ARTIST PROFILES

As we come to a close for the year, what a way to end our Jazz Cafe 2022 with this jazz-soul band from Denver, Colorado. Bttrfly Quintet features Grammy-nominated drummer Adam Deitch and Grammy-winning trumpeter Eric "Benny " Bloom who you may recognize as members of Lettuce. Their mix of music is jazz with a futuristic soul sound. It's definitely funky and you must give it a listen. There have been plenty of bands that have members who are famous in their own right, for exam

British singer-songwriter Jamilah Barry from London has such a smooth sound that I needed to find out more about her. At only 25 years old she has been creating a serious buzz in the music industry. She has been writing her own music since she was a teenager. Her music is a mix of jazz, soul, and R&B. Her sound is very mature way beyond her years. She started getting attention after posting her songs on Soundcloud. She made her debut with the single Dance Moves and released h

This jazz-funk band Surprise Chef I will say live up to its name because they are full of surprises musically. The band originates in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The band consists of Lachlan Stuckey on guitar, Jethro Curtin on keyboards, Carl Lindeberg on bass, Andrew Congues on drums, and newest member Hudson Whitlock on percussion and composing. The band mixes jazz with some serious funk grooves that are infectious. The members came together in 2018 and have been going

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, our featured artist Nick Hakim creates music that is otherworldly to me. I came across his music and I had that moment where I had to know who the singer was. Nick Hakim born in Washington D.C. and now based here in Brooklyn, NY has been making the type of music you can listen to all day. His music is a mix of soul with a folk hybrid that's so smooth you fall in love. Nick Hakim grew up in a household with diverse musical in

Braxton Cook is being touted as an emerging jazz singer-songwriter/saxophonist to watch. He graduated from Julliard and has played with such jazz luminaries as Christian McBride, Christian Scott, and Jon Batiste. His music is a hybrid of jazz mixed with soul and alternative R&B. He has toured around the world and released several albums before being signed to Nettwerk Records. Born in Boston, Massachusettes, this talented jazz saxophonist is also a multi-instrumentalist and v

Since the time I first heard reggae music while at my college radio station I have been enthralled. In a male-dominated genre, this singer-songwriter is carving out a name for herself. Singer Anna Sharé Blake known professionally as Sevana didn't start out wanting to be a singer. Instead, she wanted to be a doctor and it wasn't until age 16 after entering a music contest that the music bug bit her. She formed a girl band, SLR but later took a break from music and came back

Singer-songwriter Eliza has changed her professional name from Eliza Doolittle to just Eliza. She is well known in the U.K. and plans on taking the U.S. by storm. Born in Westminster, England to parents who are both in the theater it was inevitable that Eliza(real name Eliza Sophie Caird) would follow. She would watch her mother as a child performing on stage and wanted to be a singer from a young age. She chose the name Eliza Doolittle after the character in My Fair Lady and

San Diego-based band, Thee Sacred Souls have a unique sound that captured my attention. It brings me back to the sounds of '60s, and '70s soul music. The trio started with good friends, Alex Garcia on drums and bass guitarist, Sal Samano. The two come from Chula Vista, California, and were surrounded by Chicano music. The duo decided to form a band featuring oldies music and recorded instrumentals. They needed a vocalist who could bring their music to life. They actually foun

Singer-songwriter, Waterofelegance has been creating a buzz in the industry with her mix of jazzy R&B and Soul. Originally from Jacksonville Florida, she started singing at the age of 6 and early on decided to pursue a music career. Things have not been easy for her because she refuses to follow what some perceive to be a standard for female singers. The standard is that you should be wearing short dresses or skirts and showing skin to gain attention but Waterofelegance does

If you are an R&B lover like me then you will fall in love with singer Didiboo, real name Julius Robinson). He makes the type of love songs that the ladies just fall in love with. He started singing at an early age and his father discovered he had talent and let him sing at church. When he grew up he wanted to discover other types of music and pursued his music career. After many years on the club circuit, he eventually landed a spot on the MTV show Making The Band 4 with P D

Indie jazz drummer, Jonathan Barber is so interesting rhythmically that I sometimes have to listen to the song again to catch that sound. This talented drummer from Hartford, Connecticut mixes jazz with not only the classic and swing style but also elements of gospel, soul, rock, and fusion. Those mixes create some amazing sounds and energy. Together with his band Vision Ahead, they have traveled the world and are being recognized by jazz lovers and jazz artists such as Terra

Nigerian-born and living in Ireland singer-songwriter, Caleb Kunle has been performing on the Irish music scene for quite some time. His mix of psychedelics with soul is smooth and you just want to hear more. Caleb Kunle who moved to Laois, Ireland as a young child is still getting used to his adopted country moving from Laos and its hustle and bustle to Ireland is a great change. He has been an artist to watch since 2020 and his music is a fusion of not only soul but jazz an

Singer-songwriter Fana Hues is a rising star on the R&B indie scene. She feels so blessed to finally be recognized because it was scary for her at one time. This Pasadena-born artist has been singing since she was two years old. Music is in her soul and she was born to parents who are both creative people. Her dad is a musician and singer-songwriter and her mother is a dancer. She says her musical journey began at an early age when she was playing with her family's band aroun

Samm Henshaw has been creating such a buzz on the indie music scene that I had to check it out. I was floored by his vocal ability and the smoothness and pitch reminding me of the R&B/Soul singers of yesteryear. Inabasi Samuel Henshaw professionally known as Samm Henshaw has been making the rounds on the London music scene. His parents who originate from Nigeria are not musicians but music was always played at home. Later he decided music was his calling and at church, he lea

Every so often you come across an artist whose music you fall in love with. Such is the case with jazz pianist, Jonny Liebeck from London, U.K. He captured my attention when I saw he had tracks on the dance music label, Traxsource. I researched more about this talented pianist and loved his compositions. He has been written about, especially in Latino music blogs or online magazines such as Latino Life. His mix of jazz with Latin/funk and soul has won audiences around the wor

Amsterdam-based singer-songwriter, LaTanya Alberto has everyone's ears listening to her smooth mix of R&B infused with soul, jazz, and mellow alternative music. When you listen to her voice you conjure images of a Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, and Indie Arie. She grew up listening to soul, gospel, and jazz because her parents played that music around the house. Latanya Alberto whose heritage is Surimenese and Curaçaoan had a mixture of those Caribbean cultures along with Dutch

I stumbled upon this sexy singer-songwriter and when I heard his latest song, Secret I had to stop the presses! It is sexy and oh so smooth. Reminds me of Marvin Gaye's song, I Want You, or even D'Angelo's song, How Does It Feel. Sexy songs like that you don't ever forget. Jerome Thomas from London, U.K. is one to watch. These days many artists do not want to be put into any one category of music. They prefer to be genre-bending and mix different sounds to create their own sp

It's not often when an artist just blows me away with their talent but Marc Rebillet did just that. A good friend of mine who has produced tracks in the past told me to check out this super-talented artist. He is incredible because he makes beats and sounds on the fly without having practiced or even planned it. Marc Rebillet from Dallas, Texas isn't your typical musician. He did start out at age 4 playing piano and is classically trained musically. He uses a loop machine, ke

From the first guitar riff on his latest song, The Devil's Daughters, I was hooked. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Shawn James makes the type of music that makes you stand up and take notice. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, and now residing in Fayetteville, Arkansas, his music is a mix of Blues/Folk with a lot of soul. When he was growing up in Chicago he was singing gospel music at his church choir and it wasn't until later that he started playing guitar and piano. When

Canadian indie jazz band from Montreal, The Liquor Store is making a name for itself on the jazz circuit. The band consists of seven members who are truly amazing musicians. They have been playing many of the jazz festivals around Canada. The band's infectious sounds and energy make you want to move. Their music is a mix of R&B, Electronica, funk with some hip-hop thrown in for good measure. They have been together since 2011 when a couple of accomplished jazz musicians got t