95th Anniversary Guest Performers

Sunny Sumter

Born in the nation's capital, Sunny's musical studies began at Washington's Duke Ellington High School for the Performing Arts. Following Ellington, she performed in clubs around New York City and spent six months in Italy performing with Sergio Caputo, one of that country's most popular entertainers. Sunny later entered Howard University, where she studied with renowned drummer/vocalist Grady Tate and pianist/composer Geri Allen. "When I decided to become an artist, I knew jazz was the platform, with its enormous well of history to draw from. The challenge is to reach beyond -- to document what's happening now, to sing my own stories and, overall, to make a difference."

Sunny's popularity extends across the globe to such places as France, Israel, Italy, the Dominican Republic and Russia. Her recording, "Getting To Know You", garnered critical acclaim in the U.S. and abroad.

To find out more about Sunny, go to:

http://www.sunnysumter.com/