Our musical history encompasses a wide array of jazz artists whose melodies captivated audiences and had them coming back for more. Jazz during this era comprised a wide range of stylistic approaches and musical compositions. However, a pop jazz singer must possess certain defining characteristics. They were fearless risk-takers, composers of originality, interpreters of the classics, and dynamic personalities. In one corner of the North American music scene, the rise of a new generation of female pop jazz singers has taken on a new precedence. Listed below are just a few of the many singing the blues today.
Sylvia Brooks
Sylvia performs in the Los Angeles Catalina/Jazz Bakery. She connects with her audience by singing dramatic renditions of vintage classics, connecting with her audiences by the level of emotion she brings. Her experience in musical theater and as a female lounge singer helped propel her into the jazz spotlight as one of the great vocal pop jazz singers of this generation. Her debut album Dangerous Liaisons, released in 2009, was played on over 500 radio stations in the US and Canada. Her second album Restless was released in 2012, and her third The Arrangement is set for release in the spring of 2017. Music reviewers and audiences have rated Sylvia as a leading contender in the pop jazz singer genre.
Madeleine Peyroux
Madeleine has a lyrical, dusky style reminiscent of Billie Holiday. She leans toward covering blues and jazz standards, imparting a folky style all her own. Emerging into the music scene in the 90s, Peyroux has carved her own distinctive niche, balancing her respect for older jazz traditions with a modern pop sound. She entered into the music scene with her album Dreamland in 1996 and released six more albums with the last one, Keep Me in Your Heart for a While: Best of Madeleine Peyroux, released in 2014.
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah is a Canadian singer and songwriter known for her emotional ballads and vocal range. She is touted as a great pop jazz singer. She has sold over 40 million albums, with her best selling album Surfacing winning two Grammy Awards. She is best known as the founder of the Lilith Tour, which showcased female musicians and toured from 1997-1999. In 2014, she released her first album in four years, Shine On.
