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Tessa Souter

Striking, soulful, enchanting” (Washington Post), “expressive” (New York Times), “stunningly original (Jazz Times), Anglo-Trinidadian Tessa Souter, whose music contains “Middle Eastern, Brazilian and flamenco elements in an airy jazz framework” (Philadelphia City Paper), has established herself as “an uncommonly creative vocalist and songwriter over the past two decades.” (San Francisco Chronicle)

A jazz vocalist with a sumptuous sound and an unerring ear for fresh and unexpected material—Illustrious fans include acid jazz-vocalist Jon Lucien (“Magnificent! She blew me away!”), jazz vocal legend, Mark Murphy (“Remarkable and very moving.”), and NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan (”A beautiful voice and a beautiful soul. At the top of my list of great talent. She really moves me.”)—Souter knows her way around the American Songbook’s back pages. But ever since the release of her 2004 debut, Listen Love, she has cast an increasingly wide net, from contributing original lyrics to instrumental jazz standards, and re- imagining classic British rock, to her Third Stream project, Beyond the Blue—a London Sunday Times Jazz Record of the Year, starring Steve Kuhn and featuring Souter’s original lyrics to classical gems by Albinoni, Chopin et al.

Born and raised in London, Souter was making her way in the early 1990s as a freelance journalist in San Francisco—where she was one of the original six members of the storied Writer’s Grotto— when she first considered switching careers. She’s thrived since moving to New York in 1997, collaborating with an impressive roster of players.

She has recorded five critically acclaimed CDs including her self-produced Flamenco-tinged debut, Listen Love (2004), Nights of Key Largo (Venus, 2008), which garnered her a prestigious Swing Journal Gold Disc Award, Obsession (Motema, 2009), Beyond the Blue (Motema-Venus, 2012), and her latest, Picture in Black and White (Noa). Utilizing the talents of some of New York's finest first-call musicians—Yotam Silberstein (guitar), Yasushi Nakamura (bass), Keita Ogawa (percussion), Adam Platt (piano), Dana Leong (cello), and Billy Drummond (cymbals and drums)—the album, the second of her recordings to make the Sunday Times’ Jazz Record of the Year list, is an emotionally resonant invitation through music to reflect on the African diaspora experience of slavery, loss, love, redemption and the pellucid and lasting repercussions of that period in history.

“This album is much more than a rich collection of unusual songs, beautifully sung. It has the narrative arc of a fine short story, told with the intelligence and heart that Tessa brings to all her singing and prose- writing.

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7
Live Review

Tessa Souter Trio at Soapbox Gallery

Read "Tessa Souter Trio at Soapbox Gallery" reviewed by Victor L. Schermer


Tessa Souter Trio Soapbox Gallery Brooklyn, NY January 26, 2021 During the pandemic, live streaming on line is the closest thing we can get to a live concert or club date, Many of the streamed jazz shows are well done despite the unusual situation with masks, social distance, etc., but this one with Tessa Souter stood out in the crowd due largely to Souter's exceptional poise and finesse both personally and in ...

7
Album Review

Tessa Souter: Picture in Black and White

Read "Picture in Black and White" reviewed by Victor L. Schermer


New York-based vocalist Tessa Souter is becoming treasured among jazz fans and musicians alike. Equally effective in clubs, in concert and on her several fine recordings, she combines the sonority, vocal range and discipline of a classical contralto with subtle and sultry jazz inflections. Everything she sings is well thought out and in good taste. She works with the best instrumentalists and has a consummate grasp of both swing and the modern jazz idiom, as well as folk and world ...

4
Live Review

Tessa Souter at Pizza Express in London's Soho

Read "Tessa Souter at Pizza Express in London's Soho" reviewed by Martin McFie


Tessa Souter Pizza Express Soho London June 23, 2018 In a once seedy part of London, also home to the UK film industry, lies the heart of the capital's jazz scene. Iconic Ronnie Scott's is off Soho Square in Frith Street while on a corner of nearby Dean Street in a cellar beneath a Pizza Express is their live jazz club. For over 40 years it has presented the best of jazz ...

5
Live Review

Tessa Souter Quartet: Half Moon Bay, California, December 2, 2012

Read "Tessa Souter Quartet: Half Moon Bay, California, December 2, 2012" reviewed by Bill Leikam


Tessa Souter QuartetBach Dynamite & Dancing SocietyDouglas Beach HouseHalf Moon Bay, CADecember 2, 2012 Traveling to the west coast from New York, Tessa Souter brought with her the wonderful tenor saxophonist and flautist Don Braden and they teamed up with friends Christian Tamburr on vibraphone, John Shiflett on bass, Akira Tana on drums. Having had a huge storm come through that morning, many wondered whether the turnout for Souter's performance would be light. ...

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Album Review

Tessa Souter: Beyond The Blue

Read "Beyond The Blue" reviewed by Victor L. Schermer


Vocalist Tessa Souter is deservedly becoming treasured among jazz fans and musicians alike. She combines the sonority, vocal range and discipline of a classical lieder soprano with subtle and sultry jazz inflections. Everything she sings is meaningful, well thought out and in good taste. She works with the best instrumentalists and has a consummate grasp of both swing and the modern jazz idiom. All these elements are manifest in her newest album, Beyond the Blue, where Souter takes familiar themes ...

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Album Review

Tessa Souter: Beyond The Blue

Read "Beyond The Blue" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


The mere mention of jazz-classical hybridization may draw scowls from jazz fans who've encountered more than their fare share of ill-conceived projects that trade in on this idea, but vocalist Tessa Souter avoids all the usual pitfalls. Beyond The Blue isn't about joining these worlds at the hip; it's about using the frameworks and melodies of classical works as the foundation and scaffolding for new ideas. Souter saunters her way through a dozen alluring pieces built around ...

272
Live Review

Tessa Souter: Half Moon Bay, February 13, 2011

Read "Tessa Souter: Half Moon Bay, February 13, 2011" reviewed by Bill Leikam


Tessa SouterDouglas Beach HouseHalf Moon Bay, CaliforniaFebruary 13, 2011 There are times, at the Douglas Beach House (aka the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society), when a singer comes in and subtly moves the audience to a deeper attention than might otherwise be the case. So it was, when jazz vocalist, composer, and lyricist Tessa Souter took the stage on Sunday, February 13, 2011. Aside from Souter, the quintet consisted drummer Akira Tana, bassist Dan ...

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Recording

Tessa Souter: Picture in B&W

Tessa Souter: Picture in B&W

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Discovering something new about your ancestry has to be an awakening experience. I would imagine that learning the truth about your heritage would hit you like a bucket of cold water, instantly washing away past assumptions and putting your personal history in sharp focus. When singer Tessa Souter found out in 1984 that her birth father was from Trinidad, it changed her life dramatically. She quickly realized that she had roots in Africa, the Caribbean, ancient Britain and Spain—all of ...

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Recording

Music Discoveries of the Week

Music Discoveries of the Week

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

For the past two weeks, my overloaded schedule has kept me from reviewing CD and DVD discoveries in my Weekend Wax Bits roundup—which goes up early on Saturdays. So I figured why not present the reviews today—on a Tuesday: When vocalist Tessa Souter mentioned to Tetsuo Hara, owner of Venus Records, that she dug Steve Kuhn's recording of Prelude in E Minor by Chopin, Hara had a suggestion: How about an album of classical melodies set to words? Tessa agreed, ...

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Recording

Vocalist Tessa Souter's 2nd Motema CD, "Beyond The Blue," Due May 8

Vocalist Tessa Souter's 2nd Motema CD, "Beyond The Blue," Due May 8

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

Since her 2004 recording debut, Tessa Souter has established herself as a fearless innovator in vocal jazz—“broadly imaginative” (New York Times), “expressive... full of passion” (Philadelphia Inquirer), “direct and soulful” (Village Voice). NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan places her “at the top of my list of great talent.” On Souter’s new Beyond the Blue, her fourth CD and second for Motema Music, the London-born Anglo-Trinidadian New Yorker has raised the bar once again. Souter assembled a dozen classical melodies by ...

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Performance / Tour

Vocalist Tessa Souter @ Blues Alley - September 21, 2009

Vocalist Tessa Souter @ Blues Alley - September 21, 2009

Source: Jason Byrne, Red Cat Publicity

Vocalist TESSA SOUTER @ BLUES ALLEY - SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 with with Jason Ennis (guitar), James King Junior (bass) + Nasar Abadey (drums) CD RELEASE CELEBRATION for OBSESSION Blues Alley Jazz Supper Club is located at 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007 $20 cover, $10 minimum, two sets: 8 and 10pm, Tel 202 337 4141 OBSESSION is hot at Radio this week: Most Added JazzWeek Chart Most added CMJ Jazz Chart On August 11, 2009 ...

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Performance / Tour

Norma Winstone, Tessa Souter, Tim Garland, Tony Kofi in Final Made in the UK Shows at Sweet Rhythm NY

Norma Winstone, Tessa Souter, Tim Garland, Tony Kofi in Final Made in the UK Shows at Sweet Rhythm NY

Source: All About Jazz

The Made in the UK concert series comes to an end this weekend with two double bills at Sweet Rhythm (88 7th Ave South) featuring four out of nine of the bands who have proved such a success at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival this week. Norma Winstone with Gareth Williams / Tessa Souter Quartet Saturday 20th June / 8pm and 10pm / $20 Tim Garland's Lighthouse Trio / Tony Kofi Quartet Sunday 21st June ...

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Performance / Tour

NYC-Based British-Caribbean Vocalist Tessa Souter @ Pizza Express, Dean St, Feb 15 & 16

NYC-Based British-Caribbean Vocalist Tessa Souter @ Pizza Express, Dean St, Feb 15 & 16

Source: All About Jazz

New York-based British-Caribbean vocalist Tessa Souter returns to Pizza Express, Dean St, Feb 15 & 16, with superb band of British musicians PIZZA EXPRESS, DEAN ST 10 DEAN STREET, LONDON, UK TEL: (0207) 439-8722 22 COVER with STUART HALL (GUITAR/VIOLIN/BAZOUKI), GEOFF GASCOYNE (BASS) WINSTON CLIFFORD (DRUMS), + ROGER BEAUJOLAIS (VIBES, FRI. ONLY) & NIKKI ILES (PIANO, SAT. ONLY) “World class" LOS ANGELES TIMES “It's one thing to hear a superb set from a known ...

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Performance / Tour

Tessa Souter @ Joe's Pub, Sunday, January 27, 2008

Tessa Souter @ Joe's Pub, Sunday, January 27, 2008

Source: All About Jazz

Tessa Souter performs at Joe's Pub with Jason Ennis (guitar), Gary Wang (bass) + special guest Victor Prieto (accordion) Sunday, January 27, 2008 Sunday, JANUARY 27, 2008, 9.30 PM ONE SET ONLY JOE'S PUB 425 Lafayette St (@ East 4th), New York Trains: 6 to Astor Place or N/R/W to 8th St Res: (212) 539-8778 or telecharge: (212) 239-6200 $15 in adv / $20 on door. Two drink min. “British-Caribbean ...

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Performance / Tour

Tessa Souter Trio Friday, December 14th at 55 Bar Sets at 6.15 & 8 PM

Tessa Souter Trio Friday, December 14th at 55 Bar Sets at 6.15 & 8 PM

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

JUST BACK FROM HER SUCCESSFUL DEBUT HEADLINING AT THE MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, MOSCOW, AT WHICH SHE RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION FROM AN AUDIENCE OF 1500, TESSA SOUTER RETURNS TO HER REGULAR MONTHLY 'HOME' GIG AT THE 55 BAR ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2007 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2007 55 BAR 55 Christopher Street @Seventh Avenue New York 10014 Tel: 212-929-9883 Sets at 6.15 & 8 pm

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Performance / Tour

Tessa Souter at the Jazz Standard, Monday, October 22

Tessa Souter at the Jazz Standard, Monday, October 22

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

FOLLOWING HER SUCCESSFUL DEBUT AT THE JAZZ BAKERY IN LOS ANGELES, TESSA SOUTER RETURNS TO NEW YORK TO APPEAR IN QUINTET AT THE JAZZ STANDARD

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2007 JAZZ STANDARD 116 East 27th Street (between Park and Lexington) New York 10016 Tel: 212-576-2232 http://www.jazzstandard.com/ Sets at 7.30pm & 9.30pm Cover $20 + TAX. NO MINIMUM

TESSA SOUTER QUINTET WITH ...

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Performance / Tour

Tessa Souter Quartet Featuring Guitarist Larry Koonse at the Jazz Bakery Friday & Saturday, September 21 & 22 Sets at 8PM & 9.30PM

Tessa Souter Quartet Featuring Guitarist Larry Koonse at the Jazz Bakery Friday & Saturday, September 21 & 22 Sets at 8PM & 9.30PM

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Following her recent SOLD OUT performances at the Blue Note, New York,Rochester International Jazz Festival and Pizza on the Park, London, and successful debuts at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage and Philadelphia Art Museum Tessa Souter debuts at the Jazz Bakery, Los Angeles on Friday & Saturday, September 21 & 22 Cover $25 (half price deals for students under 21, check web site) Jazz Bakery 3233 Helms Ave. Culver City Los Angeles, CA 90034 ...

...a talented... broadly imaginative singer. NEW YORK TIMES

Souter, whose musical sophistication gives her a significant advantage in the competitive clamor surrounding the current world of ambitious female jazz artists, also has the rare quality of authenticity. Unlike many of her contemporaries she seems more focused on exploring the limitless creativity of the art than simply having another go at the Great American Songbook. LOS ANGELES TIMES

On her amazing album Listen Love, she delivers powerful versions of nonstandards such as Pat Martino’s “Willow” and Pharoah Sanders’ complex “The Creator Has a Master Plan,” in addition to her originals, all delivered in a crystal-clear voice with diamond-cut phrasing and a slight tinge of melancholy. She’s a gem. PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

Like Norma Winstone—whose lyrics for Jimmy Rowles' "The Peacocks" she uses here—Souter understands what is needed to deliver a song.... Souter's singing style feels natural and organic — her rich, dark voice combines with her ability to see the shape of a tune and so the words seem to come from her soul. DONALD ELFMAN, ALL ABOUT JAZZ

An Afro-British-Caribbean stylist who proves that the jazz singer’s repertoire is no longer limited to the Great American Songbook. Direct and soulful. Plus she’s the only singer who can make sense of Pharoah Sanders, ‘The Creator Has a Master Plan.’ VILLAGE VOICE

Tessa Souter brings new life to time-honored standards while also mining a creative spark from the unlikeliest quarters—Sting’s “Fragile,” Pharoah Sanders’ “The Creator Has A Master Plan,” even Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez.” ...Gentle, spare accompaniment... helps emphasize Souter’s understated, intimate approach. TIME OUT NEW YORK

Unlike many jazz singers, who either emulate the brassy blasts of a trumpet or the gymnastic lines of a saxophone, Souter uses the sustained waves of a violinist. Her voice is sinuous and elastic, stretching and caressing a melody with an actress' sense of the emotional meaning of each lyric. Souter's debut, Listen Love (Nara), is striking for reasons beyond her voice, however. First, the CD is refreshingly free of the Great American Songbook. The closest Souter comes to a standard is her snake-charming rendition of ‘Caravan.’ PHILADELPHIA CITY PAPER

Soulful. You’ll be hearing more from this lady. LA WEEKLY

On her new album, 'Listen Love' (Nara Music), she avoids the obvious earmarks of jazz style: There are no horns, little piano, and a lot of guitars and percussion. Still, Ms. Souter is undeniably a jazz singer. When she does 'Caravan,' she stretches notes to suggest pentatonic chanting, accompanied by guitar and bass mimicking Middle Eastern string instruments... Ms. Souter has also supplied lyrics to several instrumentals, including Pat Martino's 'Willow'.... Her rendition of Pharoah Sanders's 'The Creator Has a Master Plan' proves that it's possible to be spiritual and sensual at the same time. THE NEW YORK SUN

Tessa Souter's Listen Love marks the debut of an important new jazz singer. It's hard to believe she only recently became a vocalist, because she sings with the authority and passion that usually comes from long experience. JIM MOTAVELLI, RADIO HOST, WPKN FM

Ms. Souter dazzles and stuns with her vocal expertise on a potpourri of classics and a few that she adds her own lyrics to. All rendered with taste and élan. It’s a jam packed world out in jazz vocal land but Ms. Souter is able to lend an innate musicality and tastefulness to her performances that separates her from the herd. Jimmy Rowles’ The Peacocks shimmers in her voice, while Pat Martino’s Willow gains added depth with Ms. Souter’s own lyrical bent. Caravan is done with a gorgeously referenced Middle Eastern feel that sounds more right than the original. Pharoah Sander’s The Creator Has A Master Plan is even better as performed by Ms. Souter than Leon Thomas’s version as she makes the music and lyrics come together with added depth to the spiritual aspects of the piece. All in all Ms. Souter imbues her singing with sensitivity and profound insights without beating you over the head. An outstanding new release.” JOHN HAMMEL, WNTI RADIO WEBSITE REVIEW

”Reflective, spare, serious, hypnotic... I've been playing it over and over and keep finding new things … settle back and be bathed in a simply beautiful voice possessed by someone who has learned how to use it.” TALKINGTOBROADWAY.COM

MUSICIANS’ QUOTES

Tessa Souter has all the qualities I value most in a musician: great time, beautiful phrasing, gorgeous sound, a respect for silence, an emotional connection to the moment, and a wonderful ability to tell a story. She is the "real thing" in every way. LARRY KOONSE

Magnificent! I couldn’t stop playing it over and over. She blew me away! JON LUCIEN

One of the finest of the growing singers in our midst. Tessa is a complete musician whose range of music, expression and dynamic presentation are remarkable and very moving, completely capturing her audience. MARK MURPHY

An important musician. Tessa has naturally what people spend years trying to develop. Her brilliant lyrics and songs make her stand out from the pack so very much. And she creates a mood and an atmosphere when she takes the stage. HOWARD JOHNSON

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Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Beyond the Blue

Venus Records
2014

buy

Beyond The Blue

Motéma Music
2012

buy

Nights of Key Largo

Venus Records
2009

buy

Obsession

Motéma Music
2009

buy

Beyond The Blue

From: Beyond The Blue
By Tessa Souter

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