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Lauren Lee
vocalist/improviser/composer
"Lauren Lee is one of the new breed of singer-songwriter. She has all the bonafides of a traditional jazz singer, but she needs to do things her own way. As a singer and composer, she gives her own imprimatur to cross-cultural experimentation, off-the beaten-track forms of vocal expression never straying far from the post-bop mothership"
- Suzanne Lorge, New York City Jazz Record
“Lauren Lee's music is a distinctive blend of elements which she fits together with surprising ease. Her voice stretches effortlessly over angular, zigzagging melodies, assembled in the context of breezy original jazz songs. Her sound is fresh and distinctive”
- Jerome Wilson, All About Jazz
“She distinguishes herself with a clear uncluttered soprano as well as her cynical, spot-on sense of humor, unusually strong lyrical sensibility and acerbic chops"
- New York Music Daily
"She approaches her voice like a saxophonist or trumpeter—singing complex, bebop-inspired lines. Left to her own devices, Lee creates a swirling dream-space of interlocking, layered vocal melodies supported by adventurous, forward-thinking harmony on The Queen of Cups. With ease and authenticity, she turns the typical vocal jazz record on its head, while subtly highlighting how the typical view of women jazz vocalists—that they’re just “eye candy” and that they don’t really understand the intricacies of jazz music—is preposterous”
- Alexa Peters, Audiofemme
Armed with a vivid imagination, a relatable and easy pop-like vocal sound, and improvisational chops that rival any instrumentalist, Lauren Lee is a unique force to be reckoned with. Her command over her influences and technique is powerful enough to attract brand new audiences to jazz because she does not sound like anyone you have ever heard before. Her commitment to the tradition is embedded in learning from the masters, not copying them.
She has released three records as a leader to date, starting with The Consciousness Test (self released) in 2016, followed by Windowsill (ears and eyes records) in 2019 and The Queen of Cups (ears and eyes records) in 2021. With each record she was afforded significant touring opportunities across Europe, Canada, and the US and has performed at the Stockholm Jazz Festival, the UNCOOL Festival (notably spearheaded by Marshall Allen and the Sun Ra Arkestra), Riga Jazz Stage, the Berkshires Jazz Festival, and the Queens Jazz Overground Festival. Recording and touring has been made possible with generous support from New Music USA, Artist Tree, The Doris Duke Foundation, South Arts/Jazz Road, The New York Foundation for the Arts, and The New York City Arts in Education Roundtable.
Lauren has notably worked with some of the finest creative minds in the industry, including Kenny Werner, Karl Berger and Ingrid Sertso, Gil Goldstein, and others.
Inquiries
email: bookings (at) laurenleejazz.com
for private lessons and performance opportunities
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