We are sad to hear the news of the passing of Cassandra Wilson at age seventy. She was a singer’s singer, one of those artists who seemed to be as admired by peers as by fans. There, she became one of the most acclaimed jazz vocalists of the 1990s and beyond. Moreover, she accomplished this through her unmistakably deep, smoky voice and adventurous approach to song interpretation.

Wilson was best known for her genre-bending voice, which expanded the boundaries of traditional blues-based jazz. At the heart of all her work was her idiosyncratic contralto, a soulful sound distinctly tied to her roots.

She won numerous awards, including two Grammys and an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Berklee College of Music. Also, she received the highest jazz award in the country, being named an NEA Jazz Master in 2022.

She released more than twenty albums as a primary leader. With an average of ten to twelve songs per studio album, she recorded roughly 200 to 250 songs. Her total count is significantly higher when including guest appearances on projects by artists like Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, and Bill Frisell.

Wilson counted herself as one of the types of musicians that are really concerned about the art of jazz. There, she became “really motivated every day to get up and create something brand new”. Furthermore, she offers that you should “focus on honing your craft and being able to communicate as best as possible, your ideas as an artist”. (Mississippi Public Broadcasting)

Here, this special show includes favorites “Time After Time”, “Strange Fruit”, “Tupelo Honey”, “Waters of March” and many more.

Ginger Commodore, vocals

Adi Yeshaya, piano

Jay Young, bass

Brandon Commodore, drums

Daryl Boudreaux, percussion

Omar Abdulkarim, trumpet