Barbara Morrison Set for BIG BAND BANG ON YOUR BUCK at Encore Dinner Theatre

Famed singer Barbara Morrison will be the star performer in a full evening of entertainment running the gamut from jazz, blues, rhythm-and-blues and Motown in the "Big Band Bang for Your Buck" New Year's Eve Musical Festival at the Encore Dinner Theatre.

Morrison, a legendary jazz and blues vocalist who has played throughout the United States and internationally, will sing with her John Stephens-led 18-piece Big Band and Charles Small and the Bu Crew Quartet. The music, which will be played continuously from the opening of the doors at 7:30 p.m. until 2015 begins at midnight, will also feature the Ricky Taylor Trio and Disc Jockey Quick. Videos of renowned singers and band leaders from yesterday and today will also be played.

"We're going to put on a show that will be a special experience to remember how 2014 ended and 2015 began," Morrison said. "We'll have great food and people can dance to the music in a beautiful place."

Morrison has been nominated for two Grammys and won the NAACP Theatre Award for Best Musical Director in 2009 for "Howlin' Blues and Dirty Dogs! The Story of Willie Mae 'Big Mama' Thornton." Morrison also played the lead role in the play.

Morrison's latest CD, "I Love You, Yes I Do," reached No. 4 on the JazzWeek.com national chart in August, spent two weeks at No. 6 and eight straight weeks in the top 20. The CD includes "And I Love Him" written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, "For the Love of You" written by the Isley Brothers and Christopher Jasper and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. They are examples of Morrison's powerful and soulful ability to adapt to a wide range of songs.

Morrison has performed before sell-out crowds at the Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor, Mich., the Detroit Jazz Festival, in the Sunset at Newport Series at the Newport Beach, Calif., Marriott and other notable venues this year. The Los Angeles-based Morrison has been featured in over 20 recordings and performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Etta James, Johnny Otis, Nancy Wilson, the Count Basie Orchestra and Tony Bennett.

Stephens' credentials include composing and arranging for the Motown 25th Anniversary Special on ABC Television and working with Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle and Marvin Gaye Productions. He has been leading the Barbara Morrison Big Band for nearly three years.

Stephens was nominated for Best Musial Director-Local by the NAACP Theatre Awards for "I Wanna Be Loved," the life and loves of Dinah Washington which stars Morrison and has played at her performing arts center in Los Angeles since early 2013. He also plays the saxophone, flute and clarinet and played with band leaders and arrangers Buddy Collette and Gerald Wilson.

The evening schedule: 7:30 p.m. doors open, Barbara Morrison with Charles Small and the Bu Crew performing; 8:30 p.m. DJ Quick; 9:30-10:30 p.m. videos during dinner; 10:30 to midnight Barbara Morrison and the John Stephens-led 18-piece Big Band.

Dinner will include garden salad, salmon, prime rib, mashed potatoes and chocolate cake, served buffet style. A full bar is available at the Encore Dinner Theatre. The price per person is $135. The Encore Dinner Theatre is located at 690 El Camino Real, Tustin.

Tickets are on sale at www.Barbaramorrison.com. For further information, call 310 462-1439.