* In the world of Jazz, singers come and go, sometimes appearing for a brief moment in the limelight, and then sinking beyond the horizon, forgotten by all except for a few die-hard fans. But every once in a while, a special someone defies all the odds and manages to make her talent shine again and again, in different venues, on stages, in the recording studios, on tour and in clubs. Such a singer is Melba Joyce, whose long and impressive career has spanned three decades in the company of and sharing top billing with such giants of the music business as Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Louis Jordan, Lionel Hampton, Tony Bennett, Herbie Mann, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and too many others to list here. A graduate of Antioch University West in Los Angeles, Melba Joyce was born in Dallas, Texas, where she grew up under the warm and instructive musical influence of her mother and grand parents. Her father, Melvin Moore, a prominent vocalist with the jazz and swing bands of the era--including Dizzy Gillespie, with whom he toured and recorded--was also an influence. After her family moved to Los Angeles, Melba was immediately noticed by musicians and soon found herself opening for such renowned artist as Benny Carter, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and sharing the jazz festival bill with Miles Davis, Freddy Hubbard and Bobby Hutcherson.
* In addition to her jazz singing appearances, Melba Joyce appeared in the hit show "Black and Blue" on Broadway, where she understudied all three principal characters Linda Hopkins, Ruth Brown, Carrie Smith, LaVern Baker and starred in the launching of that show's successful world tour. She has appeared in just about every major (and some minor) cities in the world, from Amsterdam to Beijing, London and Bordeaux; to New York, Dallas , Beverly Hills, and Little Rock, among others.
* She tirelessly toured the war-torn fields of Vietnam to entertain the troops at the height of that horrid conflagration, an experience that raised her social conscience to new heights. When she returned, she was appointed panelist for the Congressional Black Caucus of Women in Jazz Forum. She produced the first Women in Jazz Festival at Harlem's Schomburg Center for Black Culture and became a principal in the Day of the Child Series for UNICEF. And with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Ms Joyce produced Jazz For Special People, a musical education series for the mentally and physically challenged. Melba Joyce traveled overseas as part of the 1998 Kennedy Center-USIA Jazz Ambassador program for a tour of several African countries with a special performance at the Kennedy Center as part of the program. In addition to her busy schedule she is a Lecturer/Instructor in The Music of Global Cultures at SUNY Old Westbury College, Long Island.
* In the summer of 2005 Ms. Joyce toured the European jazz festival circuit with the Count Basie Orchestra.
Reviews
She has to be a star some day.
Louis Armstrong
You are great! You were wonderful! Some of us got it and some don't.
Tony Bennett at Umbria Jazz Festival 2005
This would have made Basie smile. Vocalist Melba Joyce added rich sheen to the set.
The Post Standard
Liverpool, NY
Melba Joyce is a brilliant talent in a long tradition of Jazz singing. The flexibility and purity of her voice are in a class of masters in this genre.
Tommi Liuhala, Finland
Melba Joyce can belt out a tune with passion and power¡ When she speaks she delivers a well honed philosophy that is as engaging and inspiring as one of her performances.
Mark Blumberg, University Times (Cal State, Los Angeles
Magnificent MELBA!
Roger Boykin, Musician, Composer, DJ KKDA-AM Dallas/Ft Worth
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