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Chicago's Alyssa Allgood Heads to Washington, DC to Honor Ella Fitzgerald

Thomas Mohr Photography
Alyssa Allgood

Tuesday, April 25 would have been Ella Fitzgerald’s 100th birthday. The woman known as the first lady of song and the queen of jazz had a pure tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and intonation, and what’s been described as a "horn-like" ability to improvise. And while she wasn’t the first jazz singer to scat, she elevated it to a high art.

Fitzgerald influenced legions of jazz singers, including Chicago’s Alyssa Allgood. Allgood has been praised by critics and audiences alike for her musicality, vocal quality, and her ability to scat.

Allgood says she wants to use her voice the way trumpeters or saxophonists play their instruments.

Credit Ron Perrillo
Chicago singer Alyssa Allgood

"Instrumental jazz has been a big influence for wanting to be able to do what the rest of the people on the bandstand are doing," she explains. "That's been a really big part of who I am as an artist and what I'm always continuing to develop."

The singer has a very busy gig and teaching schedule in and around Chicago but this weekend Allgood heads to Washington, DC to compete in the Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition - Celebrating Ella@100. It's a full weekend of music and events, and she’s one of only 5 singers invited to participate. But no matter whether she wins or not, she's thrilled to be going.

"I think it's going to be really great just to be around that weekend," Allgood says. "It's just really exciting to be a part of her birthday celebration and be singing in honor of her."

Bonnie North
Bonnie joined WUWM in March 2006 as the Arts Producer of the locally produced weekday magazine program Lake Effect.