Nnenna freelon biography samples

Jazz vocalist

Performed in Churches

Developed Individual Style

Promoted Jazz in Schools

Selected discography

Sources

A late bloomer who first took up jazz singing in adulthood, Nnenna Freelon ranked among the most exciting vocalists in the jazz field by the early 21st century.

With a technique rooted in the stylings of jazz legend Sarah Vaughan, Freelon incorporated diverse influences ranging from gospel to folk music to hip-hop into a classic improvisational framework. Freelon also e-merged as a spokesperson for the inclusion of jazz education in school curricula, and has devoted much time and energy to that cause.

Nnenna Chinyere Freelon (her first name is pronounced “Nina,” with a long “e” sound) was born on July 28, 1954 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the home of Harvard University and perhaps the most sophisticated academic community in the United States.

Her early upbringing was filled with contrasts that, some would s