Maria Howell, vocal: Jazz at All Saints' March 12

One only needs to be within earshot to be drawn into the magic that is Maria. Each Jazz at All Saints' concert includes Q&A with the artist, followed by a reception. Maria Howell/vocals Noel Freidline/piano Kevin Smith/bass Justin Varnes/drums John Sandfort/saxophone Maria Howell brings her signature warmth, soul, and storytelling to All Saints’ as she and her quintet celebrate the enduring influence of three of the most iconic voices in American music—“The Ladies of Jazz: Ella, Billie, and Sarah.” With style and heart, Maria has an uncanny ability to inhabit the spirit of each legend while making their songs uniquely her own. Beloved standards, soulful ballads, and swinging favorites will stir memories and delight as she honors the music and legacy of these extraordinary women. As a song stylist and actor, Maria Howell has owned the stage—from jazz clubs, festivals, and theaters across the U.S. as well as numerous film productions. She began her career as the choir soloist in the film The Color Purple and has appeared in The Vampire Diaries, Mississippi Damned, The Blind Side, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and, currently, the popular soap opera Beyond the Gates. She regularly appears in a duo act with Noel Freidline and with Atlanta’s Jazz Legacy Project. Maria also stars frequently at the Jazz Corner, the award-winning jazz club on Hilton Head Island, and her distinctive voice can be heard in commercials, video games, and audiobook narrations. “Like her predecessors.. . .she grasps the emotion within the lyric and delivers to all who witness the ability to connect with the sadness or joy of the song. One only needs to be within earshot to be drawn into the magic that is Maria.” - Carl Anthony, Notorious Jazz/Voice of the 2025 Atlanta Jazz Festival