Debbie Orta

Debbie Orta has a unique vocal sound, swinging hard, with echoes of the past and present; honey-dipped with a soulful edge. She incorporates Latin and Brazilian jazz into her vast repertoire, and sings in English, Portuguese and Spanish, with easy rhythmic delivery and impeccable taste. Her honesty and irony come across in her engaging stage presence. People find that they enjoy what she does and who she is, an artist and a friend. The release of her debut CD, Child’s Play, took place with a performance at WDNA radio station (88.9FM) in Miami, and features a stellar lineup of musicians and contributors. The CD includes twelve songs in surprising arrangements and styles. Child’s Play is available as CD or download on CDBaby.com, amazon.com, and iTunes.com.

Born to her Puerto Rican parents in the Bronx, New York, and raised in Miami, Debbie discovered her musical gifts as a child, constantly singing to records privately until she began to perform in public as a teen, winning first place in a city vocal competition. Debbie’s early life included lessons in dance, acting, guitar and flute. She studied Music Theory at Miami Dade College and the University of Miami. Growing up Debbie explored her parents’ LPs – the swinging arrangements and great voices of Nancy Wilson, Nat King Cole, and Frank Sinatra - her initiation to The Great American Songbook; soul music, dance music, the great Latin Jazz artists like Cal Tjader and Tom Jobim. Her professional life was based in South Florida with nightclub tours around the U.S., and she spent a few years back in the chilly northeast, performing at private functions and corporates in the Catskills, Atlantic City, and venues in the tri-state area around the Big Apple.

Since establishing herself in the South Florida jazz scene in 2007, she has performed in Ft. Lauderdale supper clubs, concerts, and jazz festivals, such as Palm Beach County’s SunFest Jazz Festival, Boca Raton’s Jazziz Nightlife, The Deering Estate in Miami, The Arts Garage in Delray Beach, The Banyan Bowl at Pinecrest Gardens, The Blue Martini Live, and many venues from Key West to Palm Beach.

Debbie produced and performed in a multi-media concert, “Jazz Gals,” in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. She is a Founding Member of the Miami Jazz Cooperative and the Sunshine Jazz Organization. Debbie says, “Jazz is America’s greatest export. I believe all jazz musicians should teach the next generation about this music and promote it in our families and throughout the world.”

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