Nnenna Freelon, one of the premier jazz singers in the world, will be performing in Lake Charles this Friday, May 2 ­ right before she continues her tour with stops in Moscow, Milan, London, New York and Ft. Lauderdale - as part of the 2008 McNeese State University Banners Series.

"We're in pretty rarified company," said Tami Chrisope, assistant director of the McNeese Banners Series. "I think she agreed to add Lake Charles to her tour because she was here in 2001 and we gave her such a warm welcome. That 2001 concert was in Central School and we had standing room only." The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in McNeese's F.G. Bulber Auditorium.

Ticket prices are $20 for adults, $5 for students/children and free to McNeese students with ID. Tickets are on sale in advance at the Lake Charles Civic Center box office and online at www.banners.org (click on the event and scroll down). They will also be sold at the door.

Friday's concert is co-sponsored by the Black Heritage Festival. The concert has received grant support from the city of Lake Charles Partnership program as administered by the Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA and from the Southern Arts Federation.

In addition to being a jazz singer, Freelon is a composer, producer and arranger. She is a six-time Grammy Award-nominee and has received numerous prestigious awards, notably the Eubie Blake Award from the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and the Billy Holiday Award from the Academie du Jazz.

She performed on the film soundtrack for "The Visit" movie staring Billy Dee Williams, which was a remake of the Frank Sinatra classic "Fly Me to the Moon." She also performed as herself in the Mel Gibson movie "What Women Want," performing her trademark song "If I Had You."

She has been nominated twice for the "Lady of Soul," performed with Take 6 during the 2001 Grammy Awards program and received a standing ovation during the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards telecast in Los Angeles. Freelon has performed at Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, Ellington Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Apollo Theater, Montreaux Jazz Festival, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and in 2007, she was featured in "Performance at the White House" to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. Some of the people she has performed and toured with include Ray Charles, Ellis Marsalis, Al Jarreau, Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin, Dianne Reeves, Diana Krall, Ramsey Lewis, George Benson, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock and Terence Blanchard.

Her discography includes 11 albums recorded on the Columbia or Concord labels.

Freelon arrived in Lake Charles last Monday in order to give special presentations to small groups of students in the Head Start program at J.D. Clifton and at Combre/Fondel Elementary schools, funded by Citgo and The American Press. She then joined her band in Baton Rouge and will return Friday for the Lake Charles concert to close out this year¹s Banners Series.