Queen Bey is the jazz and blues diva extraordinaire who has been hailed as Kansas City's Ambassador of Jazz. Queen began singing at the age of five, and by the age of twelve she was performing in clubs throughout Kansas City, one of the birthplaces of jazz music. Accompanied by a chaperone, Ms. Bey was allowed to work in clubs that chose to overlook her young age in deference to her obvious talent and stage presence. She received training from Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, singers of mythic proportion, while performing at the legendary Orchid Room. A classy, scat-singing vocalist, she brings to mind such musical legends as Bessie Smith, Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughn.

 

Her repertoire ranges from blues and ballads to classic jazz, scatting, and improvisation. Ms. Bey is also a talented actress and composes and arranges music.

Queen's recent performance in "Now Let Me Fly" the play celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs Brown legal decision desegregating schools in Topeka, Kansas, one rave reviews. Queen has just completed a repeat performance in response to demand for tickets.

 

 

You can find Queen performing just about anywhere in the world. This Fall she is on stage in Kansas City and at nights you can enjoy her band performing at The Plaza's Plaza III club.

Her production "Live From The Orchid Room", featuring her teenage girl experiences back stage with Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaugh, Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald kicks off a command performance tour in 2006 in Traverse City, Michigan, the site for the first performance of "Live From The Orchid Room" in 2000.

Queen was back in Topeka performing at the Shawnee County Public Library in February.

For a schedule of Queen's performances, click here.