Whether on the bandstand or the silver screen, vocalist
Dianne Reeves is an authoritative and joyful presence.
A mighty vocal improviser with a full and soulful tone, Reeves
brings a contemporary sensibility to a musical tradition she so
obviously loves deeply.
Her peers have recognized her committed artistry, awarding
her a Best Jazz Vocal Performance Grammy for four of
her past five albums (2001’s In the Moment, 2002’s The Calling,
2003’s A Little Moonlight and 2006’s Good Night, and Good
Luck soundtrack). With her run from 2001-2003, she became
the first—and remains the only—singer to receive Grammy
Awards for three consecutive recordings.
Reeves was discovered by the great trumpeter Clark Terry
while singing with her high school’s big band. Terry encouraged
her to pursue music, which she did, first as a student at the
University of Colorado and later as a Southern California transplant
drawn by Latin American, African and Brazilian styles.
Reeves’ early solo efforts blended jazz and R&B—an area
her cousin, pianist-keyboardist-producer George Duke had
pioneered—and her original song “Better Days” became a hit
on adult radio. Now firmly established as a masterful interpreter
of standards, Reeves returns to the songwriting chair
with a new album of original material including a rearranged
and updated version of “Better Days.”
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