“Naylor displays as much ingenuity as interpretive skill.” Washington Post
“She excels as a sensitive song interpreter with unerring intonation.” Downbeat
“Naylor remains one of the most superbly arresting vocalists around.” JazzTimes
San Francisco-based jazz vocalist and songwriter Jacqui Naylor returns to D.C. on the heels of sold-out tours in Europe, Canada and the United States in support of her new release, Q&A. Her albums have made the “top-ten” lists of USA Today, Jazziz and The Washington Post and she is recognized for her wide vocal range and ability to mix and “smash” multiple genres and generations of music. She is equally at ease singing the music of Johnny Mercer and Jimi Hendrix as she is her own original music, with several compositions used in national advertising.
At her Blues Alley concert, Naylor will debut music from her 2017 duo release, Q&A, featuring multi-instrumentalist and composer, Art Khu, as well as requested favorites from their previous recordings with full quartet. On the new recording, classic jazz standards like “The Way You Look Tonight” and “The Nearness of You” sit comfortably next to the artist’s original music like “This Is How It Starts” and “Here We Are At Last.” Naylor is perhaps best known for the arranging technique coined “acoustic smashing” where she sings the melody and lyrics of a jazz standard over the groove of a well-known rock anthem or vice versa. Check out their version of “My Funny Valentine” over ACDC’s “Back In Black.” The artist has likewise been praised for fresh takes on contemporary tunes like “Space Oddity” and a popular Bossa Nova version of REM’s “Losing My Religion.” The recording was featured on So You Think You Can Dance Canada.
Naylor’s many recordings are available throughout the United States, Europe and Asia and she tours regularly in these regions at esteemed venues and festivals, including Ronnie Scott’s London, Blue Note New York and Tokyo, Birdland New York, San Francisco Jazz Center Auditorium, Snug Harbor New Orleans, Monterey Jazz Festival, Jazz Aspen Snowmass and Seattle’s Jazz Alley and more.
