U.S. Jazz Ambassador, vocal musician, composer, and educator, Chicago native Lenora Helm was the first African-American woman to graduate from Berklee College of Music with a degree in Film Music Composition and Voice. Now a New York resident and Teaching Artist for Carnegie Hall and Young Audiences of New York, Helm has a demonstrated commitment to the arts spanning more than ten years.

Since 1987, she has headlined her own trio, performing in jazz venues and festivals worldwide. In addition to three solo recordings, highlights of Helms’ performing/recording credits include guest appearances with R&B and jazz artists including Cissy Houston, Freddie Jackson, Stanley Cowell, and Branford Marsalis, among others.

As an arranger, Helm has had compositions recorded by jazz, pop and R&B artists. She has collaborated as a lyricist with jazz composers Wayne Shorter, Branford Marsalis and Andrew Hill. A recipient of many awards, her 2002 recording Precipice, was a Grammy contender for Best Jazz Vocal CD 2002; she received the 2002 Artist in the School Community grant by New York Foundation of the Arts; and was awarded The Dakota by Dakota Staton to promising young vocal jazz artists. Lenora is a past president and member of the Board of Directors of International Women in Jazz.

Lenora spent several years as director of youth services at Jacob Riis Settlement, a non-profit social services agency in the Queensbridge Houses, located in Long Island City, New York.

Visit her Web site at www.lenorazenzalaihelm.com