2025-26 Season | JHL: Sep 5-8
Sep 06 - Sep 07, 2025
Joe Henderson Lab
PLEASE NOTE:
This page is an archive of a past production
Please visit our calendar for all upcoming SFJAZZ shows.
Original show description below.
Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the timeless music of Billie Holiday, performed live by the Stella Heath Sextet in the intimate Joe Henderson Lab at SFJAZZ Center.
Shrouded in mystery as she was draped in fur, Billie Holiday was as complex as she was iconic—tender, raw, and unapologetically real. With a voice that could haunt or heal, she made each song her own, as if whispering it directly into your soul.
Billie made the courageous decision in 1939 to sing “Strange Fruit” at a time when racial division was deeply rooted and violently enforced. Her choice to perform such a searing protest song—night after night, in front of packed audiences—marked her as one of the grandmothers of the Civil Rights Movement. She used her voice and her position to take a powerful stand, long before it was safe or common to do so.
The Billie Holiday Project brings that legacy to life, capturing both the emotional depth and fearless artistry of Lady Day. Led by acclaimed vocalist Stella Heath, this sextet recreates the magic and intimacy of a 1940s Billie Holiday concert—up close, personal, and powerfully alive.
Led by acclaimed vocalist Stella Heath, this sextet recreates the magic and intimacy of a 1940s Billie Holiday concert—up close, personal, and powerfully alive.
North Bay native and vocalist Stella Heath specializes in evoking bygone eras of music
The Pacific Sun
North Bay native and vocalist Stella Heath specializes in evoking bygone eras of music
The Pacific Sun
Personnel
Stella Heath vocals
Neil Angelo Fontano piano
Ian Scherer guitar
Robby Elfman sax/clarinet
Daniel Fabricant bass
Spike Klein drums
Singer Stella Heath is an old soul
sonoma magazine
Personnel
Stella Heath vocals
Neil Angelo Fontano piano
Ian Scherer guitar
Robby Elfman sax/clarinet
Daniel Fabricant bass
Spike Klein drums
Singer Stella Heath is an old soul
sonoma magazine
Watch & Listen
Stella Heath
One Sweet Letter
Stella Heath
I'm Waiting Just For You
Stella Heath
One Sweet Letter
Stella Heath
I'm Waiting Just For You