Stella Swings Ella is a joyful celebration of the timeless music of Ella Fitzgerald.

Bay Area vocalist Stella Heath brings Ella's legendary repertoire to life with an all-star jazz ensemble, dynamic storytelling and vintage-inspired arrangements. The show traces her journey from the swing era at the Savoy Ballroom to her iconic Great American Songbook recordings and dazzling bebop improvisation.

Ella Fitzgerald's career spanned nearly 60 years, collaborating with legends like Cole Porter, Duke Ellington and George Gershwin helping elevate their compositions into American classics, while her later years mesmerized audiences worldwide. This concert captures the warmth, wit and exuberance that made Ella the "First Lady of Song".

All-Star Band:
Stella Heath, vocals
Daniel Fabricant, bass
Robby Elfman, saxophone/clarinet
Ian Scherer, guitar
Neil Fontano, piano
Spike Klein, drums

Enjoy the one-hour concert from 1:00–2:00 PM. Coffee and snacks will be served in the lobby after the concert.

Early Bird tickets are $20 until August 31. General Admission is $30.
No refunds once tickets are purchased.

Stella Heath is a ​Bay Area vocalist known for her acclaimed programs The Billie Holiday Project and Stella Meets Nat, takes on Ella Fitzgerald's iconic repertoire in her new show, Stella Swings Ella. Since emerging on the Bay Area jazz scene in 2014, she's become one of the busiest and most consistently captivating vocalists in the region. Heath has earned a devoted following with her lustrous voice, supple sense of swing and wide-ranging command of a vast repertoire. A dedicated educator, she's led a Gypsy jazz combo, created historically rooted shows focusing on the early music of the Nat "King" Cole Trio, Ella Fitzgerald and Edith Piaf, and worked with many of the Bay Area's finest improvisers. Her debut album, For Billie, flows out of one of her signature endeavors, The Billie Holiday Project, a captivating album that illuminates the treacherous emotional terrain that Holiday navigated as a soul-bearing singer.

A Sonoma County native, Heath grew up in Petaluma, raised by her mother, a passionate lover of music. She immersed her daughter in the sounds of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, the Buena Vista Social Club, Edith Piaf, Bob Dylan, Latin jazz and classical music. Stella attended Syracuse University, graduating with degrees in acting (with an emphasis on Shakespeare) and cultural geography. Moving to New York City after she graduated in 2009, Heath plunged into the Gotham drama scene, acquiring an agent and working in both NYC and regional Shakespeare productions and musicals. In the course of her five-year New York sojourn, she rekindled her passion for jazz via legendary Harlem pianist Marjorie Elliot's weekly parlor concerts in her Sugar Hill apartment.

Bassist Marcus Shelby, artistic director of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, recruited Heath as education coordinator in 2022 to bring jazz education into public schools and communities around Sonoma County. "I whole heartedly believe that jazz, a uniquely American art form, should be held up and celebrated in our society and should be a vital educational component in our school system here in the United States," Heath says.

Daniel Fabricant may be the most versatile bassist in San Francisco and the most in-demand. Playing upright or electric, he adapts to a wide range of musical settings, from intimate chamber groups to sprawling dance bands and Latin ensembles. Fabricant has performed internationally with Piaf! The Show, Michael Feinstein, Betty Buckley, Joan Rivers, Spencer Day, Ann Hampton Callaway, Petula Clark and Mary Wilson of the Supremes, among others. In the Bay Area, he regularly plays with Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Rupa and the April Fishes, and Redwood Tango Ensemble. He has appeared at A.C.T., SFJAZZ, Yoshi's, The Freight and Salvage, and Feinstein's, and New York City venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Café Carlyle and Carnegie Hall. Fabricant is also an accomplished music instructor, teaching orchestra, guitar, bass and ukulele to students of all ages in private and group settings.

Robby Elfman is a music composer and multi-instrumentalist. He has written music for commercials, TV and award-winning indie film soundtracks. Born and raised
in Los Angeles, Robby eventually gravitated to the creative energy and natural beauty of Bay Area. He now performs regularly with bands such as Royal Jelly Jive and the Billy Holiday Project, and continues to work as a studio player, composer and arranger.

Neil Fontano is a Bay Area-based jazz pianist, composer and musical director known for his versatility across classical, ragtime, stride and jazz styles. He is particularly celebrated for his George Gershwin-inspired playing and his skill in stride piano. Fontano grew up in Petaluma, California, in a musical family environment. His grandparents introduced him to classical and ragtime music, sparking his early interest in the piano. He has performed at top Bay Area venues including the Blue Note, Napa, The Back Room, Red Poppy Arthouse, Occidental Center for the Arts, Healdsburg Hotel and the Mystic Theater in Petaluma. He is currently the pianist for The Billie Holiday Project, a historically themed jazz tribute led by Stella Heath, with gigs in New York City and across the country. In addition to performing, Fontano serves as the assistant music director at Petaluma High and Junior High Schools, continuing his commitment to music education.

Ian Scherer is an American jazz guitarist, composer and educator originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His formal training includes a BA in music performance/composition from Duquesne University (1992–1996) and a dual major in guitar performance and jazz composition from the University of Pittsburgh. In 1996, Scherer relocated to northern California, where he quickly became active in the regional and international music scene. He has performed with a wide range of artists, including Lutan Fyah, Angeline Saris, Dustin Saylor, The Heavies, Luna Quartet, Pat Jordan Band, J.H. Big Band, Paul Spina, Eric Levy, Chris Amberger, Dub Soldier and Robert Herrera. Scherer also ventured into film and television, beginning in 2003 as a composer and producer for Cypress Films and the Showtime Network, and became a member of A.S.C.A.P. His work has earned him multiple North Bay Music Awards nominations for Jazz Artist of the Year in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Spike Klein thanks his sister and her love of Van Halen for bringing music into his life. Their father made guitars for them out of plywood but pretending to be musicians soon turned into the real thing when Spike was drawn to the drums. He played drums and percussion in school and was given his first kit, which was purchased from Sears. In 1999 Spike was hired at The Magic Flute and enjoyed being surrounded by the music community right away. Within four years he rose to management and later took on even more responsibilities when new owners took over the business in 2010. He has enjoyed the fine details of tasks such as overhauling the sheet music department and running the school band rental programs. However, the most satisfying part for him is the family feeling among the staff and their customers.

Senior Programs are made possible in part by generous contributions from the Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund, the John R. Schwabacher Family, Diane and Jon Claerbout, as well as many other individual donors. We are grateful for their generous support.​