Vanessa Jump Nelson
and her Swing Squadron

Swing and jazz music, vocal and instrumental,
for that "cocktail hour" feel.

Email us at vanessa@duelinsopranos.com


Photo by Shortcake Photo



Vanessa Jump Nelson Vanessa Jump Nelson, born and raised in Portland, has played and sung around town since she was a teenager. Vanessa studied music at Mt. Hood Community College, performing with Hal Malcolm's highly acclaimed Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and received her music degree at Portland State University. Along the way, she sang in jam sessions in the heyday of The Jazz Quarry of Portland with Eddie Wied & the Sky Trio, with the "Sue Harris Octet," and appeared with the Walter Bridges Big Band and the Dick Schwary Big Band as a member of "Clazz," and "The Sound Sensations." She was a featured soloist with the Oregon Symphony Pops with guest conductor Skitch Henderson. More recently, she has been performing with the Carroll Raaum Swing Orchestra; Too Grand, an 8-hand piano group; and the Lake Oswego Millennium Dance Band.

She is a founding member of Duelin' Sopranos vocal duo, which has performed in Paris, France, and received critical acclaim for its award winning 19th Century duet album "Under Her Spell: The Viardot Effect," sung entirely in French. Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Portland State University, is a member of the adjunct voice faculty at MHCC and Portland Community College; and maintains a busy private voice studio in the Bethany area with a number of award winning students. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mu Phi Epsilon Alumni Association, and Oregon Music Teachers Association.



Shannon Nelson is a Software Engineer by day, and by night has been playing bass for jazz, rock, blues, and musical theatre for many years. He has played with Martin's Immortals, SMZ, Medicinal Purposes, Wild Soul, the Carroll Raaum Swing Orchestra, and more recently with The Slade Band. He also lends his talents to the orchestra pit for Forest Grove's Theatre In The Grove and other community theatre groups.
Shannon Nelson



Audio Samples

Route 66
Blue Skies
Boy from Ipanema
Hey BaaBaaReBop
Rosie the Riveter