gretchen parlato

This was my gig of the festival, and one of my gigs of the year. My reason for having wanted to be there was clear: a chance to catch a London appearance by no fewer than three major figures from…

[Loueke] utilised a plethora of extended techniques on both guitar and voice, from string-scratching slides and false harmonics to breath sounds and percussive vocal clicks. Soaring above this in a silky realm of her own is Parlato. Her iconic timbre…

It seems to be a duo but they are much more than that: these musical soulmates are properly a band of at least five musicians. The relationship between Parlato and Loueke forms an expressive unity that is moving due to…

by Jess Williams, Rochester Beacon, June 30, 2023
It’s mesmerizing how well the two understood and supported each other; this type of musicianship can really only be found in a pair as tight as this one. The musicians seemed to…

by Dr. Valerie Wardlaw, LA Sentinel, June 28, 2023
The intersection of their natural talents leaves you with a warmth that encircles your entire body and transports your imagination to your favorite parts of the world.

You are missing a…

by Peter Jones, Jazzwise, Oct 14, 2022
The Grammy-nominated singer dazzles with a sophisticated set of intimate and intricate songs at Ronnie Scott’s, London

Gretchen Parlato - Photo by and courtesy Monika S Jakubowska

In 1939, early in her career…

by mike collins, jazzyblogman

A pause for breath and a moment of silence in the middle of Ugly Beauty seemed like the magical sweet spot of this gig. It had been heading there from the start of the early set…

Vocals, undoctored, were a strong presence at the SF Jazz Collectiveʼs series- closing gig. The nine-piece repertory ensemble, currently under the directorship of saxophonist Chris Potter, now blends the contrasting, pitch- perfect voices of Gretchen Parlato and Martin Luther McCoy…

by Andrew Gilbert, Classical Voice San Francisco

Listening to her can feel like eavesdropping on an intimate conversation, exposed and vulnerable. A bandleader comfortable with freedom and a singer who doesn’t need a net, Parlato is at her best when…

By Dan Emerson, jazzpolice.com 

Freed from the bonds of COVID lockdown, the SFJazz Collective brought plenty of creative and performing energy with its annual (in “normal” times) visit to the Dakota jazz club in Minneapolis, on March 28th.  

In its…

Nick Catalano, All That Jazz

"The New Year was dramatically ushered in at The Jazz Standard on January 2nd when Gretchen Parlato and her band wowed an SRO audience with some of the most prescient music of the season. No…

Angela Perez, BeMelbourne 

Hailed as one of the most important jazz singers since Cassandra Wilson, Gretchen Parlato is the kind of artist that comes along once in a generation. 

"It could be said that the measure of an artist can…