Durham, NC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/11/2019 --One of North Carolina's most respected female jazz singers and a positive force in the 21st-century jazz scene, Lenora Zenzalai Helm Hammonds is preparing to hold a special event in Durham, North Carolina this March. She has brought together a talented group of arrangers, singers, and musicians for a big band live recording for her next album, which will take place at the beautiful historic church where she recorded one of her earlier albums, Chronicles of a Butterfly.

The recording will happen on March 26th, 2019 at the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham at 7:30 pm. Lovers of jazz, swing, and big band music, supporters of women in the arts, and anyone who wants to be a part of what promises to be a moving performance -- one that will pay homage to the great jazz artists of the past while also honoring the power and energy of the rebirth of big band music today – are welcome to attend.

Lenora Helm Hammonds has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to support the event and the production of the album and is inviting everyone to be a part of the project. Supporters can pledge $25 for a ticket to the live concert recording – the For The Love of Big Band Kickstarter page is the only place to get tickets!

For those who can't attend but want to support jazz gender justice and be a part of this woman-led big band recording, contributors can choose from a selection of fantastic rewards, including a digital download of the recorded CD, an autographed CD, and an exclusive Big Band t-shirt.

Helm Hammonds is a lifelong musician who has created several well-received jazz albums, including her most recent, I Love Myself When I'm Laughing in 2011. She is also an avid supporter of jazz and is currently the Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at North Carolina Central University's Department of Music, where she guides and inspires the next generation of jazz artists.

For this exciting big band project, Lenora Zenzalai Helm Hammonds is working with present-day greats such as saxophonist and educator Brian Horton, Grammy-nominated jazz arranger and trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, and pianist and singer Lydia Salett Dudley.

Those interested to learn more about the project and watch some of Lenora Zenzalai Helm Hammond's past performances, can visit the For The Love of Big Band Kickstarter page.