A Tribute to Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley: Andrew Speight and Tiffany Austin

“[Austin] is a vocalist to keep an ear out for.” — NPR

“Andrew Speight is a clear-toned, hard driving alto sax player, one of the Bay Area’s most lively and lyrical exponents of straight-ahead, joyous jazz.” —All About Jazz

Considered a must-have by all serious jazz fans, the 1962 recording Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley (Capitol) showcased the astonishing talents of not only the two headline artists, but Cannonball’s classic band, which included his brother Nat on cornet, Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Nancy Wilson considered her contribution to be “a third horn,” but her vocals are displayed so perfectly that it has become a model to which jazz vocalists aspire. More than equal to the task of re-creating the music of this amazing recording, vocalist Tiffany Austin and alto saxophonist Andrew Speight have complete command of the bebop language and the artistry required to bring an audience to tears with the beauty of a song.

Andrew has been a beloved SJW faculty member for many years. He also directs the jazz program at Michigan State University and is on the faculty at San Francisco State University. He first came to the U.S. from his native Australia as a participant and subsequently a prize winner in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition in 1991, and he made a serious first impression. Wynton Marsalis said of him,  “. . . Andrew Speight will carry the music’s torch into the next millennium.” Nat Adderley, brother of Cannonball Adderley, said that Andrew is “. . .one of the finest and most exciting of today’s alto saxophonists.”

Tiffany is a rising star of the jazz vocal world. One of the best jazz debut albums of 2015, her debut album Nothing But Soul made quite a splash, including sterling reviews in Downbeat and on NPR’s “Fresh Air.” She performs regularly at the Stanford Jazz Festival, SFJAZZ, San Jose Jazz, and at many other festivals and venues internationally.