The distinctive voice of The Manhattan Transfer meets the rich sound of one of Florida's leading jazz orchestras for Swingin' in the Key of Jazz.
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | 7:45 p.m.
Janis Siegel &
South Florida Jazz Orchestra
Directed by Chuck Bergeron
Swingin' in the Key of Jazz
at
Broward Center for the Performing Arts'Amaturo Theater201 SW 5th Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
Phone: (954) 462-0222
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TICKETS Ten-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist Janis Siegel, internationally recognized for her work with The Manhattan Transfer, joins the South Florida Jazz Orchestra, directed by bassist Chuck Bergeron, for Swingin' in the Key of Jazz on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the Broward Center's Amaturo Theater in Fort Lauderdale. Presented by the Gold Coast Jazz Society, the performance opens the organization's 2026–2027 concert series with a program featuring big band jazz, swing, and vocal arrangements.
Janis Siegel has been a defining voice in contemporary vocal jazz for more than five decades. As a member of The Manhattan Transfer since 1972, she helped establish the group's internationally recognized sound, blending jazz, swing, pop, rhythm and blues, and vocalese. Her lead vocals can be heard on many of the group's best-known recordings, including "Birdland," "The Boy from New York City," "Operator," "Twilight Zone," and "Spice of Life." An accomplished vocal arranger, Siegel received a Grammy Award for her arrangement of "Birdland" and contributed arrangements to the group's landmark albums Vocalese and Brasil.
Alongside her work with The Manhattan Transfer, Siegel has developed an extensive solo recording and performance career. Beginning with her 1982 album Experiment in White, she has explored jazz standards, contemporary compositions, Brazilian music, and interpretations of popular songs. Her solo recordings include At Home, Short Stories with pianist Fred Hersch, I Wish You Love, Sketches of Broadway, and the more recent The Colors of My Life and The Art of Vocalese. Her collaborations with musicians such as pianist Fred Hersch demonstrate her versatility as both a jazz vocalist and musical interpreter.
The South Florida Jazz Orchestra (SFJO) was established in 2006 by bassist, composer, arranger, and educator Chuck Bergeron. The 16-piece professional ensemble brings together accomplished jazz musicians from South Florida's active performance and recording community. Since its formation, the orchestra has developed a repertoire that draws from the big band tradition while incorporating contemporary jazz compositions, original arrangements, and collaborations with guest artists.
The orchestra's recordings include Trumpet Summit, Are We Still Dreaming?, and Cheap Thrills: The Music of Rick Margitza. These projects showcase the ensemble's musicianship through compositions and arrangements featuring prominent instrumental soloists, powerful brass and saxophone sections, and a driving rhythm section.
Bergeron, a faculty member at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music, has performed and recorded with numerous jazz artists, including Stan Getz and Joe Williams. His professional background also includes work with the big bands of Buddy Rich and Woody Herman. His experience as a performer, educator, and bandleader contributes to the orchestra's approach to both traditional and contemporary large-ensemble jazz.
For Swingin' in the Key of Jazz, Siegel's vocal artistry meets the full orchestral sound of the SFJO, combining her experience in vocal jazz, improvisation, and arranging with the ensemble's big band musicianship. The collaboration highlights the musical interaction between vocalist and orchestra, bringing the traditions of swing and large-ensemble jazz to the Amaturo Theater stage.
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UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
Wednesday, December 2, 2026 | 7:45 p.m.
The Hot Sardines
Holiday Stomp
TICKETS
The Hot Sardines bring their Holiday Stomp program to Fort Lauderdale for the December concert. The New York-based ensemble draws from traditional jazz, swing, and early American popular music, combining vintage arrangements with its own interpretations of jazz standards and seasonal selections.
Founded by vocalist Elizabeth Bougerol and pianist Evan Palazzo, The Hot Sardines perform music influenced by the jazz traditions of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Their Holiday Stomp recording features swing arrangements of holiday music.
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Wednesday, January 13, 2027 | 7:45 p.m.
John Pizzarelli Trio
John Pizzarelli Presents "Dear Mr. Bennett"
TICKETS
Guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli brings his trio to the Amaturo Theater for Dear Mr. Bennett, a program honoring the music associated with jazz and popular vocalist Tony Bennett. The performance features selections from Pizzarelli's recording of the same name.
Pizzarelli is known for his interpretations of the Great American Songbook, swing standards, and jazz guitar repertoire. His performances combine vocals and guitar with the musical interplay of a small jazz ensemble.
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Wednesday, February 3, 2027 | 7:45 p.m.
Bob James
An Evening with a Jazz Legend
TICKETS
Pianist, composer, arranger, and producer Bob James headlines the February concert, An Evening with a Jazz Legend.
James has maintained a career spanning more than six decades, with contributions to jazz, jazz fusion, and contemporary instrumental music. A co-founder of the group Fourplay, he is also known for his extensive catalog of solo recordings, compositions, and arrangements, including the theme music for the television series Taxi.
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Wednesday, March 10, 2027 | 7:45 p.m.
Ulysses Owens, Jr. & Generation Y
Around the World with U
TICKETS
Drummer, composer, bandleader, and educator Ulysses Owens, Jr. brings his Generation Y ensemble to Fort Lauderdale for Around the World with U.
A three-time Grammy Award-winning musician with Florida connections, Owens has performed and recorded with numerous jazz artists while developing educational and performance opportunities for younger musicians. His Generation Y ensemble features emerging jazz instrumentalists performing contemporary and traditional jazz repertoire.
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Wednesday, April 14, 2027 | 7:45 p.m.
Stacey Kent
A Time for Love
TICKETS
International jazz vocalist Stacey Kent performs in Fort Lauderdale with A Time for Love, a concert program featuring selections from her recording of the same name and her interpretations of jazz standards.
Kent has recorded extensively in English, French, and Portuguese and has performed internationally with repertoire drawn from the Great American Songbook, Brazilian music, and contemporary songwriting.
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Wednesday, May 12, 2027 | 7:45 p.m.
Emmet Cohen Trio
TICKETS
Pianist and bandleader Emmet Cohen closes the Gold Coast Jazz Society's 2026–2027 concert season with a performance by the Emmet Cohen Trio.
Cohen is known for his work as a jazz pianist and for his Live From Emmet's Place concert series, which features established and emerging jazz musicians. His trio performances draw from the jazz piano tradition while incorporating original compositions and arrangements.
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The Gold Coast Jazz Society is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of jazz through its mainstage concert series, community performances, educational programs, student scholarships, and additional initiatives supporting jazz music in South Florida.
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