Headliner event plans tribute to Ella Fitzgerald on April 27

The National Press Club plans to host Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Patti Austin at a special Headliner event in the Club’s Fourth Estate Restaurant on Thursday, April 27, at 5 p.m.

The event is free but reservations are encouraged by clicking here.

Austin, who has won acclaim for her interpretation of the music of Ella Fitzgerald, plans to discuss the importance of jazz to American culture and diplomacy, and perform some of Fitzgerald’s music at the event.

In her long career, which began in the 1950’s at the age of four on the Apollo Theater stage, Austin has worked closely with artists such as Quincy Jones and Harry Belafonte. In 2002, she recorded a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, “For Ella”.

Beyond her touring and recording schedule, Austin has been involved in projects to boost voter registration, and sang and appeared in the recent Academy Award-winning film documentary “Twenty Feet from Stardom”.

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of Fitzgerald’s birth. During her lifetime, she was known for songs such as “Dream a Little Dream of Me”, “Cheek to Cheek”, “Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall”, and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)”.

In addition to her performances on stage and film, Fitzgerald is remembered for her trips around the globe on State Department-sponsored jazz tours in the 50’s and 60’s. A resolution honoring Fitzgerald is expected to be introduced in Congress the week of April 24. She passed away in 1996 at the age of 79 from complications of diabetes.