kelseyjillette.com

Kelsey Jillette, vocals
Projects: Kelsey Jillette Group, The Big Bang Big Band, Ila/Kelsey Duo, Hemmings and Jillette, Live & Studio sidework.

Born in Washington, D.C., Kelsey Jillette holds degrees in Theater Arts (Brown University) and Jazz Performance (The New School University) and has studied with Reggie Workman, David Glasser, Jane Ira Bloom, Mike Longo, Richard Harper and Janet Lawson.
She has spent the last seven years in New York City leading The Kelsey Jillette Group, an organ quartet. She fronts the 10- to 16-piece Big Bang Big Band, a classic dance orchestra under the direction of Tom Abbott. Jillette also works with both guitarist Paul Hemmings (Hemmings & Jillette), and acclaimed NYC guitarist Ila Cantor.

ABOUT THE MUSIC

Jillette's music is rooted in classic jazz, but bears modern and world music influences, drawing on styles from Latin traditional to country, pop to bebop. With an extensive standards repertoire, she performs arrangements of classic tunes from the American songbook, as well as blues, Latin folk music, bebop and originals.
Jillette sings in Spanish and Portuguese as well, and performs a number of traditionally instrumental pieces and vocalese. Her sound is intimate and soulful, as adept at handling her own lyrics to Coltrane’s music as interpreting the melodies of George Gershwin, Charlie Parker and Paul Simon. Based in New York, she has performed extensively in Spain, and completed her most recent tour there in January, 2006.