Jazzmeia Horn (USA)

“...one of the most talked-about singers to come on the scene in years.” - Hot House Jazz

“Fans of such legendary jazz singers as Sarah Vaughan, Abbey Lincoln and Betty Carter —and more contemporary standouts including Cassandra Wilson, Cécile McLorin Salvant and neo-soul singer Erykah Badu —will likely discover a lot to love about Jazzmeia Horn.” - Rutland Hera

Jazzmeia Horn is undoubtedly one of the most virtuosic and exciting vocalists in jazz today, renowned for her saxophone-like vocal facility teamed with her and lyrical artistry which led her to win the 2015 Thelonious Monk International Vocal Competition and the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.

Drawing on her love for iconic singers of the 1950s and ’60s like Nina Simone and Sarah Vaughan, this young star has created a sound that is all her own, with her stunning vocals, inspired scat-singing and a vivacity that is infectious. This Festival concert features jazz and soul classics performed with a swinging beat and a taste of neo-soul by an artist regarded by many as the future of jazz.

Horn has gone on to perform with many names in the jazz pantheon, including Vincent Herring, Ellis Marsalis, and Billy Harper. Jazzmeia utilizes her astonishing vocal range to traverse the spectrum of musical and lyrical expression, leaving no stone unturned. In addition to her immense vocal talent, Horn has broken barriers in the jazz community.

With her newest album Dear Love, she became the first black woman in a century to front a big band album from cover to cover. While the album functions as a platform for Horn to showcase both her perception of the world and her endlessly unfolding talents. The album comes on the heels of two widely praised long-players, A Social Call and Love and Liberation, which each garnered Grammy nominations in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category.

But Horn’s talents emerged in Dallas, Texas, and blossomed at an arts-focused high school. Through both unfettered determination and inherent skill, the young singer traversed a singular path, raising funds through performance for her eventual matriculation to The New School. Once ensconced in New York, Horn held down a waitress position during the first two years of her education, precariously balancing artistic pursuits, the demands of academia and a thankless job.

The following years, residing in New York and touring the world, revealed a restless aesthetic development that’s defined Horn’s still-burgeoning career. And while Dear Love might seem to be the work of an avowed veteran, the bandleader still has more of herself, her music and her ideas to explore.

“Horn is among the most exciting young vocalists in jazz, with a proud traditionalism that keeps her tightly linked to the sound of classic figures like Nancy Wilson and Betty Carter, but a vivacity of spirit and conviction that places her firmly in the present.” - The New York Times