Gabrielle Cavassa salutes several legendary ladies of song, past and present

Composer-vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa often has been compared to jazz greats of the past. “Her voice gets under your skin,” says Stereophile magazine. “It is idiosyncratic, but it is trustworthy in its clarity and almost physical in its intimacy. Her intuitive interpretations and riveting voice make you sit very still in your chair.” 

Don Was, the president of Blue Note, which signed her in 2024, observes:“Listening to Gabrielle sing is an experience akin to having her whisper secrets in your ear, the intimate honesty of her storytelling is breathtaking — she will be a major musical presence for decades to come.”

So when DownBeat magazine put her to its Blindfold Test earlier this year, not surprisingly, Cavassa (who will perform with Joshua Redman and his quartet as a special guest in his SCP Jazz concert Nov. 7) expressed her reverence for some legendary ladies in the field.

In the “Blindfold Test,” an artist is challenged to discuss and identify the music and musicians performing on selected recordings. The artist is then asked to rate each tune using a five-star system. No information is given to the artist before the test.

Here’s a selection from Cavassa’s run-through:

Billie Holiday
“Lady Sings the Blues” from the album “Lady Sings the Blues” (Verve, 1956)

“Billie Holiday! Billie Holiday is my favorite singer in the world. She was the first singer I really connected to as a kid and really understood when I listened to her. She makes me feel so sad and so tender, and also so human. I always listen to Billie now if I’m on my way to a gig and I’m nervous, if I just need to calm down. If I’m sad — yeah, she’s my girl.”

Nina Simone
“Mood Indigo” from “Little Girl Blue” (Bethlehem, 1959)

"Nina! First of all [with that intro], I thought, ’What piano player is this?’ She had that classical sound. It’s amazing."

Cécile McLorin Salvant
“Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying” from “Ghost Song” (Nonesuch, 2022)

“This is Cécile, but I don’t know this song. I’m like, “Whoa!” I hesitate to say that she’s my favorite modern singer … but, yeah, she is.”

Dianne Reeves
“Straighten Up and Fly Right” from “Good Night, and Good Luck” (Concord, 2005)

“It’s Dianne [Reeves]. A very recognizable instrument. That is the slowest I’ve ever heard that song. She handles it so beautifully. ... Her voice is so rich. and she has really clear diction. She’s always going to deliver words in a very recognizable way.”