Improvisation is not just a technique for Grammy nominated artist Cyrille Aimée, it’s a way of life. The acclaimed vocalist ventured from singing on street corners in Europe to dazzling audiences at the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals; from sneaking out to sing in gypsy encampments in her native France to acting on Broadway; from braving the notoriously tough audiences at New York’s Apollo Theatre to being called a “rising star in the galaxy of jazz singers” by The New York Times. Among countless accolades, Aimée won the Montreux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition and the Sarah Vaughn International Jazz Vocal Competition. As an actress, Aimée co-starred with Bernadette Peters in a Stephen Sondheim tribute at New York’s City Center which inspired her to dig deeper into Sondheim’s repertoire, resulting in her fourth and most recent album, Move On: A Sondheim Adventure. She’s shared her story via master classes, a TEDx talk, and a few addresses at the Conference on World Affairs.
“Aimée… seems to be straight out of another time. Her voice sounds almost as if it should be coming to us through a gramophone horn.” -New York Times
The concert, in duo with pianist Mathis Picard, will feature intimate interpretations from Aimée’s forthcoming album a Fleur de Peau, arriving March 8th via Whirlwind Recordings.
Mathis Picard is a French-Malagasy pianist, composer, producer, and bandleader. Rooted in the tradition of live acoustic performance while incorporating the latest musical technology, Picard’s style is formed by his multi-cultural background. Named a “rising star” by The Scotsman, Picard is an ASCAP Next Generation of Songwriters Recipient, a member of the Montreux Jazz Foundation, and a Juilliard Alumni under the mentorship of Kenny Barron.
