It is easy to see why this is looking to become a breakout year for jazz vocalist Michelle Walker. In addition to a live album recording, she has received a number of invitations to perform internationally. Her upcoming Tour in Russia has concerts planned in Moscow, Volgagrad, Krasnodar and Smolensk. Michelle will be performing with The Yakov Okun Trio in a number of concerts in theaters and jazz clubs. Pianist, Okun, is a talented musician who has been recognized as “new leader of the modern Russian Jazz".
Coming off the heals of an extraordinary 2007/2008 touring season, Walker impressed critics with her performances at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art where her concert was broadcast live on National Radio and recorded live for release. Walker was thrilled to have joined jazz veterans Kenny Werner, Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein, David Hazeltine and Jimmy Greene to perform at “The Hot Jazz Concert Series where she was one of the first vocalists be asked to perform. Each of the five concerts throughout Israel was to sold-out, standing room only crowds of 800+ attendees.
She also helped kick off the the 2008 concert season at the Black Rock Performing Arts Center outside Washington, DC which has featured Russell Malone, Rene Marie, Cyrus Chestnut and Ravi Coltrane. Walker is often compared to Cassandra Wilson, Nina Simone and Betty Carter in style and tone. Her performance resume includes concert and festival performances opening in concert for Wynton Marsalis, Rene Marie, Terrell Stafford, Chris Botti, George Benson and Mark Murphy. Her arrangements of straight-ahead standards and contemporary pop tunes blend genres effortlessly.
According to Mike Joyce of the Washington Post, “...the hypnotic, deep tone of Michelle's voice has a soul-comforting allure and it is her arrangements that are solidifying her own distinctive sound." Dave Nathan at AllAboutJazz.com says, Walker demonstrates an extraordinary degree of musicality.
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