Jazz Outreach Initiative is honored to welcome acclaimed vocalist Jonathan Karrant to its Advisory Board. Jonathan has supported JOI for nearly 2 years, including invitations for the Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra to perform at his Sunday Funday performance at Notoriety, including a featured LVYJO performance at his Sunday Funday concert on Sept 11.
The JOI Advisory Board consists of people that serve more than an honorary position. The advisors avail themselves of their wisdom, talent, and time. Fellow advisors include Wynton Marsalis, Vincent Gardner, Julius Tolentino, Clint Holmes, Nathan Tannenbaum, and Robert & Shirley Kramer. To maintain integrity in its Advisory Board selections, members are approved only after a minimum of one year of service to JOI.
"We're extremely proud to add Jonathan Karrant to this esteemed list and look forward to many more years of his guidance and support," says Donny Thompson, M.S., NPA, and Executive Director.
Jazz Corner Jonathan was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and raised in a home filled with music and theatrics. His mother is an artist and, for several years, owned a ballet school, while his father is a businessman and hobby farmer. Growing up, Jonathan studied music and performed in several local variety shows, plays, and commercials, and was a guest vocalist with a big band. He studied performance in New York City at the William Esper Performing Arts Academy and vocal technique with Seth Riggs in Los Angeles. He also studied privately under the direction of Marilyn Maye and Kurt Eling.
His album, “On and On,” hit No. 4 on the Jazz charts and was released on January 8, 2013. It features songs including “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight” and “Doodlin” as well as the title track and was produced by Tyler Monks, with pianist Josh Nelson and bassist Rob Thorsen guitarist Mark Shapiro, and drummer Duncan Moore.
Jonathan has received several honors, including the New York City Jazz Cabaret Honors, “Best Singer” for the Bravo California Awards, and was named one of the top 12 rising jazz vocalists by Downbeat. In his popular single, “Lady in Red” (written by Chris De Burgh), released on May 11, 2015, Jonathan truly shines. Backed by pianist Mikan Zlatkovich, bassist Bob Magnusson and drummer Duncan Moore, Karrant sets himself apart from other contemporaries on this single.
Jonathan’s album Live was recorded in Las Vegas at one of the top 10 performing art centers in the world; The Smith Center. The record was released on October 16, 2018, and reached No. 2 on the iTunes Jazz Charts. Recorded on the album are some of Jonathan's signature songs, including, Teach Me Tonight. The album features saxophonist Charles McNeal, pianist Jason Corpuz, bassist David Ostrem, and drummer Paul Ringenbach.
In 2020, Jonathan released the first vocal jazz recording of Mariah Carey‘s iconic pop holiday song All I Want For Christmas Is You. The single was greeted with high regard and featured Charles McNeal, James Whiting, Patrick Hogan, Nick Schmitt, and Jeremy Klewicki on the recording. It was mastered by award-winning musical engineer Josh Connolly.
Jonathan has worked and collaborated with Grammy award-winner singer Diane Schuur, Grammy-nominated singer Jane Monheit, Jazz at Lincoln Center trumpeter Kenney Rampton and Thelonius Monk award-winning pianist Joshua White.
For more information on Jazz Outreach Initiative’s programs and Board of Directors, visit jazzoutreachinitiative.org and follow on Facebook @joi4jazz, Instagram @jazzoutreachinitiative, and Twitter @JOI4Jazz.
For tickets to Jonathan Karrant's Sunday Funday performance at Notoriety, including a featured LVYJO performance at his Sunday Funday concert on Sept 11, click here.