Julie Silvera gives the listener her greatest gift - jazz served up with rich textured tones that invite the listener to take a journey. Her warm presence and musicianship allows her to be equally at home in front of a big band, trio or solitary harmonic instrument. She treats the voice as the ultimate instrument, coloring lyrics and melodies with soulful and swinging interpretations of the standard jazz library. Her sense of story telling and swing feel is matched only by her warm sense of humor. Audiences on both coasts agree that Silvera is something special.

Silvera’s career began oddly enough while studying classical voice, at the insistence of a friend she approached her soon- to - be mentor, Charles Argersinger. She asked him to help her, to teach her, and thus her life in jazz began. He started her on a steady diet of Ella (Fitzgerald), Sarah (Vaughan), Nancy (Wilson) and Carmen (McRae). She worked regularly at local live jazz venues and went on to win the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival college vocal competition three times, performing with Hampton’s rhythm section in front of thousands of enthusiastic jazz fans. In addition to competitions, Silvera performed all over the Pacific Northwest with her trio, as well as with the Washington State University Big Band and released her first recording, Sojourner. Along the way she garnered more honors including winning the prestigious Downbeat Magazine College Vocal Competition a respectable two times.

Julie recently performed for Mr. Donald Trump and his family, at his lovely Mar-A-Lago estate in Palm Beach Florida.
Performed for the wonderful Mr. Jesse Tyson, President of Exxon Mobile Inter-America Inc. and his lovely wife.  Very nice and down to earth people.

*Performed with: Christian McBride Arnie Carruthers Ira Sullivan Roy Hargrove Dee Daniels Sunny Wilkinson Kuni Makimi Christian Fabian Wally ‘Gator’ Watson

Silvera also enjoys theatrical and operatic turns playing the role of the "Blues Singer," in the WSU Theatre production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Was Not Enuf, and took on the lead role of Mrs.Lovette in Stephen Sondhiems's Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber or Fleet Street.  She was the solo voice in the University of Idaho's production of Angels in America.  Most recently she participated in The Florida Grand Opera’s production of Verdi’s, Aida.  She not only participated in this stellar production, but also was the vocal coach and conductor for the “Ethiopian Chorus.” 

Julie performs both publicly and privately in the South Florida area and will play her first jazz festival in March, at the Jazz in the Gardens Jazz Festival held at the Dolphin Stadium, March 24th and 25th.  There she’ll share the stage with India Arie, Will Downing, Sergio Mendes, Paquito D'Rivera and Pieces of a Dream, just to name a few.

A respected vocal coach and pedagogue, she currently teaches voice at Florida Memorial University.  Silvera believes in sharing her knowledge and experience with young singers/musicians.  She has worked as a clinician as well as a judge for ACT/SO, NFAA and various choral competitions.  Silvera has her Doctorate in Jazz Vocal Performance from the University of Miami where she studied with Drs. Kevin Mahogany and Rachel Lebon.  She has her Masters in Choral Conducting and Bachelors of Music in Classical Voice, both from Washington State University.  She is a member of Jubilate, an organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and performing compositions based on African, Latin and Caribbean traditions. 

“Dancing with all of my possibilities.”

Dr. Julie Silvera-Jensen