The celebrated vocalist Jazzmeia Horn lives up to her prestige with her highly anticipated second recording, Love and Liberation.
After winning the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2013 and then the Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition in 2015, Horn now follows up her Grammy-nominated 2017 debut A Social Call with a dynamic new recording in which eight of the 12 tunes are original compositions. Throughout the record, Horn’s ownership of her voice, story and talent is front and centre.
“Love and Liberation is a concept and mantra that I use consistently in my everyday life,” she says. “For me, the two go hand in hand, and they both describe where I am in my life and career right now.”
Steeped in the tradition of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, Horn brings a freshness and excitement to her performances on the recording. Intricate scatting and wonderful interplay with her band make the record compelling and a great listen.
It was Horn’s piano-playing, jazz-loving grandmother who chose the prescient name Jazzmeia. On Love and Liberation, Horn further proves that she’s an artistic force to be reckoned with long into the foreseeable future.
Love and Liberation is due out Aug. 23 via Concord Jazz.
Hear more new releases and reissues every week on First Listen.