Mercedes Nicole

Enchanting, Intriguing, and Soulful, is how Mercedes Nicole’s Fans describe her.  Her voice has that unique quality that draws you into a place of warmth and safety.  “It’s the resonance that fascinates me” Don Normark- World Photographer “a Sarah Vaughn -Nat King Cole” mix with the Sass of Dinah Washington. An extraordinary vocal jazz stylist and interpreter of standards, blues, original compositions, and New Gospel music, Mercedes Nicole brings to her performances a unique personality and vocal quality. Her rich, expressive voice is deepened by a refreshing vulnerability and ardor. She reveals an unending passion for probing the lyric, melodic and rhythmic nuances of her material. Mercedes has performed at numerous venues and festivals, including: Demetrio’s Jazz Alley, The Triple Door, Egan’s, 88 Keys Whidby Island, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, SAM, Microsoft Auditorium, Shoreline Jazz Festival, Ballard Jazz Festival, Panache Jazz Festival, Westport Blues Festival, Bumbershoot Music Festival, Intiman Theatre, Her musical repertoire include music from Duke Ellington, Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson and Etta James.

Jacqueline Harmon

Masterful, versatile, and regal! These three words describe Jacqueline Harmon, the uniquely divine songstress who hails from the Midwest. As a churchgoing preacher’s kid, she absorbed the Gospel stylings of James Cleveland, Edwin Hawkins, and Aretha Franklin. And all the while, she secretly soaked up Motown, Bacharach, and more. While studying classical voice at Pacific Lutheran University, she performed songs by Billie Holiday, as well as arias by Puccini and Bizet. Her professional repertoire includes works by African American composers Duke Ellington, John Carter, and William Grant Still.

Jacqueline has appeared at Broadway Center for the Performing Arts (now Tacoma Arts Live) and at The Rialto Theatre, Museum of Glass, Tacoma Art Museum, and Emerald Queen Casino Ballroom. Since then, she has been featured at Evenings of Elegance, Dukesbay Productions, and various other community events. Her soulful voice developed while listening to the Stylistics, The Delfonics, Donny Hathaway, and of course, Stevie Wonder.

Their reunion

Mercedes & Jacqueline, met nearly 20 years ago, when both were members of the youngest members of Radical Jazz Uprising, a band which fused spoken word with musical accompaniment.  Each had this fire, and intensity in their performances that just sparked a life-long friendship!

“Musically speaking, Stevie is the big brother of our generation. I think we’ve all been mentored by him in some way. His spiritual and social consciousness made it alright to love God and be in love at the same time. Mercedes and Jacqueline both agree, many of his songs sit right in the sweet spot of their vocal ranges. “We are honored to be putting a feminine twist on his masculine artistry.”