August 15, 2024
“a vocalist of uncommon style, sincerity, and soul.”—Joshua Redman
“a young singer with a deep, rich, fragile voice… Cavassa is a star in the making.”—DownBeat
Blue Note Records has signed the award-winning vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa, who will soon be entering the studio to record her label debut due out in 2025. Cavassa has also signed with the booking agency B Natural, Inc. Cavassa was ushered into the spotlight through her inspired collaboration with renowned saxophonist Joshua Redman on his acclaimed 2023 Blue Note debut where are we, an album that featured Cavassa’s alluring vocals on a set of unique interpretations of jazz standards and songs by Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Webb, Sufjan Stevens, and more.
“For many, the revelation of this album will be Cavassa,” wrote Stereophile in a rave review of the album. “Her voice gets under your skin. 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.”
“Listening to Gabrielle sing is an experience akin to having her whisper secrets in your ear,” says Blue Note President Don Was. “The intimate honesty of her storytelling is breathtaking – she will be a major musical presence for decades to come.”
Born in Escondido, California, Cavassa began obsessively listening to records from a young age. Largely self-taught, she developed a unique approach to singing that would characterize her later success. Cavassa received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from San Francisco State University but says that her “real education” came from playing Bay Area jazz clubs throughout her college years. In 2017, Cavassa moved to New Orleans, which shaped and deepened her relationship to storytelling and the blues. Cavassa won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2021 after the independent release of her eponymous debut album in 2020. Following the 2023 release of where are we, Cavassa began touring with the Joshua Redman Group, a collection of several of today’s most exciting young players that has performed extensively across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. She was featured alongside Redman on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series earlier this year.
