Changamire Musician - All About Jazz

Updated: June 9, 2025

Raised on the music of Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn and Dinah Washington, Changamiré is a jazz vocalist and recording artist from Washington, DC. Glenn Turner, pianist for the late Gil Scott Heron, was her first vocal coach.

In 2001, she self-released her critically acclaimed debut album, Only Human, which features a 14-piece string section. AllAboutJazz.com wrote, "It's difficult to nail down just what makes her voice so darn compelling. Maybe it's the comfort and familiarity, maybe the confiding honesty. Whatever the case, it works exceptionally well.”

In 2005, Changamiré founded Sonnig Records, an entertainment and music production and publishing company, to provide the local and global community with exceptional music and musician advocacy. In 2007, her world class ensemble was formed, and the quintet continues to accompany her.

Her second album, Love, released in 2014, and she founded Sonnig Entertainment to provide accomplished classical, jazz and blues musicians for special event performances.

In December 2020, Changamiré co-founded The New Jazz Listener, a virtual jazz advocacy show with over 12k members, notable special guests including TS Monk, Ron Carter, Katea Stitt, Jon Faddis, Diana Purim, Isaiah Collier, Marc Urselli, Gina Belafonte, Ola Onabulé, Tulani Bridgewater and Todd Barkan and partnerships with the Smithsonian Museum of American History, Koss Stereophones and the National Endowment for the Arts.

In 2022, Changamiré was selected by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany to represent the United States in a jazz delegation. She is the recipient of awards from United States Artists, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Department of Small & Local Business Development.

On April 7, 2025, Billie Holiday’s 110th birthday, Changamiré released her album, Seeking Billie: The Unusual Tribute to Billie Holiday, featuring appearances by the iconic Rudy Van Gelder Studio, NEA Jazz Master bassist Ron Carter and 8x Grammy winning songwriter/producer, Malik Yusef (Rihanna, The Weekend, Beyonce).

Changamiré is an art, design and fashion enthusiast, some of which culminates in her lifestyle collection, Robinette Kimberley.

Awards

2025 DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities' Artist Fellowship

2024 DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities' Artist Fellowship

2020 United States Artists Award

Gear

Neumann microphones (one can dream!)

Changamiré: Snapshots of Germany Refine A Self-Portrait

by Chris M. Slawecki
April 21, 2023

When vocalist Changamiré accepted an invitation to represent the US in an international jazz delegation from the German Federal Foreign Office, to tour and network with the jazz communities in Berlin, Frankfurt and Darmstadt, she expected to discover new insights about the jazz industry and culture in Germany. But she was happily surprised by the new visions that this trip abroad brought back home to her own work. Co-developed by the Federal Foreign Office in collaboration with the ...

Album Review

Changamire: Love

Read "Love" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki

by Chris M. Slawecki
December 12, 2014

With Love, Washington DC-based vocalist Changamiré follows up her self-produced 2001 debut Only Human with a new song cycle mainly co-written and produced with Lincoln Ross, who also contributes trombone to several tracks. Changamiré's songs suggest the compositional depth of Roberta Flack. But her voice is not quite so brooding, and sounds more rooted in the gospel foundation of singers such as Anita Baker. BUT it's even different from, a bit more exotic sounding around the edges than, Baker's straight-on ...

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Jazzin' Around Europe

Changamire at GIFT: Part 3-3 - Homeward Bound

by Changamire
September 6, 2004

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3Introduction I am Changamiré, a Jazz/R&B singer in Washington, DC, USA. This story is about my performance at the 8th Annual Georgian International Festival of the Arts (GIFT), the weekend of June 11, 2004, in the warm and charming city of Tbilisi, the capital of the Republic of Georgia. I have always wanted to perform abroad, and Tbilisi was the perfect city to first partake of such an endeavor.VIPs ...

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Jazzin' Around Europe

Changamire at GIFT: Part 2-3 - Changamire's Gift

by Changamire
September 5, 2004

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Jazzin' Around Europe

Changamire at GIFT: Part 1-3 - Departures and Arrivals

by Changamire
September 4, 2004

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Introduction I am Changamiré, a Jazz/R&B singer in Washington, DC, USA. This story is about my performance at the 8th Annual Georgian International Festival of the Arts (GIFT), the weekend of June 11, 2004, in the warm and charming city of Tbilisi, the capital of the Republic of Georgia. I have always wanted to perform abroad, and Tbilisi was the perfect city to first partake of such an endeavor.

Album Review

Changamire: Only Human

Read "Only Human" reviewed by Todd S. Jenkins

by Todd S. Jenkins
December 1, 2001

One of the “Queens of MP3”, the sultry Changamire emerges from the online shadows to titillate us with a wonderful offering. Changamire (the name means “like the sun” in an African language) has gradually built up a strong following on the MP3.com boards over the past few years, making her more than one of Washington, DC’s best-kept secrets. On Only Human she crosses over many lines: jazz, urban, adult contemporary. She’s a versatile vocalist with a distinctively personal sound, recalling ...

Articles Across the Web

...or were mentioned in an All About Jazz article.

Jazz Incognito

Event

Acclaimed Vocalist Changamiré Partners With The Black Restaurant Group For Album Release Party And 33rd Annual Takoma Park Street Festival

Source: Changamire
September 29, 2014

Don’t miss the event celebrating the artist’s latest CD, Love.  It is free to the public and scheduled for Saturday, October 4, 2014. Washington, D.C. – Since announcing the debut of her latest album, critically acclaimed D.C. artist Changamiré has created buzz by joining forces with Republic, the Black Restaurant Group’s newest offering. As a kickoff to the Takoma Park Street Festival, the two plan to offer fans an incredible Love-themed release party at Republic, with live performances, sensational food ...
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Recording

Critically Acclaimed Jazz Artist Changamiré Releases Newest Album, Titled "Love"

Source: Changamire
August 21, 2014

Washington, D.C.-based vocalist Changamiré announces the release of her latest CD, Love. Her first album, Only Human, enjoyed resounding international success. Washington, D.C. — Changamiré, a Washington, D.C. jazz and R&B vocalist whose work has met global acclaim, announces the release of her newest album, Love. Fans can expect an eclectic mix of songs on the subject, sung with the artist’s signature sweet, sultry and honeyed sound. From the Pulp-Fiction-esque “If You Should Wonder" to the jazz ballad “Sunny Days" ...
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Event

Changamire Salutes Bearden By Giving Away Fine Art

Source: All About Jazz
November 5, 2003

Washington...Changamire, Washington Jazz/R&B singer, will host Changamire Salutes Bearden on Saturday, December 6. The event begins with a tour of the renowned exhibition, “The Art of Romare Bearden" at The National Gallery of Art, 4th & Constitution Avenue NW at 4:00 p.m. Afterwards, guests are invited to a champagne reception from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Zenith Gallery, 413 Seventh Street, NW, for an admission fee of $10.00 with an exhibition brochure or $15.00 without an exhibition brochure. Fine art ...
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Music Industry

Changamire Announced Video Debut at "True Love"

Source: All About Jazz

Reader, we at Swing Beat try to keep this column newsy, our finger on the pulse of the D.C. jazz scene. The tremendous talent and charisma Changamiré possesses—coupled with the rarity of her projects—make the arrival of such a project inherently newsy...

For the purists, though, there’s plenty of traditional vibes. “Them There Eyes” rides on swing so classic it’s nearly New Orleanian. Similarly, “He Ain’t Got Rhythm” and “Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me” wouldn’t be out of place on Hot Jazz Saturday Night. The unusual tribute has some “usual” thrown in.

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Reader, we at Swing Beat try to keep this column newsy, our finger on the pulse of the D.C. jazz scene. The tremendous talent and charisma Changamiré possesses—coupled with the rarity of her projects—make the arrival of such a project inherently newsy...

For the purists, though, there’s plenty of traditional vibes. “Them There Eyes” rides on swing so classic it’s nearly New Orleanian. Similarly, “He Ain’t Got Rhythm” and “Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me” wouldn’t be out of place on Hot Jazz Saturday Night. The unusual tribute has some “usual” thrown in.

— Michael J. West, Washington City Paper

An unsung voice finally takes center stage among the vocal heroines dominating the jazz scene —and Changamiré arrives in style.

In Seeking Billie: The Unusual Tribute to Billie Holiday, Changamiré captivates Lady Day’s essence with simplicity, sophistication, and an enormous helping of courage. This isn’t a door that opens easily with talent alone. She’s clearly sought out Billie’s frequency—and locked onto it. You can hear Billie’s soul woven throughout this collection of song-stories. At times, even her vibrato is reminiscent of the master songstress. But make no mistake—this isn’t mimicry. It’s a bold reimagining.

— Jacques Burvick, Producer & Songwriter for Norman Connors

...BUT [her voice is] even different from, a bit more exotic sounding around the edges than, [Anita] Baker’s straight-on gospel-soul — it almost sounds as if Eartha Kitt’s “Catwoman” character decided to become a jazz singer. Out of the entire universe of soul, R&B and jazz vocalists, you’d think I could find one female singer with a voice similar to Changamiré’s or a style comparable to her singing. But...not yet, anyway.

— Chris Slawecki, AllAboutJazz.com

Dim lights and arousing sounds from her quintet’s bass and trumpet evoked a smooth tone for Changamiré’s nearly perfect, intimate performance, which included Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly” and a befitting rendition of Ray Charles’ “Georgia On My Mind”... pristine, untainted and angelic...

— Kenneth Mallory, Afro American

This is a business, no matter if you are strumming the guitar, belting out Broadway tunes, or crooning sultry love songs...[Changamiré’s] been out there, working shows, releasing CDs, and developing really cool projects. She’s kick ass and on my playlist.

— Pamela Sorensen, Pamela's Punch

Mixing music with Apple technology, the unusual performance brought together fans of the notable local singer and a store full of surprised shoppers.

— Kate Michael, NBC Washington

It's difficult to nail down just what makes her voice so darn compelling. Maybe it’s the comfort and familiarity, maybe the confiding honesty. Whatever the case, it works exceptionally well...

Changamiré is a markedly original vocalist who deserves wider recognition, which hopefully waits just over the horizon.

— Todd S. Jenkins, AllAboutJazz.com

The audience without exception was contented.

— Newspaper Dilis Gazeti, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia

A jazzy chanteuse with the pop sensibilities in the vein of Cassandra Wilson and Anita Baker, Changamire has it all: immaculate phrasing, tastefully restrained vibrato, a taste of honey in her tones, delicate songwriting, and fitting accompaniment that neither towers over nor cowers beneath her.

— Joseph McCombs, Starpolish.com

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Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

Washington

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Clinic/Workshop Information

In 2020 on the Clubhouse app, Changamiré co-founded The New Jazz Listener, an innovative show that converts curious listeners into new jazz fans. She has grown the weekly NJL to over 11k members, with guests including T.S. Monk, Ron Carter, Katea Stitt, Aida Brandes-Hargrove, Katja von Schuttenbach, Todd Barkan and Isaiah Collier.

Listen in on Sundays at 4:00 PM ET and schedule a personalized show for your jazz conference, festival or education program.