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Madeleine Peyroux

Madeleine Peyroux [pronounced like the country Peru] was born in Athens, Georgia, she grew up between Brooklyn, Southern California and Paris, though it was in the City of Light where she found her voice. As a teen she was drawn to street music, and in 1989 she started to perform with a group of buskers. She then joined the Lost Wandering Blues & Jazz Band, becoming the only female in the group, which toured around Europe for several years.

Madeleine burst onto the recording scene in 1996, with her stunning debut album “Dreamland.” Madeleine was greeted with a veritable torrent of gushing reviews. Most raved about her smoke-and-whiskey vocals, often comparing her to the late, great Billie Holiday. Others wondered how someone so young could perform classic songs by Holiday, Bessie Smith and Patsy Cline so convincingly as to make them sound like her own.

Madeleine, then an American who had been living in Paris as a street musician, suddenly found herself on the fast track to fame. Appearances at Lilith Fair and jazz festivals, and opening tours for Sarah McLachlan and Cesaria Evora followed, while “Dreamland's” sales reached an impressive 200,000 copies worldwide. "It was great," recalls Madeleine. "I got to perform with fantastic musicians. I got to see Nina Simone live. I could've kept running with it, but instead I stepped back and took a breather."

”Careless Love,” on Rounder Records released in 2004, eight years after the release of “Dreamland.” Waiting that long to release her sophomore album is admittedly not a typical career move, but then Madeleine is not a typical artist.

”Careless Love,” featured songs as old as W. C. Handy's bluesy title track, popularized by Bessie Smith in the late 1920s, and others as recent as Elliott Smith's folky "Between the Bars." Madeleine also covers material as diverse as Hank Williams' "Weary Blues" and Leonard Cohen's "Dance Me to the End of Love."

Madeleine spent much of the time between “Dreamland” and “Careless Love,” out of the public eye. But she never stopped singing, returning to her busking roots with street performances and club dates around the world from Los Angeles (to New Orleans to New York City) to Western Europe before being signed by Rounder Records in 2003.

”Careless Love,” was a worldwide sales and critical success, putting Madeleine back on fame's fast track.

Madeleine's followed up “Careless Love,” with “Half the Perfect World,” released Sept. 2006, again pairing Madeleine and producer Larry Klein. The new record builds on and expands on the direction set with her previous work, featuring a broad range of songwriters including Madeleine herself. Indeed, Peyroux's vocals bring such insight into both covers and originals on “Half the Perfect World,” that a theme emerges as many of the albums songs explore romantic relationships from a distinctly female perspective.

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Live Review

Madeleine Peyroux at The Coach House

Read "Madeleine Peyroux at The Coach House" reviewed by Dave Linn


Madeleine Peyroux The Coach House San Juan Capistrano, CA August 19, 2023 On the eve of Tropical Storm Hilary barreling up the Southern California coast, Madeleine Peyroux was scheduled to perform at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. The storm threat did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the sold-out crowd who braved the elements to see this unique singer/songwriter do her thing. Backed by a crack band, featuring Guitar God Jon Herrington (the ...

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Live Review

Madeleine Peyroux At Freight & Salvage

Read "Madeleine Peyroux At Freight & Salvage" reviewed by Walter Atkins


Madeleine Peyroux Freight & Salvage The Anthem Tour Berkeley CA May 11, 2018 Popular singer/songwriter Madeleine Peyroux came to Berkeley's long running Freight & Salvage venue to fill a four night standing room only engagement. The veteran recording artist also brought a sparkling new band and featured songs from her current album Anthem, inspired by the late Canadian songwriter/poet Leonard Cohen who passed in 2016. The opening act was the provocative jny: ...

Album Review

Madeleine Peyroux: Secular Hymns

Read "Secular Hymns" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro


A vent'anni dalla sua opera prima, Dreamland, la quarantatreenne cantante nativa di Athens (Georgia americana) e parigina d'adozione sforna il settimo album interamente a suo nome, in cui convivono anime diverse (e non è una novità), nel rispetto del titolo anche proprio come spettro temporale. È così che l'iniziale “Got You on My Mind" ci rimanda ai primissimi anni Cinquanta, in un clima molto garbato, equilibrato tra le varie (timbricamente preziose) forze in campo, il che si conferma via via ...

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Album Review

Madeleine Peyroux: Secular Hymns

Read "Secular Hymns" reviewed by John Eyles


Remarkably, Madeleine Peyroux's Secular Hymns comes twenty years after her debut release, Dreamland (Atlantic, 1996), which catapulted her into the public eye and garnered heaps of praise. Since then her voice has often been compared to mid-career Billie Holiday, and that comparison remains valid on Secular Hymns. Some singers would find that a millstone around their neck, but Peyroux continues to wear it well. It is surprising that, two decades since Dreamland, this is only her seventh solo album release. ...

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Live Review

Madeleine Peyroux at Yoshi's Oakland

Read "Madeleine Peyroux at Yoshi's Oakland" reviewed by Walter Atkins


Madeleine Peyroux Yoshi's Oakland Oakland California October 27, 2015 Madeleine Peyroux flew into the comfortable confines of Yoshi's Oakland for a two-day mid week stand. On this Tuesday evening, she featured hit songs from her first anthology album Keep Me in Your Heart for a While: The Best of Madeleine Peyroux (Rounder, 2014). The opening night's second set showcased her personalized blend of blues, jazz and country. Her trio included veterans Jon Herington and Barak ...

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Album Review

Madeleine Peyroux: Keep Me In Your Heart For A While: The Best Of Madeleine Peyroux

Read "Keep Me In Your Heart For A While: The Best Of Madeleine Peyroux" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Vocalist and composer Madeleine Peyroux has a stylistic reach well beyond that of jazz. Her only peer in this respect is Nora Jones. True, she has a great fascination with Billie Holiday, but she has managed to assimilate this influence into her own presence and parlay it into the para-jazz realm with intelligent programming and song choice. These have been the hallmark of Peyroux's art over her six recordings. Peyroux's music is beautifully crafted and organic with ...

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Album Review

Madeleine Peyroux: The Blue Room

Read "The Blue Room" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


The nucleus of Madeleine Peyruoux's The Blue Room is Ray Charles' Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music (ABC, 1962). It was an idea percolating in the brain of long-time Peyroux producer Larry Klein, who was considering a re-examination of the Charles classic and evolved into something more than a simple homage, something with the same intention as Charles had fifty years ago. Collaborating with Peyroux, Klein decided on other songs the two favored, adding to the Charles Country canon ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz this week: Emmet Cohen, Madeleine Peyroux, Victor Wooten, and more

Jazz this week: Emmet Cohen, Madeleine Peyroux, Victor Wooten, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week's calendar of jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes the local debut of a promising young pianist, a festival of student big bands, return appearances from a jazz-influenced singer and a virtuoso electric bassist, and more. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, March 22 The NYC-based pianist Emmet Cohen will perform at the Curtain Call Lounge with his trio, which customarily features bassist Russell Hall, of the house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and ...

Performance / Tour

From the Streets of Paris to Philadelphia Madeleine Peyroux Performs Works From New Album The Blue Room at the Merriam Theater, Oct. 25

From the Streets of Paris to Philadelphia Madeleine Peyroux Performs Works From New Album The Blue Room at the Merriam Theater, Oct. 25

Source: Michael Ricci

After a successful debut performance at the Kimmel Center ‘s Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts 2013 XPN Welcomes singer- songwriter event, Madeleine Peyroux returns to make her debut at the Merriam Theater performing new works from recent album release, The Blue Room, on Friday, October 25 at 8 p.m. The Blue Room remained No. 1 on Itunes for over a month, and features the hit single, “Changing All Those Changes,” with the genre-bending singer reimagining classic hits, in a ...

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Recording

Madeleine Peyroux Announces New Album "The Blue Room," Out March 5th

Madeleine Peyroux Announces New Album "The Blue Room," Out March 5th

Source: Big Hassle

VIDEO FOR FIRST SINGLE CHANGING ALL THOSE CHANGES NOW ONLINE CONFIRMED WORLD TOUR INCLUDES TWO NIGHTS AT LINCOLN CENTER IN NYC New York, NY— Decca Records is proud to announce the release of Madeleine Peyroux's new album The Blue Room. Set for a March 5th release, The Blue Room sees Madeleine and longtime collaborator / legendary producer Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock), re-examine Ray Charles’ classic, and one of his most controversial albums, Modern Sounds In Country And Western ...

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Performance / Tour

Sheldon Announces "Buy One, Get One Free" Offer on Tickets for Madeleine Peyroux

Sheldon Announces "Buy One, Get One Free" Offer on Tickets for Madeleine Peyroux

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

The Sheldon Concert Hall and MetroTix have announced a “buy one, get one free" offer on tickets for the upcoming concert by singer, songwriter and guitarist Madeleine Peyroux (pictured). Peyroux will make her St. Louis debut at the Sheldon at 7:30 p.m. this coming Sunday, May 20. Regular ticket prices for the concert are $45 and $40. The two-for-one offer is available online at the MetroTix website; by phone at 314-534-1111; in person at the Fox Theatre box office; or ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo, Madeleine Peyroux, Eastern Blok, Marcus Lewis, Miles Davis Jazz Festival, and More

Jazz This Week: Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo, Madeleine Peyroux, Eastern Blok, Marcus Lewis, Miles Davis Jazz Festival, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

The week's schedule of jazz and creative music in St. Louis offers a wide variety of sounds and sights, including Balkan-tinged guitar, funk trombone, fusion harp, saxophone-playing twins, a festival featuring St. Louis musicians paying tribute to our area's most famous jazz icon, and much more. Let's go to the highlights... Tonight, guitarist Goran Ivanovic and his band Eastern Blok are coming down from Chicago to play a show at Pop's Blue Moon celebrating the release of their new CD ...

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Performance / Tour

Sheldon, Metrotix Offering Online Presale of Tickets for Madeleine Peyroux

Sheldon, Metrotix Offering Online Presale of Tickets for Madeleine Peyroux

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

The Sheldon Concert Hall and Metrotix are offering online buyers first chance to purchase single tickets for the St. Louis debut of singer Madeleine Peyroux at the Sheldon on Sunday, May 20. Tickets for the concert are $45 orchestra, $40 balcony, and the pre-sale begins at 10:00 a.m. this Friday, April 20, one day before the general on-sale date. To purchase tickets then, go to www.metrotix.com/promotions and enter promotional code MP12. Peyroux's concert is being presented by the Friends of ...

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Performance / Tour

Madeleine Peyroux to Perform Sunday, May 20 at the Sheldon

Madeleine Peyroux to Perform Sunday, May 20 at the Sheldon

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Madeleine Peyroux (pictured) will make her St. Louis debut in a performance at 7:30 p.m., Sunday May 20 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Noted for a vocal sound that's been compared frequently to Billie Holiday, Peyroux released her first record back in 1996, but didn't really gain widespread attention until her 2004 album Careless Love. She's put out three more albums since then, and over the course of her career has covered material associated with musicians ...

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Performance / Tour

Win Tickets to Madeleine Peyroux Concert in Boston on October 7

Win Tickets to Madeleine Peyroux Concert in Boston on October 7

Source: MassJazz: Jazz in Massachusetts

Jazz and roots singerMadeleine Peyroux is returning to Boston onFriday, October 7, 2011 for a 7:30 p.m. concert at the Berklee Performance Centerin the Back Bay, and MassJazz has a pair ofgreat seats to give away. Enter the contest and take a chance on seeing one of the coolest new voices to emerge inthe music world over the past few years. Or, if you don't want to risk missing out on this one-nightonly performance, you can also purchase tickets here. ...

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Performance / Tour

Madeleine Peyroux Performing at Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Friday, October 7

Madeleine Peyroux Performing at Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Friday, October 7

Source: MassJazz: Jazz in Massachusetts


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Concerts

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Let's Walk

Just One Recording
2024

buy

Anthem

Decca
2018

buy

Jazz Loves Disney 2

Verve Label Group
2017

buy

Secular Hymns

Impulse! Records
2016

buy

Keep Me In Your Heart...

Rounder Records
2014

buy

Videos

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