Gretchen Parlato December 1, 2011

Striking the ideal balance between precision and flexibility, Gretchen Parlato is never predictable, blurring the lines between singer and instrumentalist as she takes a lyric—and at other times an improvised flight of wordless fancy—to places it’s never been before. Winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition, she counts both Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter as fans. Hancock has said that Parlato has a “deep, almost magical connection to the music,” and Shorter notes that, “In an inconspicuous way, Gretchen plays the same instrument as Frank Sinatra.”