StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on Cécile McLorin Salvant

This week, StLJN's video spotlight shines on singer Cécile McLorin Salvant, who's returning to St. Louis to perform next Saturday, November 18 at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Salvant, a 28-year-old native of Miami, made her St. Louis debut a couple of years ago at The Sheldon and is one of the most talked-about jazz singers to emerge in the last decade. She's already earned a "Best Jazz Vocal" Grammy Award for her third album, 2015’s For One to Love, and currently is touring in support of her latest album Dreams and Daggers. It's a two-CD set recorded live at the Village Vanguard in NYC, released by Mack Avenue Records in September.

Dreams and Daggers mixes standards and originals in what Pitchfork has called "the boldest move of her career", and in the first clip up above, you can see the official music video for "You're My Thrill," which Mack Avenue is promoting as a single from the album.

After the jump, you can see several more videos of recent live performances, starting with Salvant and her working band, led by pianist Aaron Diehl, performing "Boy! What Has Love Done To Me" at a gig in February 2017 in Montreal.

Next up, Salvant and pianist Sullivan Fortner duet on Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye," recorded in April of this year at the Harlem Stage Gatehouse in NYC.

After that, there are two tracks, "Doudou" and "Just A Gigolo," recorded in August of this year at the Jazz in Marciac festival in France. Both feature Salvant performing with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis' quintet, which includes drummer Ali Jackson, pianist Dan Nimmer, bassist Carlos Henriquez, and saxophonist Walter Blanding.

In the last video, you can see an interview with Salvant in which she discusses Dreams and Daggers, her influences and career so far, and more.

For more about Cécile McLorin Salvant, check out London Jazz News' review of her show last month at Ronnie Scott's; the article about her published in September by the Los Angeles Times; and the feature story about her from May of this year in The New Yorker.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...