Laurin Talese

Laurin Talese arrived in Philadelphia right around the turn of the millennium, as the neo-soul movement was reaching critical mass in the city. The scene added one more element to her already versatile voice, which had been honed through both classical training and the testing ground of the church in her native Cleveland. While studying at Philly’s University of the Arts she made connections that have led her to tours with the likes of Vivian Green and Bilal, as well as introducing her to her bassist and music director, Adam Blackstone. Along with drummer Ulysses Owens Jr., Blackstone co-produced Talese’s 2016 debut, Gorgeous Chaos.

Two years later Talese won the seventh annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, an especially meaningful honor given her reverence for the iconic singer. In the midst of running last-minute errands the day before embarking on a State Department-sponsored tour of Montenegro, Ukraine, and Poland, Talese sat down outside a scenic (yet, sadly, closed) café nestled in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park for this listening session.

1. Sarah Vaughan

“I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” (Crazy and Mixed Up, Pablo Today). Vaughan, vocals; Roland Hanna, piano; Joe Pass, guitar; Andy Simpkins, bass; Harold Jones, drums. Recorded in 1982.

Yes, Sarah! That’s my boo. Her voice just makes me smile, because she was one of the first jazz vocalists I heard growing up. She sounds different here, though. She’s being a little gentler with the way she’s approaching some of her phrases. She’s laying back, which is something I don’t remember her doing earlier in her career. It’s