Sue Matthews with Theresa Sise & Sweet Tea

Sue Matthews

Sue Matthews will be featured with popular regional ensemble Theresa Sise & Sweet Tea in the final festival concert. One of Maryland’s most prominent jazz vocalists, Matthews is celebrated on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Known for her honey-toned vocals and exquisite phrasing, she has amassed thousands of adoring fans, entertaining audiences across the U.S. and in clubs, concert halls and festivals in North and South America and Europe. She is widely praised for recordings and performances featuring her interpretations of the Great American Songbook. Her ability to find nuance in classic tunes assures listeners of a fresh listening experience time and time again.

Sue Matthews willl appear with her friend, Theresa Sise, who has become a popular jazz vocalist in the region. Sise has appeared at such venues as The Avalon Theatre, 49 West and Cafe Mezzanotte, selling out many shows. She has performed extensively with big bands and her own group, Sweet Tea. Born to a Navy Legacy family, she has planned an entertaining program to say "thanks' to all Veterans who have served our country.

The event will be relaxed and  family friendly. The setting is the beautiful and welcoming Eastport United Methodist Church. The vocalists will perform individually and together with the Sweet Tea trio: pianist Darius Scott, bassist Mike Graham, Jr. and drummer Nick Costa.

Highlights include Matthews' renditions on “Love You Madly,” written by Duke Ellington in 1956 and “Smile,” written by Charlie Chaplin in 1936, with lyrics by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons. Sise will perform "GI Jive," a 1944 boogie woogie tune by Johnny Mercer, and share share “When You Come Home,” a tune she wrote in 2011 while her brother was serving in Afghanistan. There is much more to enjoy, including the Matthews/Sise duet, “Sentimental Journey,” written in 1944 by Les Brown and Ben Homer. Join us for an enchanting afternoon featuring the magic of two jazz songbirds and a dynamic trio.