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Lena Seikaly at the Attucks Theater

By Mark Robbins
April 24, 2020
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Lena Seikaly is not a household name... yet! The Washington D.C. native has been called one of the "brightest voices in jazz" and her new fans at the sold out Attucks Theatre performance could not agree more. Classically trained as an operatic mezzo-soprano her phrasing, intonation, and full bodied tone is reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald. She is a natural storyteller so when she sings "You Don't Know What Love Is" you believe she knows the "meaning of the blues" or midway into "Corcovado" you're convinced that outside it's "a quiet night 'n quiet stars" not the cold damp night that it is. Whether it's a ballad, bossa nova, an upbeat swing with a little scat thrown in, Seikaly is in complete control. John Toomey's Trio, Toomey on piano, Jimmy Masters on base and Brian Caputo on drums provided beautiful support by not getting in the singers way and stepping up with killer improvised solos. Seiklay is a welcome addition to the jazz vocalist firmament. Here's to a long career.

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