Jazzik #5 – “An American in Paris”

Jocelyn B. Smith (*New York, 1960), has lived in Germany for the past 30 years. She has held more than 3.000 live concerts and has worked with very different artists such as Lenny White,Till Brönner, Falco, Alphaville, or composers such as Mikis Theodorakis, Heiner Goebbels and Zülfu Livanelli.

In 1995, she received the Golden Record Award for the title song of the Disney movie „The Lion King“. In 1998, she received the Jazz Award from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for her CD „Blue Lights and Nylons“ (her label Blondell Productions produced over 10.000 copies of the CD).

In 2006, Jocelyn started her philanthropic project and has founded the choir „Different Voices of Berlin“ in a community and neighborhood center against poverty and social exclusion in Berlin Kreuzberg, at „Gitschiner 15“. She is also the founder of the charitable „Yes We Can e.V.“ (2008), which campaigns for the sustainable protection and assistance for children as well as the humanitarian project „Shine A Light“.

In 2011, Jocelyn was asked to sing „Amazing Grace“ at the Berlin commemoration of September 11 at the Brandenburger Tor, which was broadcasted worldwide by CNN. She participated in the last concert held prior to closing the „Tränen Palast“ at the former German Border in front of special guests that included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Angela Merkel, US-Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, German Bishop Wolfgang Huber, members of the German House of Parliament, Presidents of the Federal Republic of Germany, Roman Herzog and Horst Köhler.

In 2015, Jocelyn released her 30-year anniversary album „My Way“ with a concert at the Berlin Cathedral „The DOM“. She is the ambassador of the „Help 4 People e.V.“ (Refugee-Aid Foundation) together with Björn Schulz Stiftung (Sonnenhof Kinder Hospiz). Her initiative „Shine A Light“ promotes humanity and more tolerance. In 2016, Jocelyn performed with the internationally renowned classical baritone Thomas Quasthoffin Vienna as part of the Shine a Light Ambassadorship Honoring Tour – Shine A Light Ambassadors.

In 2018, Jocelyn was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit by the German president Frank Walter Steinmeier for her social engagement.

2019 – She recieved the Cross of Merit from the governing Mayor of Berlin Michael Müller.

2020 – She recieved the Beethoven award for her social engagement and activism.