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Imani-Grace Cooper and Her Vocal Art
When I sing jazz, it is not about specific lines, scales or arpeggios that sound jazzy. But more so just fitting in where the spirit of the stage is in at the time, and the groove. As I do this, it becomes uniquely noticeable to the audience and musicians.
Imani-Grace Cooper
vocalsSeveral years ago, the Howard University graduate received praise from legendary artists such as Gladys Knight, when she sang
George Gershwin
composer / conductor1898 - 1937
Luke Carlos O'Reilly
piano
John Coltrane
saxophone1926 - 1967
From The Kennedy Center to The National Cathedral in Washington D.C, the intricacy of her vocal delivery embodies her keen interpretation for harmonic and rhythmic development. Intertwined with sensibilities of her faith, she is spirit-led, an unspoken jazz skill birthed from many musicians' close-knit relationship with church music.
She also lends her arts arm to influence Washington D.C to develop better systems for clean water. All About Jazz sat down to discuss the budding jazz journey of Cooper.
All About Jazz: I've watched a couple of your performances. You sing in a way that not only makes the audience excited, but the musicians excited as well. What is your musical background and your process to the music?
Imani-Grace Cooper: Wow, I am forever a student. I'll never be so foolish as to think I know what I'm doing but, thank you. I appreciate the sentiment. I didn't really get into the specifics of the idiom, until college. Before college, I studied a lot of neoclassical/classical music and also show tunes because I was in theater. My mother is a concert pianist, and growing up I listened to her practice composers such as Chopin and Beethoven. I also picked up piano a bit myself. As a child, most of my lessons were in classical music. I sang in the choir and have been steeped in the church tradition all of my life. I have a very personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and so being in that space of sacred connection has kind of translated to the spirit of jazz. When I sing jazz, it is not about specific lines, scales or arpeggios that sound "jazzy." But more so just fitting in where the spirit of the stage is in at the time, and the groove. As I do this, it becomes uniquely noticeable to the audience and musicians.
AAJ: Who are some of the singers in jazz that inspired you, to the point where you said "Wow, I want to explore this music even more?"
I-G C:
Sarah Vaughan
vocals1924 - 1990
Carmen McRae
vocals1920 - 1994
Cecile McLorin Salvant
vocalsb.1989
Christie Dashiell
vocalsAnd Cecile McLorin Salvant has a beautiful way of storytelling and phrasing. Sassy Sarah is velvet to my ears. As a trained musician, I can hear when she's scooping to the right note, it's like she's catching herself because she knows exactly what she wants to say. I really appreciate her connection with the music.
Carmen McRae's tone is indescribable. It's in the vein of speech singing, but still has a very instrumental sound. I am also very fond of the piano. I remember the first time I tried to mimic a yodel line that I had heard several times from
Colin Chambers
keyboards
Oscar Peterson
piano1925 - 2007
Thelonious Monk
piano1917 - 1982
AAJ: I'm elated that you're telling me that you're listening to piano players. So what are your top three instruments that you're listening to, to learn licks and phrases?
I-G C: Within the past five to six years, I've been trying to home in on the drum set. Understanding rhythm is probably the biggest part of the language of jazz. Once you've gotten it, a small grasp of the intonation, the full length of the space between the notes of what you're hearing. Then I think it's time to start digging into what a drummer is doing.
Next is the bass. I've found it easiest to listen to the walking bass, and I tell my students this. It's usually easier to pick out those notes than say from the chords of the piano. And sometimes the horns are moving too fast which make it harder to understand what they're outlining versus when the bass line is walking.
And then the piano for harmonic structures. You know
Allyn Johnson
pianoAAJ: I was watching one of your performances and you are using your mouth to create a lot of shapes and sounds, changing vowels in words, incredible control of volume, and breathing techniques that are very clever.
What is your process for covering a song? Do you ask a person to give you two weeks, or are you able to be super creative on the spot with songs?
I-G C: So when someone gives me a song to work on, I try to go for the most original version of the song. So say if it's a standard, I look for the most original version to get the melody. Next, I'll probably check out some different interpretations and see where I fit in between those, and what feels best for me.
It's different if it's an original song by an artist. For example, I sing with vibraphonist
Warren Wolf
vibraphoneb.1979
As a vocalist, my job is to get the words across and I try to make sure those lyrics make sense to me. I do struggle with songs that are either hypersexual or violent, or go against my morals. I just think to myself, "How could I sing that?" I definitely had to turn down some opportunities to perform and record because I thought someone else would be better. Especially if I thought it would provide a negative influence on the various communities that I'm a part of.
My mother used to say before I left the house, "You make sure you're representing the excellence for the Coopers." I carry that sentiment with me on the stage as well.
AAJ: When you were younger, you were a competitor on BET's Apollo Live. At the performance you received a standing ovation after singing the George Gerwshin classic "Summertime." You were also praised by the judges who are legends in soul, R&B, and hip hop. This included " data-original-title="" title="">Gladys Knight, rapper Dougie Fresh, and singer Michael Bivens of New Edition. You brought jazz to the tough Apollo crowd, and at a young age, you had the whole place on their feet. What was that like?
I-G C: The moment was surreal. Ironically, the Apollo hired me to do a jazz tribute before the taping of the competition, so whether I won or lost, I felt like I'd already won. When I received the standing ovation I couldn't fully appreciate the love because that was the time I was most struggling with depression. Over the years, I'd gotten kind of numb to applause.
To be honest, I didn't really internalize that experience until probably about a year or two later. But looking back at it now, it was one of my most humbling experiences because that doesn't happen every day.
It was the pandemic that helped me get a chance to kind of sit back, reflect and also get some therapy and do some real healing for my mental wellness. But I would say for most of my 20s so many parts of my life were kind of a blur. And I'm candid about that now in my advocacy for wholism.
AAJ: In Washington D.C, you have become very well-known for your work at The Washington National Cathedral, America's second-largest church and home to many historical sacred events connected to U.S. presidents. What was it like to participate in the Cathedral's incorporation of jazz and gospel during worship?
I-G C: So my first time stepping foot in the Washington National Cathedral was by invitation of Rev. Dr. Andrew Burnett who currently serves in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2016, I was recommended by Dr. Valerie Eichelberger, one of my professors at Howard University, for an event at the cathedral. He then invited me to be on staff for one of three Sunday masses, where they regularly incorporated jazz at the cathedral.
I am a descendant of both royalty and the enslaved on both sides of my family. President William Tolbert of Liberia was a great-uncle and my mother's family were very proud American sharecroppers, farmers and entrepreneurs, who happened to be descendants of slaves.
The first time I went to the Cathedral I carried my great-grandmother's scarf with me. And I clenched it tight because we were to sing some slave songs, work songs, and old negro spirituals.
Performing to an audience of mostly European descent was a beautiful challenge. Because I do believe we are all one—we come from one place and we are going to one place.
In those moments, I felt the Holy Spirit as we navigated through America's history of racism, oppression, confusion, hurt and pain —all of those spirits being quenched but slowly wiped away. A lot of healing took place within those walls. I thought of my great-great-aunt who purchased my mother's first piano from hard work and laboring as a domestic, and thought "Wow, I've grown into my ancestors' wildest dreams." She instilled greatness into my mother that then was blessed to me. I hope to pass it to my nieces and possibly to my future generations.
AAJ:: When you stepped down, the National Cathedral praised you and your performances for helping them get through the pandemic. You received a standing ovation from the audience.
I-C G: During the pandemic the National Cathedral was fresh on the heels of new direction, because they'd just hired Daryl Hunt, a phenomenal music director and pianist, in 2019. Then, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic happened. We had space and opportunity to still offer corporate worship, but in a new setting which was the virtual world.
Yet, we understood the assignment which was to lift up the name of Jesus Christ, regardless of what the world was experiencing at that moment. It was a release for us as musicians and for the many in our congregation. So many people have shared, "Oh, my goodness, you helped me through the pandemic." Just being able to sing helped me as well. As musicians, we did our best to be vessels and intercessors of the Holy Spirit in a time where there wasn't normalcy.
I'm eternally grateful for the people that I got to meet through the Cathedral like Andy Barnett. It's a blessed reminder specifically of God's grace.
AAJ:: What projects are you currently working on?
I-G C: I am currently working on a few different projects., one being a duo project with
Luke Carlos O'Reilly
pianoAnother project is one of my own. I am In between titles at the moment, but it is mostly inspirational, heavily jazz influenced. It will be released in Spring 2025. And I'm releasing a live recording performed in Baltimore on Sept 20, 2024 at Little Havana. I also am involved with a jazz inspired Christmas album that will be released in November [2024].
AAJ: Why have you chosen to stay in the Washington D.C area, versus moving to New York?
I-G C: Elijah Ballad, a friend of mine, released a song I was featured on called, "DC's Been Good To Me." The same is very true for me. When I was four, I got hired to do PBS commercials when I lived in Orlando and went on to do some voiceover work and grew up performing in musical theater in the other six cities I'd live in.
When I got to DC, the first person to hire me was guitarist
Peter Muldoon
guitarAAJ: Many artists and businesses incorporate a component of social responsibility as a part of their work. What are some of the ways your work seeks to help others outside of your performance?
I-C G: On my journey of health, I've realized the importance of the whole picture. I have an LLC with a mission to endorse holism for marginalized communities through art and entertainment. This includes education of mental, physical and spiritual health awareness.
It is important to understand there is no one-size-fits-all pill, and that goes for religion as well as lifestyle. However, there are some very reliable tools that we can utilize within the natural and supernatural.
Through different programming, I've been able to reach out to some outstanding people to help me on this journey. I'm also interested in the reconstruction of irrigation systems in under-served communities. Water is such a vital part of life, but by the time it reaches the faucets of the children and elderly who live in certain neighborhoods, the water is nasty in every way. The pipes are old and rusted. So we find people wanting to spend money on drinks that are not water, because there is not a palate for it, due to the poor taste when these pipes are so old.
I've created the hashtag #drinkwaterDC. With DC finest of those who care like Rev. Thomas Bowen, a White House staff member, I am hoping to bring awareness and change to the DC area and nationwide. The goal is to make sure that people realize how important it is to get good, clean and tasty drinking water to the community, especially children.
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Interview
K. Shackelford
Luke Carlos O'Reilly
Carmen McRae
Cecile McLorin Salvant
Christie Dashiell
Integrity Reeves
Shakira Rogers
Alan Johnson
Warren Wolf
Luke Carlos O' Reilly
Elijah Ballad
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