“From
This Moment On”, featuring Grammy-winning trombonist Conrad Herwig, is the
first single from the award-winning Canadian-born vocalist, Patrice Jégou.
Jégou, a classically trained mezzo-soprano, is a former figure skater who
changed careers in her twenties at the suggestion of a cast-mate while skating
in an ice show in Mexico. Patrice holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts in
Classical vocal performance from Rutgers University (Mason Gross School of the
Arts). Patrice and her accompanying musicians deliver a blisteringly-hot
performance on this recording. The hard-swinging arrangement by top Nashville
arranger Chris McDonald features a scorching trombone solo by Herwig. Jégou is
blessed with an arrestingly beautiful and sophisticated voice. She handles
multiple musical genres with ease, effortlessly delivering jazz, big band,
gospel and blues with a rare mastery that evokes instant comparisons to Barbra
Streisand, Julie Andrews, Eva Cassidy, and Diana Krall.
Jégou’s
debut CD, “Speak Low”, due out in April 2014, was produced by Yinka Oyelese,
Mark Kibble of the vocal group Take 6, and Cheryl Bentyne of The Manhattan
Transfer. “Speak Low” features collaborations with several of the world’s
finest musicians and arrangers including multi-Grammy winners such as the vocal
group Take 6, Gospel superstar Andraé Crouch and the Andraé Crouch Singers,
world-renowned jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum, bassists Victor Wooten and David
Finck, trombonist Conrad Herwig, and guitarists Bob Mann, Paul Jackson Jr and
Vic Juris, among others.
Jégou
has performed extensively in the USA, Canada and Mexico, as well as in Europe
(England, Spain, Italy), and South America (Peru and Argentina). In Trujillo,
Peru, she won First Prize at the prestigious international singing competition,
IX Concurso y Festival Internacional de Canto Lírico. After two coveted
residencies at the Banff Center in Canada, Patrice is embarking on a new
musical chapter in her life, transitioning away from Classical singing and
moving towards musical styles that were always her first love: jazz, blues,
gospel, and big band.
With her
extensive Classical training, Patrice’s rich mezzo soprano voice reflects a
rare combination of discipline, power, flexibility, warmth, and beauty:
qualities she finds in some her favorite singers like Diane Schuur, Sarah
Vaughan, Patsy Cline, kd lang, and Shirley Bassey. Patrice currently resides in
West Long Branch, New Jersey.
Patrice
says “It is a great honor and privilege to share my new single and video via
the Jazz Network Worldwide, the leading online jazz community. I am excited
that The Jazz Network Worldwide will play a crucial role in the launch of my
new CD in spring 2014.”
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