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 About the Pearls

STRING OF PEARLS began when three solo jazz/pop singers - Sue Halloran, Holli Ross, and Jeanne O'Connor -- decided to join voices and form a jazz vocal group that would be fun, sophisticated, and musically adventurous. The singers quickly began to transcribe and sing great girl group arrangements from the 30s and 40s. The three women also started to commission original jazz arrangements. String of Pearls began to appear in clubs and concert halls in the New York area and beyond.

Since then, STRING OF PEARLS has appeared in the JVC Jazz Festival, at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center, at Town Hall, the Latin Quarter, and The Manhattan Center. The group was hand-picked by Dr. Billy Taylor to appear in May 2001 at the renowned Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as part of the Mary Lou Williams "Women in Jazz" Festival. The trio has performed at New York's annual Cabaret Convention, Arci's Nightclub in Manhattan, the Mohonk Jazz Festival, the Millbrook Vineyards concert series, and the famous "Lyrics and Lyricists" program at Manhattan's 92nd Street Y. The singers also tour abroad, most recently at the Festival Lyrique in Belle Isle, France. The group has shared the stage with Tito Puente, Lionel Hampton, Jon Faddis, and the McGuire Sisters. String of Pearls was also featured on CNN newscasts around the world as part of New York City's "First Night" celebration.

The group has a CD recording called "GEMS," and a new CD release, titled "BRAZILIAN JEWELS." String of Pearls' version of "Sukiyaki" on this new recording climbed to No. 27 on Tokyo's Hot FM hit list.

Biographies

JEANNE O'CONNOR

JEANNE O'CONNOR has brought her singing to clubs, cabarets, concert halls, and music festivals throughout the New York area and beyond. She has been praised by the New York Times for her ability to "belt out a shouting blues"; 7 Days magazine called her "fabulous."
Jeanne studied piano and sang in pop and folk bands as a youth, but went on to study liberal arts at Brown University. There, she began singing in nightclubs with jazz and swing bands. She moved her singing career to New York. Jeanne has appeared at New York's Blue Note, Elaine's, J's, the Rainbow Room, the Cat Club, Condon's and many other jazz clubs. She opened for Joan Rivers at Michael's Pub, and starred in the club's Irving Berlin tribute.

Jeanne sings with some of the country's leading swing and jazz bands, including Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. She also sings with the Widespread Depression Jazz Orchestra, the Hot Club of France, and Peter Duchin. She created "Jeanne O'Connor Sings Gershwin" as part of the Rockefeller Center City Celebration. In 1999, Jeanne appeared on opening night of "Midsummer Night's Swing" at Lincoln Center. She also recently did a six-week run at the Guggenheim Museum as part of its "Worldbeat Jazz" series, and appeared as a soloist at the festivities surrounding the World Economic Forum in New York City.

SUSAN HALLORAN

SUSAN HALLORAN has worked in musical theater, television, nightclubs, and as a sought-after studio and jingle singer. She began her career in the theater, with lead roles such as Lily in Carnival, Gouch in Mame and Hedy la Rue in How To Succeed in Business. Soon she began to branch out into nightclub and concert appearances, and then joined several pop singing groups that toured the U.S. and appeared on variety shows such as Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Her distinctive jazz/pop soprano voice eventually led her into the competitive world of radio and television commercials, landing her solo accounts with McDonald's, AT&T, Hertz, Dunkin' Doughnuts, Ford, Red Lobster, and Woman's Day Magazine, to name just a few.

Sue has been a back-up vocalist for major recording artists from Paul Anka to David Byrne of the Talking Heads, and just finished singing backup on the latest CD project of David Clayton Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears. She has performed in concert with Doc Severinson, Peter Duchin and the Elgart Orchestras. Sue also enjoyed a three-year engagement as the lead singer with the Red Parrot big band at the Red Parrot Night Club in midtown Manhattan. She has shared concert stages with Phil Woods, the late great Cab Calloway, and Sarah Vaughan. More recently, she has appeared as a featured vocalist with the New York Saxophone Quartet. She continues to be a busy voiceover and jingle singer.

HOLLI ROSS

HOLLI ROSS has been called a "voice of experience" by the late jazz critic, Stu Troup from New York Newsday. Her vocal ensemble experience is well documented on recordings with the Washington DC-based quartet Mad Romance, and the NY- based quintet 5 Steps Beyond. Holli's work with these groups included high-level festival and concert appearances, such as a 5 Steps Beyond concert with Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Pops Orchestra in 1996.

In pursuing her own solo career, Holli has performed at top jazz clubs and concerts nationwide, from New Orleans' Snug Harbor to California's Monterey Jazz Festival and New York's Blue Note. Holli has toured Europe and recorded with the well-known German vibraphonist Wolfgang Lackerschmid; she has also written lyrics to several of his compositions. She has recorded with organist Jack MacDuff; her discography also includes appearances on the NY-based "New Singers, New Songs" recording project.

Holli received her degree from Mannes College of Music (performance in bassoon) and studied musical theater with Hal Holden at the Herbert Bergoff Studio in New York. Early in her New York career, she studied with the great jazz saxophonist Warne Marsh and worked with singing giant Jon Hendricks. As a published songwriter for ASCAP and GEMA, Holli has penned lyrics to compositions by Miles Davis, Roger Kellaway, Harold Danko, Bill Mays, Mal Waldron, Ivan Lins and Roberto Menescal. Her songs have been recorded by Mark Murphy, Meredith D'Ambrosio, String of Pearls and 5 Steps Beyond. In 2001 Holli lyricized a composition by the late Sarah Vaughan that was performed at a special tribute by Carmen Bradford and the Count Basie Band, and later aired on National Public Radio.

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