“She is a modern jazz marvel.” – Star Tribune
Cécile McLorin Salvant is a composer, singer, and visual artist. Jessye Norman described Salvant as “a unique voice supported by an intelligence and full-fledged musicality, which light up every note she sings.” Here, Salvant has developed a passion for storytelling. Furthermore, she finds connections between vaudeville, blues, folk traditions from around the world, theater, jazz, and baroque music. Salvant is an eclectic curator, unearthing rarely recorded, forgotten songs with strong narratives, interesting power dynamics, unexpected twists, and humor.
Salvant won the Thelonious Monk competition in 2010. Moreover, she received Grammys for Best Jazz Vocal Album for three consecutive albums: The Window, Dreams and Daggers, and For One To Love. The Grammys also nominated her for her 2014 album WomanChild. Additionally, Salvant received the MacArthur fellowship and the Doris Duke Artist Award in 2020. Critics acclaimed 2022’s Ghost Song, which received two Grammy nominations.
Salvant’s latest project is 2023’s Mélusine. The album features a mix of five originals and interpretations of nine songs, dating as far back as the twelfth century. Here, she sings mostly in French along with Occitan, English, and Haitian Kreyòl.
Salvant brings historical perspective, a renewed sense of drama, and an enlightened musical understanding to both jazz standards and her own original compositions. Thus, Salvant embraces a wide-ranging repertoire that broadens the possibilities for live performance. Also, Salvant’s performances range from spare duets for voice and piano to instrumental trios to orchestral ensembles. Additionally, her work Ogresse is an ambitious long-form musical fable based on oral fairy tales from the nineteenth century. Here, she explores the nature of freedom and desire in a racialized, patriarchal world.
Recommended for fans of Lizz Wright, Kandace Springs, Cassandra Wilson and Veronica Swift.
LEARN MORE: https://www.cecilemclorinsalvant.com/
- Genre:
- Jazz
