Debora Galan, West Coast Jazz & Latin Vocalist at Montpelier Arts Center

Smooth Latin jazz vocalist and song-writer Debora Galan will delight music lovers in the Baltimore-Washington region in a September 28 concert at Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel, Maryland. A San Diego resident since 1987, the bilingual songstress performs widely on the West Coast. She has also performed in. Canada, Spain, and Mexico and her music is played on radio around the world. This is a special homecoming performance for Galan, whose professional singing career began in Washington, D.C.

Galan’s 2016 album All About Love features original compositions sung in English and Spanish, brought to life by a team of notable California instrumentalists and singers. Critics have praised her stirring vocal renditions and the rich and rhythmic arrangements that frame them. DJ Doc Hardy of FOSR says, “Debora Galan’s breakout CD All About Love is a welcome breath of fresh air... her fire, her passion, and her vocal range shine through, providing an authentic Latin Jazz listening experience.” Jay Michaels of Magic 92.5 praises her "beautiful angelic voice" and Ron Hamilton of WRJR calls her music "A marriage of jazz and pop, but so much more."...

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Smooth Latin jazz vocalist and song-writer Debora Galan will delight music lovers in the Baltimore-Washington region in a September 28 concert at Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel, Maryland. A San Diego resident since 1987, the bilingual songstress performs widely on the West Coast. She has also performed in. Canada, Spain, and Mexico and her music is played on radio around the world. This is a special homecoming performance for Galan, whose professional singing career began in Washington, D.C.

Galan’s 2016 album All About Love features original compositions sung in English and Spanish, brought to life by a team of notable California instrumentalists and singers. Critics have praised her stirring vocal renditions and the rich and rhythmic arrangements that frame them. DJ Doc Hardy of FOSR says, “Debora Galan’s breakout CD All About Love is a welcome breath of fresh air... her fire, her passion, and her vocal range shine through, providing an authentic Latin Jazz listening experience.” Jay Michaels of Magic 92.5 praises her "beautiful angelic voice" and Ron Hamilton of WRJR calls her music "A marriage of jazz and pop, but so much more."

The Montpelier show will feature beloved Latin jazz and pop selections and showcase the Galan compositions inspired by her Spanish/Cuban ancestry. Hear perennial favorites such as “Somos Novios (It's Impossible)," composed by Mexican songwriter Armando Manzanero and "Besame Mucho," by Consuelo Velasquez, another Mexican songwriter. Fans will enjoy Galan originals such as “Arms of Love” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3flbBE3-jQ), and the lovely ballad “Through the Eyes of a Child.” (To hear the new video visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkt2VHOq5no.)

Born in Brussels and raised in Madrid, Galan inherited her love of music from her grandfather and mother who sang flamenco at house parties, weddings and baptisms. Her mother was especially fond of Concha Piquer (1908-1990) whose singing left a lasting impression on the child. The family moved to Washington, D.C. when Galan was age eight. She began singing there professionally at age 19 while attending college and working as a waitress at Cafe de Ipanema. Her unplanned debut took place in a contest similar to “Star Search” when her boss handed her a glass of Courvoisier and told her to take off her apron and get on stage. She complied, and soon found herself as the lead singer in the house band, going on to play many D.C. Latin jazz and salsa gigs with top-ranked bands in the nation’s capital.

Marriage took her to the West Coast and she devoted some years to home and family before returning to the stage. She increased her vocal range and strengthened her spectacular pipes singing gospel and R&B before gradually shifting to the jazz genre. While she was tremendously. busy as a recording and performing artist, it wasn’t until 2016 that her superb songwriting skills surfaced with the release of All About Love, her first album as a leader. (See her popular “Take Five” interview for more: https://www.allaboutjazz.com/take-five-with-debora-galan-by-debora-galan.php.)

Galan will also be performing on September 29th at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, Maryland.

Admission is $25 with discounts for members and seniors. Reservations are strongly advised. Call 301-377-7800 or visit https://culturecapital.com/organization/128/montpelier-arts-center.

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