Quiana Lynell (born April 16, 1981) is an American blues and jazz singer, arranger and songwriter.

Early life

Lynell was born in

Tyler Tyler may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tyler (name), an English name; with lists of people with the surname or given name * Tyler, the Creator (born 1991), American rap artist and producer * John Tyler, 10th president of the United ...

, Texas. She grew up in a religious home and was exposed to gospel music from a young age. During high school she was in the all-state choir.

Education

Lynell moved to

Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...

for her education. Lynell earned a B.A. degree in Vocal Performance from Louisiana State University on a scholarship.

Career

Lynell began her singing career as a classical singer and was a member of the St. James Episcopal Church choir in Baton Rouge. After meeting Janelle Brown, lead singer of the zydeco group 2 Da T, she began exploring additional musical genres, including zydeco and R&B. She has been mentored by notable artists such as Aaron Neville,

Germaine Bazzle Germaine Bazzle (born March 28, 1932) is a jazz vocalist from New Orleans. Background Bazzle was born in New Orleans in 1932 and is from the Seventh Ward, New Orleans, Seventh Ward. She grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano ...

, and Wendell Brunious. In 2017 she won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and as a result of the award she received a recording contract with Concord Records. Lynell has performed with Nona Hendryx, Terence Blanchard,

Jon Cowherd Jon Cowherd is an American pianist, composer, arranger, and record producer born to a trombone player (father) and classically trained violinist (mother), both of whom were also educators. Jon began piano lessons at the age of five and trumpet an ...

, Marvin Sewell,

Eric Harland Eric Harland (born November 8, 1976; in Houston, Texas) is an American jazz drummer. In addition to leading his own group, Harland is a member of Charles Lloyd's Quartet, Dave Holland's Prism, James Farm with Joshua Redman, and Taylor Eigsti' ...

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...

Patti Austin Patti Austin (born August 10, 1950) is an American R&B, pop, and jazz singer and songwriter. Music career Austin was born in Harlem, New York, to Gordon Austin, a jazz trombonist. She was raised in Bay Shore, New York on Long Island. Quincy ...

Bilal __NOTOC__ Bilal may refer to: People * Bilal (name) (a list of people with the name) * Bilal ibn Rabah, a companion of Muhammad * Bilal (American singer) * Bilal (Lebanese singer) Places *Bilal Colony, a neighbourhood of Korangi Town in Karachi, ...

, Ledisi, and with local artists and bands in Louisiana. She regularly performs at venues in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, including at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on multiple occasions. She has also performed with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra as a principle Soprano In 2017, with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lynell performed a tribute concert to Ella Fitzgerald, celebrating her 100th birthday. In 2018, Lynell was a featured artist with

Bernard Purdie Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie (born June 11, 1939) is an American drummer, and an influential R&B, soul and funk musician. He is known for his precise musical time keeping and his signature use of triplets against a half-time backbeat: the "Purdie ...

's All-Star Shuffle, and Bobbi Humphrey, at

Brooklyn Academy of Music The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a performing arts venue in Brooklyn, New York City, known as a center for progressive and avant-garde performance. It presented its first performance in 1861 and began operations in its present location in ...

's R&B Festival in Brooklyn. In 2016, Lynell released the EP ''Loving Me'' (Q Sound) and the single ''Baton Rouge'' (Q Sound). Lynell has been a featured soloist on studio albums. Lynell has developed the educational program, "Made in America: Lyrically Speaking: Breaking Down Jazz, Blues and Soul in American Music, from the Vocalist Perspective", which has been used in clinics across the United States to educated students on jazz, blues and traditional American music from the vocalist perspective. She is also the founder of the running club, Musicians Run, aimed at promoting running to local musicians in Baton Rouge. Lynell has held several teaching positions, including as band directors in elementary and middle schools. Since 2016 she has been a private vocal instructor and an adjunct professor at Loyola University New Orleans, Louisiana.

Discography

* 2018: ''Live at the 2018 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival'' (Munck Music) * 2019: ''A Little Love'' ( Concord Jazz) * 2022: ''Live at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival'' (Munck Music)

Awards

* 2017: Winner of Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition * 2017: Nominee for Best Emerging Artist, Best of the Beat Awards

Personal life

Lynell has two children and lives in Baton Rouge.

References

External links

Official website

Fox Performances

The Jazz of Entrepreneurs , Quiana Lynell , TEDxLSU

Quiana Lynell - The 504 TV Show Interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lynell, Quiana 1981 births Living people American blues singers American women jazz singers 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singers American jazz singers American rhythm and blues singers Louisiana State University alumni Musicians from Baton Rouge, Louisiana Loyola University New Orleans faculty Musicians from Tyler, Texas Jazz musicians from Louisiana Jazz musicians from Texas Concord Records artists American women academics 21st-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American women Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition winners