Voice

Is that Jazz?

By Silvia Bolognesi

Label: Self Produced
Released: 2025
Track listing: Revolution Will Not Be Televised part 1; Madison Avenue; Revolution Will Not Be Televised part 2; Shut ��Em Down/Conduction Moment; 1980 Impro Version; Home Is Where the Hatred Is; Revolution Will Not Be Televised part 3; The Prisoner; Vildgolia (Deaf, Dumb & Blind); Revolution Will Not Be Televised part 4; Lady Day & John Coltrane; We Almost Lost Detroit; Revolution Will Not Be Televised part 5; New York is Killing Me (encore).

Natalia Bernal

Natalia Bernal, vocalist / cantora / composer / producer / educator

Chilean-born vocalist Natalia Bernal hails from Iquique, a city nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Atacama Desert. Now based in the United States, Natalia’s rich and entrancing voice evokes the drama of the natural surroundings of her homeland. Drawing from songwriting traditions of Latin America, her original compositions and selections from the Great American Songbook surprise with a refreshingly improvisational texture. 

Since 2009, Natalia has been the vocalist for trio "La Voz de Tres" (lavozdetres.com) which she co-leads with pianist Mike Eckroth and guitarist Jason Ennis. This Jazz/Fusion/Chamber ensamble has released "La Voz de Tres" and "Sueños y Delirios", and their most important US and Latin American performances include Blue Note New York in New York City, Municipalidad de Iquique in Iquique-Chile, Tempe Center for the Arts and The Nash in Arizona, Branford Jazz Festival in Connecticut, and Geneva Music Festival in New York amongst many.

Arta Jekabsone

Born: May 29, 1995

New York City-based Latvian singer, composer, and arranger Arta J��kabsone is recognized for her velvety tone. Arta engages listeners with an emotional and honest, adventurous, and joyful expression of music. Her awards include a 1st place win at the prestigious Montreux Shure Jazz Voice Competition 2016, 3rd place at the 10th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Voice Competition 2021, 2nd place at Mid- Atlantic Jazz Voice Competition 2017, and 3rd prize at Ella Fitzgerald International Vocal Competition 2019. Recently, J��kabsone was awarded The Jazz Gallery Residency Commission Grant 2021/2022.  In 2023, Je?kabsone received the highest form of state recognition in the field of music, the Latvian Music Award “New Artist of the Year 2022”.  ASCAP Foundation recently recognized her with an honorable mention in the 2024 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards and in May 2024 she concluded her artist residency at The Church  in Sag Harbour.

Imani Rousselle

Born: August 27

Imani Rousselle is a Texas-born vocalist with a love for interpreting and delivering the message of lyrics across genre lines. Whether covering jazz standards, classic pop or her own compositions, her voice invites you to follow along as she fills the air with carefully crafted sound. She currently makes her home in New York City, where she graduated from the Manhattan School of Music. Prior to moving to NYC Rousselle made her home in Chicago where she performed on many stages including the legendary Jazz Showcase, Navy Pier and The Green Mill. Since moving to New York in 2019 she has allured audiences and been welcomed on stages such as the world famous Dizzy's Jazz Club, Clements Place, the Schomburg Center in Harlem, The Joyce Theater, Smalls, The National Jazz Museum In Harlem and many more

Hanna Inui

Born: February 29

Hanna Inui is a Japanese pianist, composer, and improviser. Hanna holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA 2020/Jazz Piano) from School of Jazz at The New School. Hanna’s music molds influences from classical, Japanese pop music, and Black American music, and has two distinctive characters; one being the punk, and the other being the healer. Hanna is currently residing in Brooklyn, NY, exploring solo piano performance, composition, electronics, texts, sound art, and movement designs, searching ways music can exist in this society where every (recorded) music is available for (almost) anyone to hear.

Alex Siegers

Born: June 11, 1992

Alex has amassed considerable experience as an educator and performer across jazz, sacred, classical and pop genres with leading musicians throughout Australia.

In 2017 she graduated from a Bachelor of Music and Arts, majoring in Jazz Performance, Asian Studies and Linguistics at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She completed an appended Honours in 2023. Alex is currently a full time chorister with the Choir of St. James King Street, and the lead role in Da Vinci’s Apprentice for Musica Viva in Schools.

She also performs with The Song Company, The Choir of St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney Chamber Choir, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Luminescence Chamber Singers, Cantillation, Vocal Australia Singers, The Australian Voices and The Choir Lab.

Syna Awel

Karim Ziad, drummer, percussionist arranged this new album shaped around Syna Awel and himself along with David Aubaile on piano and flutes and Pierre Bonnet on bass. Sung mainly in the Berber language but also in French, these ten songs transport us into oriental atmospheres, bendirs, Krakeb and derboukas and many more. Yet the piano also injects jazz motifs and even pop harmonies. By listening, we will also hear some Occitan influences. Music doesn’t like borders. In this beautiful setting of sounds, shaped by inspired musicians, the voice of Syna Awel develops at ease, it is power with a myriad of nuances.

Gus Leighton

Born: October 28, 1995

Gus Leighton is an Australian contemporary tenor saxophonist based in Hobart, Tasmania. He is known for his improvisational skills and compositional style, drawing influence from notable saxophonists such as Lester Young, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, and Wayne Shorter. Gus is currently pursuing his PhD research at the University of Tasmania, focusing on these four saxophonists.

Aside from his research, Gus is actively involved in the music scene. He is a respected saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader of various groups including Uncle Gus and The Rimshots, The Gus Leighton Quartet, and The Greenrises Jazz Orchestra. Gus has also performed at festivals and events as both a leader and accompanist, having shared the stage with artists like Dami Im, Andrew O'Keefe and The Melbourne Ska Orchestra.

Lola Miller