Synia Carroll, the Sarasota-based jazz vocalist who left a career as a schoolteacher and storyteller to devote herself full time to music, died Friday after a struggle with cancer. She was 67.
Carroll was a frequent and popular performer in the bay area, particularly at St. Petersburg’s Palladium Theater, where she was awarded a Creative Fellowship in 2023. Backed by a group made up of local jazz luminaries, she presented “Nina on My Mind,” a tribute in song to Nina Simone, in 2023 and 2024. They were both smash hits, as was her Palladium show devoted to the music of Sarah Vaughan.
“Synia was a kind, wonderful and loving person,” said pianist John O’Leary, a frequent collaborator. “She was so great at telling the story behind the music she chose. And when she chose Nina Simone, she immersed herself in that role and brought Nina back to life.”
Music educator and bandleader David Manson also worked with Carroll frequently. “Synia had an exceptional voice, kind disposition and a dynamic stage presence,” he said. “It was a delight featuring her with the Helios Jazz Orchestra.”…