Tessa Souter

About Tessa Souter

English jazz vocalist Tessa Souter is a deeply artful performer, known for her rich contralto voice and an adventurous approach to song choice, favoring lesser performed standards and contemporary pop hits, as well as her own originals and original lyrics penned for standards. Initially a writer, she transitioned into a singing career in the early '90s following a move to the United States. She debuted with a series of well-received albums, including 2004's Listen Love, 2008's Nights of Key Largo and 2009's Obsession; setting her originals next to songs by the Beatles, Nick Drake, and Wayne Shorter, among others. An equally eclectic and intimate small group vibe marked 2012's classical-leaning Beyond the Blue and 2018's Picture in Black and White. Born in 1956 in London, England to a Trinidadian father and British mother, Souter became interested in music from a young age. She gained early experience as a child with her mother who had her perform at home for family and friends. She started formal piano studies at the age of eight and her teacher suggested she work on her singing at the same time. At twelve, she taught herself guitar to accompany her vocals, performing pop songs in the company of friends. Souter began writing lyrics to published songs, though not with the goal of getting them recorded. She ran away from home at 16; an early marriage and the birth of her son while she was still in her teens precluded fulfilling her dream career. Soon divorced, she was in dire straits financially. Fortunately, a generous neighbor offered to babysit for a token amount as Souter pursued her education, earning a degree in English Literature from Queen Mary University of London, all the while continuing to play guitar and sing. Once out of college, Souter got a job editing reports and proposals for an engineering firm, then became an editorial assistant at Parents magazine, then chief copy editor after a year. Soon she began freelance writing for various magazines. Following a second marriage and divorce, she decided to travel abroad to visit Lenox, MA, NYC, and San Francisco. She ended up staying and eventually found work as a freelance writer for both foreign and American outlets, while cleaning houses to supplement her income. Music still beckoned and she often found herself at jazz clubs. Encouraged by friends, she began sitting in at jam sessions and open mic nights. Her interest in jazz grew, especially after discovering Wayne Shorter's work. She made a four-track demo to obtain bookings and even spent time in New York where she took a semester of music theory at Manhattan School of Music. It was there that she met singers Sheila Jordan and Mark Murphy, the latter of whom she spent four years studying with while helping to manage his private study and workshop programs. By 1999, Souter's interest in jazz had grown tremendously, though she never discarded her pop roots She penned lyrics to Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower" and other jazz compositions, though the vocalist remained shy about publicly identifying her contributions when performing, though she grew more interested in writing original music to go with her lyrics. Word of mouth about Souter's intriguing vocals and multi-stylistic approach to jazz spread in New York City over the next few years, though she would not release her debut album, Listen Love, until 2004. She caught the attention of the Japanese label Venus who released 2008's Nights of Key Largo, a romantic covers project featuring pianist Kenny Werner, saxophonist Joel Frahm, Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Jay Leonhart, and drummer Billy Drummond. A year later, she signed with Motema and released Obsession, showcasing her original songs alongside covers of songs by the Beatles, Cream, and Nick Drake, among others. For 2012's Beyond the Blue, Souter explored jazz reworkings of classic works, including pieces by Beethoven, Brahms, and Debussy. In 2018, she delivered her fifth album, Picture in Black and White, interpreting songs by U2, Wayne Shorter, and Ornette Coleman.~ Matt Collar & Ken Dryden

HOMETOWN
London
BORN
April 3, 1956
GENRE
Jazz

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