Austin Women in Jazz Festival w/ Pamela Hart, Julie Slim, Glenda Davenport, Lissa Hattersley's Trip Trio

A multilingual jazz and world music vocalist originally from Beirut, Lebanon, Julie Slim brings forth the cultural influences that shape her life in her musical project, Julie Slim & RendezVous, which is approaching its 10th year performing in Austin and surrounding cities. With the support and mentorship of Austin iconic pianist, educator and arranger, Dr. James Polk, and the collaboration of stellar jazz musicians and friends over the years, the band has grown from covering French pop and jazz standards to include Arabic and Spanish standards as well as originals - one of which, Sarabande de Solitude (Shawn Ellison/Julie Slim), was awarded an Honorary Merit Award in the 2017 International Songwriting Competition and was featured in the 2017 SXSW Songwriters Showcase. Throughout the last 9 years, Julie Slim has held residencies at the Skylark Lounge, Parker Jazz Club, and most recently at Shore ATX and Plate by Dzintra, where she currently plays as a duo twice a month with pianist Shawn Ellison. Though she began her singing career in the theater world in Allentown, PA in the 1980’s, slowly, with Mady Kaye’s vocal coaching, Julie entered the jazz scene, and in 2001, she began a long and beautiful collaboration with the Austin Jazz Workshop as a vocalist and clinician, spreading jazz to over 100 elementary schools per academic year, with composers like Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, Henri Mancini, George Gershwin, Hoagy Carmichael and this year, with Harry Warren.
Julie believes in the power of music to connect and heal - storytelling from the soul - whether it be as an educator, widening the music world of third through fifth grade students and enhancing their love of music with passionate performances of standards by great jazz composers, or by witnessing the comforting power of the raw singing voice at Christopher House, harmonizing with her Threshold Choir sisters every Tuesday morning.
Julie is excited about the album of originals she is working on, a collection of biographical stories from her life. She also has self-produced three albums, available through most streaming sites