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Nnenna Freelon

Six-time GRAMMY® Award nominee Nnenna Freelon is known worldwide as a compelling and captivating live performer. Recently, Nnenna starred in the critically acclaimed show Georgia on My Mind: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles - no stranger to the music of the master singer - she toured with Ray Charles, as well as many other great jazz artists including Ellis Marsalis, Al Jarreau, George Benson, Earl Klugh, Take 6, and others.

Accolades and awards have abounded - performances at The White House, headlining the Asia Pacific Economic Summit for three hundred Presidents, Premiers and Heads of State, receiving the YWCA of North Carolina’s inaugural “Legend Award” for her outstanding artistry and her dedication to education, and so much more.

Educating young people, both musicians and non-musicians, and students of all ages has propelled her advocacy - Nnenna toured the United States as the National Spokesperson for Partners in Education. Her master classes and workshops, from “Sound Sculpture” to the ground-breaking “Babysong,” instruct adults and children that you too can change the world – even one person at a time - with her anthem “One Child at a Time” found on her “Soulcall” recording. From Partners in Education to the United Way, Freelon has been a tireless advocate and fundraiser for education and arts causes.

Amid a burgeoning activity schedule, 2019 and 2020 also brought profound challenges and loss. In 2019, Nnenna's husband for 40 years, renowned architect Phil Freelon, passed away after his battle with ALS. Within six months, Nnenna's sister, Dr. Debbie Pierce passed away from cancer.

In her efforts to find her voice amidst these challenges Nnenna has begun to emerge with new ways to share her feelings and express her experiences - a new podcast called Great Grief and a new recording entitled Time Traveler are on the horizon for 2021.

From Nnenna's turn in What Women Want (featuring her hit "If I Had You") starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt to her own production (as writer/composer, singer/actress, producer) of the theatrical musical play The Clothesline Muse, to her triumphant role in composer Laura Karpman’s undertaking of Langston Hughes’ Ask Your Mama at The Apollo Theater and at The Hollywood Bowl with opera superstar Jessye Norman and the indie phenom band The Roots, she continues to wow audiences at SRO shows - even as she embarks on new avenues.

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Radio & Podcasts

Betcha By Golly Wow - New Releases From Nnenna Freelon, Aubrey Logan, Rosa Passos and More

Read "Betcha By Golly Wow - New Releases From Nnenna Freelon, Aubrey Logan, Rosa Passos  and More" reviewed by Mary Foster Conklin


This broadcast presents a boatload of new releases from vocalists Nnenna Freelon, Aubrey Logan, Dara Tucker, Rosa Passos and Jonathan Karrant, organist Kendall Carter, and the Alchemy Song Project with birthday shoutouts to pianists Brittany Anjou, Yoko Miwa, guitarist Sheryl Bailey, flutist Jan Leder, and vocalist Carmen Souza, among others. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by purchasing their music.Playlist Brittany Anjou “Hard Boiled Soup" from Enamigo Reciprokataj (Origin) 00:00 The Lascivious Biddies “Betty" ...

1
Live Review

Nnenna Freelan With The Charleston Jazz Orchestra at Charleston Music Hall

Read "Nnenna Freelan With The Charleston Jazz Orchestra at Charleston Music Hall" reviewed by Rob Rosenblum


Nnenna Freelon with the Charleston Jazz Orchestra Charleston Music Hall Charleston, SC January 18, 2018 If you were expecting fireworks and bombastic performances of favorite pop tunes, jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon might have disappointed you in her Charleston debut last Friday night at the Charleston Music Hall. But if your ears were open to a seasoned professional who had honed her craft to near perfection, while leaving herself open to subtle changes in inflection ...

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Album Review

Nnenna Freelon & the John Brown Big Band: Christmas

Read "Christmas" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Renowned jazz singer Nnenna Freelon's first Christmas album truly is a gift, made possible by a small bequest from her Christmas-loving mother and a long-time friendship with John Brown, director of Duke University's Jazz Studies program and leader of the splendid John Brown Big Band. Brown not only made his ensemble available but co-produced the album with Freelon and released it on his own label, Brown Boulevard Records. It's clear that this is something Freelon has wanted ...

378
Live Review

Nnenna Freelon Live At The Saville Theater, San Diego

Read "Nnenna Freelon Live At The Saville Theater, San Diego" reviewed by Robert Bush


Nnenna Freelon Saville Theater, San Diego City College San Diego, CA November 9, 2010 Vocalist Nnenna Freelon has enjoyed her share of commercial success over the years (she's been nominated for six Grammy Awards), but not enough to damage her artistic integrity. She's got one hell of a voice, which she employs to great effect by never overdoing it. She has the innate ability to organize most of her phrasing just a fraction behind ...

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Album Review

Nnenna Freelom: Homefree

Read "Homefree" reviewed by Fred Bouchard


Nnenna Freelon can be spotted miles off, like neon or a rainbow. The tall, rawboned, outspoken gal from Cambridge, MA via North Carolina owns a musical persona as unique as her name. She nails her ancient/modern, genre-jumping repertoire, embraces it, inhabits it organically and belts it with a hearty, emphatic attack. You can tell her from a phrase--even a note--as she goes merrily variegating vowels, taffy-pulling syllables, signifying scat sounds (gong-gong), sing-songing exit vamps; check her risqué ...

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Live Review

Nnenna Freelon and Evidence Dance Celebrate Lady Day at Apollo Premiere

Read "Nnenna Freelon and Evidence Dance Celebrate Lady Day at Apollo Premiere" reviewed by Daniel Kassell


Nnenna Freelon, Ronald K. Brown and Evidence Dance Company The Blueprint of a Lady Apollo Theater, NYC November 10, 2007

Subtitled “The Once and Future Life of Billie Holiday," a concept of vocalist Nnenna Freelon in collaboration with choreographer-dancer Ronald K. Brown and his Evidence Dance Company, the occasion was introduced by Jonelle Procope, President of the Apollo Foundation, as the “the first Art & Soul presentation of The Apollo Performing Arts Series.

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Album Review

Nnenna Freelon: Blueprint of a Lady

Read "Blueprint of a Lady" reviewed by Jim Santella


Nnenna Freelon and Billie Holiday have many things in common. Both possess a unique vocal timbre that's instantly identifiable. Both have worked with superb accompanists who honor the jazz tradition admirably. And both interpret songs with the kind of deep feeling that endears each performance to our hearts. We can't help falling in love with their performances.

With her sixth Concord release, which comes highly recommended, Freelon sings the songs that Billie Holiday left us. “Don't Explain" and ...

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Website

All About Jazz Top 10 Tracks: May 2021

All About Jazz Top 10 Tracks: May 2021

Source: All About Jazz

All About Jazz features a free song every day spanning all genres of jazz, and of the 31 tracks featured in May, these ten represent our personal favorites. We also included the top ten reader favorites as indicated by total listens. Musicians and record labels can submit full length MP3s for consideration here. Enjoy! Top Tracks I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me Fifth Element From: Fifth Element 4:07 Time Traveler

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Event

Inaugural Jazz Philadelphia Summit Announced

Inaugural Jazz Philadelphia Summit Announced

Source: All About Jazz

During the inaugural Jazz Philadelphia Summit on Nov. 2 and 3, 2018, regional and national jazz luminaries will gather in Center City Philadelphia to honor the city’s deep jazz roots and discuss its future. Musicians, jazz enthusiasts, advocates, funders, and the arts and culture community are gathering at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the University of the Arts for both high-level discussions and hands-on workshops about the art and business of jazz. Sessions will be held from ...

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Performance / Tour

Feinstein's At Loews Regency Presents The Debut Of Six-Time Grammy Nominated Jazz Vocalist Nnenna Freelon

Feinstein's At Loews Regency Presents The Debut Of Six-Time Grammy Nominated Jazz Vocalist Nnenna Freelon

Source: Miller Wright & Associates

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed “Best of New York" by New York Magazine and “an invaluable New York institution" by The New York Post will continue its Spring 2011 season with the debut of six time Grammy Award nominee NNENNA FREELON from May 10 through 14. The show “Lena: A Lovesome Thing" honors Lena Horne's legendary music career, with a specific focus on her friendship and professional association with the composer Billy Strayhorn. It will feature his compositions ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz Legend Makes Annenberg Center Debut

Jazz Legend Makes Annenberg Center Debut

Source: AAJ Staff

Herbie Hancock calls her “a wonderful song stylist." Melba Moore says that “she's a reincarnation of Ella Fitzgerald." And Aretha Franklin proclaims “if you're looking for good entertainment and very hip music, be sure to check out Nnenna Freelon." And Philadelphia audiences will be able to do just that as the six-time Grammy Award nominee makes her Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts debut on April 1 at 8 p.m. Freelon will be singing songs from her newest CD, “Home ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz Singer and Six-Time Grammy Nominee Nnenna Freelon Makes Her Annenberg Center Debut

Jazz Singer and Six-Time Grammy Nominee Nnenna Freelon Makes Her Annenberg Center Debut

Source: AAJ Staff

“Freelon makes each song such a personal statement that they all seem fresh and new..." USA Today (Philadelphia)—Herbie Hancock calls her “a wonderful song stylist," Melba Moore says that “she's a reincarnation of Ella Fitzgerald," and Aretha Franklin proclaims “if you're looking for good entertainment and very hip music, be sure to check out Nnenna Freelon." The six-time Grammy® Award nominee makes her Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts debut singing jazz standards and highlights from her most recent album ...

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Recording

The Beast & Nnenna Freelon: "Freedom Suite" - Free Album Download

The Beast & Nnenna Freelon: "Freedom Suite" - Free Album Download

Source: Giant Step

Jazz vocalist and multi Grammy nominee Nnenna Freelon joins hip-hop quartet The Beast release Freedom Suite: a 10-track collection of creative reflections on jazz and hip-hop. Freedom Suite is available for FREE download, digitally released on Okayplayer's jazz inspired channel, The Revivalist. With guest appearances from 9th Wonder, Branford Marsalis, Phonte (of The Foreign Exchange/Little Brother), YahZarah, Geechi Suede (of Camp Lo) and several others, Freedom Suite follows in the tradition of other collaborative jazz and hip-hop projects like the ...

270

Recording

The Beast and Nnenna Freelon Present Freedom Suite, Hosted by 9th Wonder + MP3

The Beast and Nnenna Freelon Present Freedom Suite, Hosted by 9th Wonder + MP3

Source: Giant Step

The Beast, a hip-hop quartet featuring emcee Pierce Freelon brings multi Grammy nominee jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon into the group for Freedom Suite, a collection of original songs, classic interpretations and interviews reflecting on jazz and hip-hop today. The entire album will be available for free download on October 26th, via The Revivalist, Okayplayer's new jazz site. The music of Freedom Suite combines a live jazz aesthetic with a electronic, sample-based hip-hop aesthetic and features artists like 9th Wonder, Geechi ...

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Performance / Tour

Bending Melodies into Unorthodox Shapes

Bending Melodies into Unorthodox Shapes

Source: Michael Ricci

Heading into her encore at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola on Tuesday night, Nnenna Freelon gave her audience the illusion of a choice. “Are you guys feeling frisky or sentimental?" she asked. Frisky, came the reply. Well, all right, then: the band struck up a light-funk groove, and Ms. Freelon plunged into one last song, parsing lyrics with syncopation. “Dreeeaam," she sang, “beside me. In-the-mid-night-glow. The lamp. Is low." She was working with “The Lamp Is Low," a songbook standard of murmuring ...

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Recording

Nnenna Freelon Releases New CD - "Homefree"

Nnenna Freelon Releases New CD - "Homefree"

Source: On Target Media Group

The new CD from multi-Grammy nominated vocalist Nnenna Freelon, Homefree, hits stores today (CD & digital) via Concord Jazz Records. The new album is Freelon's 7th Concord release and is a soulful, swinging album that Freelon calls her “home brew." The collection is comprised largely of contemporary interpretations of classic American Songbook tunes as well as a new original (the witty, playful and poignant “Cell Phone Blues" composed by the singer) and spirited arrangements of two ...

122

Recording

Nnenna Freelon to Release New Record

Nnenna Freelon to Release New Record

Source: On Target Media Group

Next week, Concord Jazz will release Homefree, the highly anticipated new album from esteemed jazz vocalist and multi-Grammy nominee, Nnenna Freelon. Homefree is a collection of contemporary interpretations of classic American Songbook tunes as well as a new poignant original, “Cell Phone Blues" composed by Nnenna, and spirited arrangements of two anthems (the gospel treasure “Lift Every Voice and Sing" and the national hymn “America the Beautiful") that close the album. Homefree, ...

"Freelon had no problem charming the audience with a bright, rhythmically infectious performance." —Mike Joyce, The Washington Post

"Freelon makes each song such a personal statement that they all seem fresh and new..." —Steve Jones, USA Today

"Nnenna Freelon possesses that rarest of qualities... she makes (standards) sound freshly minted, refreshingly new... her phrasing is original, surprising... she mines the (melodies) for new and hidden meaning... and imaginative spirit that reaches out and bubbles over..." —Robert L. Daniels, Variety

"...there is no doubt that Freelon has now positioned herself in the very top echelon..." —Don Heckman,Los Angeles Times

Nina Simone
piano and vocals

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Time Traveler

Origin Records
2021

buy

Christmas

Brown Boulevard Records
2013

buy

Homefree

Concord Music Group
2010

buy

Better Than Anything:...

Concord Music Group
2008

buy

Blueprint Of A Lady

Concord Music Group
2005

buy

Blueprint of a Lady:...

Concord Music Group
2005

buy

Time Traveler

From: Time Traveler
By Nnenna Freelon

Baby, It's Cold Outside

From: Christmas
By Nnenna Freelon

Videos

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