Jeannine Otis

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Jeannine Otis, also known as "Jahneen," is an American singer, educator and music director.[1]

Early life and education[edit]

At the age of 16, she was accepted early to Wellesley College and was the first African-American to a Presser Music Scholar. She earned a BA in Sociology and Musicology. She went on to earn an MA in Theater Education and Performance at Emerson College, where she won a teaching fellowship.[2]

Career[edit]

She has performed with Kool and the Gang, the Shirelles, Grover Washington Jr., Eliot Goldenthal, Pete Seeger and many leading hip-hop artists. She has worked in theater with Galt MacDermot, Liz Swados and Robert Lupone.[2]

She wrote a book published by Seabury Press, titled The Gathering, based on her work with imprisoned teenagers.[1] The Gathering has been turned into a theatrical performance.[1] She worked with the New York City Department of Education as an Arts in Education evaluator.[2]

She has toured extensively in productions of Porgy and Bess.[2]

She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The City Council of New York,[3] the St. Mark's Griffin Outreach Award, the William A. Morris Award from the NAACP,[3] and a Reggie for her Staten Island appearance in The Cradle Will Rock (which she also performed in Manhattan),[4] and she is listed in "Who's Who in America."[2]

She has performed at the Staten Island Jazz Festival for many years,[5][6][7][8] at the Empowering Voices Dinner Gala hosted by Illuminart Productions in 2018.[9]

Currently, she is a Warner European recording artist,[10][2] has been music director for St. Marks Church-in-the-Bowery for 25 years,[1][10] an outreach/education coordinator for the Staten Island Museum, and president and consultant for Light of Mine Productions.[2]

She collaborated with Heikki Sarmanto on Magic Song.[11]

Personal life[edit]

Jeannine lives on Staten Island in New York City with her long-time partner, Larry Marshall.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Staten Islanders give voice to new song cycle at legendary LaMama". SILive.com. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Staten Island's dynamic duo: Larry Marshall and Jeannine Otis". SILive.com. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  3. ^ a b "Staten Island artists share tales of 'Growing Up on The Rock: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly'". SILive.com. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  4. ^ Tommasini, Anthony (2009-02-09). "Marc Blitzstein's Proletariat, With Piano, at St. Mark's in the Bowery". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  5. ^ "Staten Island Jazz Festival turns 30 this weekend at Music Hall". SILive.com. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  6. ^ "Jazz Fest 2016: A Universal experience on Staten Island this weekend". SILive.com. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  7. ^ "Universal Temple of the Arts sets Staten Island JAZZ Festival 27". SILive.com. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  8. ^ "Staten Island's 'JazzLand' fest launches Oct. 13-14 with David Sanborn, host of local talents". SILive.com. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  9. ^ "Staten Island Nightlife: Scenes from Illuminart's 'Empowering Voices' dinner gala". SILive.com. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  10. ^ a b "What Are You Reading? Jeannine Otis Edition". The New York Public Library. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  11. ^ "Jeannine Otis – Heikki Sarmanto - Magic Song". Discogs. 1980. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
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