Jennie David and Jan Shapiro met in 1979 when Jan moved back to St. Louis from Washington DC where she completed her degree at Howard University in Music. Jennie sang frequently with her Dad Russ David – a renowned pianist who directed his own bands and orchestras while Jan sang nightly in St. Louis nightclubs. When there were a few times that Jennie could not make a ‘Russ David’ gig , Jan would fill in for Jennie.

Russ David asked Jennie and Jan to sing together in a radio and TV commercials and a few other projects. Around 1982 , Jennie’s sister Debbie and her husband opened a restaurant in the St. Louis Lafayette neighborhood. Jennie asked Jan if she would come sing with her during the cocktail hour at her sister’s restaurant.

Orange Pekoe was born!

Soon after --Orange Pekoe sang a weekly Monday thru Friday gig at bar and restaurant “ Patrick’s” in St. Louis. Orange Pekoe continued as a duo until sometime in 1984. In Fall of 1985, Jan moved to Boston Ma. to take a full time position at Berklee College of Music.

As luck would have it , Jennie also moved from St Louis to Washington DC where she performed in the area nightly .Years later Jennie and her husband moved to Charleston South Carolina. She presently resides in Florida. Jan retired from Berklee College of Music , May 2017 and decided to move back to her hometown of St. Louis Mo.

Jennie and Jan continued to keep in touch and occasionally got together to sing informally…
When Jennie came to visit Jan in St. Louis June 2021, they discovered that Orange Pekoe needed to be revived!

For private parties and events Contact Jan Shapiro:
617-312-2656
Jshapiro9489@gmail.com