Performing at Singer Spotlight North Shore on Thursday, July 26 at Pop's Highwood

Jeff Vezain
I was born and raised in Ottawa, Illinois, about 90 miles southwest of Chicago. My mom taught me to sing when I was about two, and in first grade I flirted with guitar lessons, but struggled with learning written music and discontinued them. Singing continued to come naturally to me and remained something I did without question until about 4th grade, when it was suddenly "uncool" for boys to sing. All throughout high school, I was still interested in music, however, and found myself singing in a quintessential high school rock band with some of my best friends. We covered songs by all the popular 80's hair bands, and I enthusiastically did my best to sing like Axl Rose and look like Bret Michaels, much to the dismay of my coaches and my father. I wound up at Northern Illinois University, not knowing what to do with my life, but wide-eyed and amazed! Through choir I improved my singing and met the people who persuaded me to get into jazz. I got into the vocal jazz group, started singing with student jazz combos, and also sang occasionally with one of the student big bands. About this time I stumbled across Joni Mitchell's album Night Ride Home. I listened to it on a flight home from L.A. and touched down at O'Hare a changed man. At the same time, [my friend] Eric was dragging me along to jazz sessions at places like the Green Mill and the Underground Wonder Bar, where I would get up and sing, knock-kneed, with the heavy cats. Then a fortunate thing happened. At a show with the jazz choir in Elmhurst, I was spotted by a band leader's wife. It so happened that they were looking for a fresh young voice. To make a long story short, I quit the job I had as a resident assistant in one of the halls on campus, and finished up my last two years of college while commuting to Chicago every weekend to sing with the Bill Pollack Orchestra, a twelve-piece band that performed at big functions around the city. I graduated college with my English degree, moved to Chicago, and continued to work with Bill Pollack. Still wanting to take my songwriting and my guitar playing further, I enrolled for a songwriting class taught by Ralph Covert at the Old Town School of Folk Music. I ended up becoming acquaintances with Ralph, learned a lot from him, and started playing open mics around town. Over the last year or so, our friendship has grown, we occasionally songwrite together, and I am generally associated now with Waterdog Music, the record label that Ralph founded. Like anyone, I'm always working on developing my playing, my performing, and my writing; which, without wanting to restrict myself, allows all of my influences (from rock to funk to jazz) to shine through where they may, but still remains folk at the core. Visit Jeff's website www.jeffvezain.com

Tamara Anderson
Tamara Anderson has more than 25 years of performance experience in the music industry. Her career has led her in many directions; nightclub engagements (she started competing in Talent Shows at the age of nine, and touring with a Rock and Roll band at the age of 13), recording studio work, charitable benefits, radio and television, voice-overs (including Medical Narration) and jingle work. She has also appeared on several CDs either doing back-ups or lead vocals. Not only is she a seasoned pop/rock/blues performer, but also a well-known and established voice teacher. Tamara was the co-founder of "What a Voice! Productions, Inc.", sponsor of The Singer's Conference and other educational vocalist workshops including "The Natural Singer Workshop", and "The Master's Class" with Seth Riggs and co-producer of "Chicago Inside Out" a weekly entertainment show that ran on TCI Cable. Tamara is currently writing and producing her debut Inspirational CD Unlimited Love which is scheduled to be released this fall. Tamara is married to Russell Anderson, a very talented drummer who is currently touring with The Rex Carroll Band, and they have a beautiful and vocally talented daughter Amber Nicole Anderson.


Ava Logan
Ava Logan is a native of Washington D.C. She moved here in November, 1993, and Chicago is her kind of town! She is excited to make her debut Singer Spotlight appearance on the Pop's Highwood stage. She has been performing jazz, pop, and rhythm and blues all over Chicagoland. She is a vocalist with The Wayne Michael's Orchestra. Presently, she is also an understudy for the Nancy Wilson character in the Black Ensemble Theater's production of Dynamite Divas!, a celebration of the history and music of Nina Simone, Roberta Flack, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, and Nancy Wilson. It is a must see show! She wishes to express her deepest gratitude to her family and friends for their never ending support and encouragement during this singer's journey…

Tom Michael
Recognized as "one of the most striking singers to emerge in the last few years," by Back Stage magazine, vocalist Tom Michael has been performing across the country to acclaim for the past 15 years. Appearing at such nightspots as New York City's Triad and Don't Tell Mama, Houston's Ovations and Post Oak Grill, Chicago's Toulouse on the Park, Pop's for Champagne, Davenport's, The Royal George Theatre and Gentry, Tom has also performed with the Boston Pops and The Spokane Symphony. Tom recently released his critically acclaimed debut CD Sailing On which was featured on the Album Spotlight page of Billboard magazine. The album was named "The #1 CD of the Year" by WDVR-FM in New Jersey and After Dark Chicago. Invited to sing at the Cabaret Convention in New York's Town Hall in October 2000 and the Chicago Humanities Festival's "ASCAP Songwriters Now" concert, Tom also participated in the 1995 Cabaret Symposium at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center. As part of one of Chicago's favorite duos, Tom has been performing with Beckie Menzie in an acclaimed act that New York's Cabaret Scenes magazine calls "cabaret at its best...pure brilliance." Cabaret Scenes also included Tom in their list of "Cabaret's Premier Acts-Top of the Century." A diverse performer, Tom enjoys singing a wide-range of music including pop, jazz, showtunes and contemporary country.