HENDRICKS AND ROSS. INDIVIDUALLY AND/OR COLLECTIVELY THEY HAVE LENDED THEIR BACKROUND EXPERTISE TO SUCH ARTIST AS ARETHA FRANKLIN, VESTA WILLIAMS, PHIL PERRY, ALEX BUNYON, CHUBBY CHECKER, ROBERTA FLACK, AND COUNTLESS OTHERS. VOCALPOYNT CONTINUES TO BE A DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE VOCAL PHENOMENON. "YOU NEVER HEARD IT LIKE THIS BEFORE"