Cassandra Wilson at Musical Instrument Museum

Cassandra Wilson: “Blue Light ‘til Dawn”

Cassandra Wilson’s smooth, smoky voice and lengthy experience in jazz have given her the room she needs to become one of the genre’s best musicians. Her range and creativity allow her to explore and ultimately incorporate a wide range of styles and genres, including funk, blues, country, folk, and rap. Her album Blue Light ’til Dawn birthed a new style of jazz singing, synthesizing a gorgeous mix of blues, folk, and R&B.

Wilson’s work has continued to push boundaries and draw critical acclaim since that landmark album, earning her two GRAMMYs, the Django d’Or, the Edison Music Award, and a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail. Along with her solo work, Wilson has collaborated with artists ranging from the M-Base Collective to Bill Frisell and Elvis Costello....

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Cassandra Wilson: “Blue Light ‘til Dawn”

Cassandra Wilson’s smooth, smoky voice and lengthy experience in jazz have given her the room she needs to become one of the genre’s best musicians. Her range and creativity allow her to explore and ultimately incorporate a wide range of styles and genres, including funk, blues, country, folk, and rap. Her album Blue Light ’til Dawn birthed a new style of jazz singing, synthesizing a gorgeous mix of blues, folk, and R&B.

Wilson’s work has continued to push boundaries and draw critical acclaim since that landmark album, earning her two GRAMMYs, the Django d’Or, the Edison Music Award, and a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail. Along with her solo work, Wilson has collaborated with artists ranging from the M-Base Collective to Bill Frisell and Elvis Costello.

“The album set the stage for all that would follow from Ms. Wilson. Its appeal—No. 1 on Billboard’s Traditional Jazz Chart, 18 months on that chart’s Top 10—emboldened jazz vocalists and music labels to think more freely about repertoire. The beneficiaries of this awakening include another Blue Note success story, Norah Jones.”—The Wall Street Journal

Click here to read the full review in the Wall Street Journal

“Wilson’s pastoral jazz has dug deep into the terrifyingly gothic spirit of Robert Johnson while cleverly ignoring the blues clichés.”—The Guardian (UK)

“A singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack who has expanded the playing field.”—Visions of Jazz: The First Century

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