Edwin Mills by Equator, at 22 Mills Place in Pasadena, presents Gretje Angell, a live jazz and classical vocalist and recording artist, on Saturday, Nov. 26, 7 to 11 p.m.
Gretje Angell grew up in smoky, dimly-lit clubs in Akron, Ohio, as a little-girl roadie for her jazz-drummer father. Her grandfather was also a jazz drummer.
She ascended the bandstand on her own time, working through a heavy dose of stage fright, welcomed motherhood, and studied classical and opera prior launching her jazz career.
Her debut, “…in any key”, is a classic jazz vocal album – the kind of long player you put on while savoring wine and cooking and cleaning. “…in any key” simmers with the sensual sophistication of artists such as Anita O’Day, Chet Baker, Carmen McRae, and Ella Fitzgerald.
Onstage and off, Angell navigates lush balladry, snappy swing, and slinky Brazilian rhythms with sensitivity and dexterity. She’s a darling of the jazz underground who performs regionally, nationally, and internationally, wowing audiences in a broad array of settings. She leads her own ensembles, ranging from intimate guitar and vocal duos to full-band configurations, and also appears with other acclaimed LA-based jazz combos, including Ladd McIntosh Swing Orchestra, Jack’s Cats, and Glen Garrett’s Big Band.
Influencing her dynamic emotionality and technical aptitude as a singer are her experiences as a soprano opera singer active with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Opera Company.
Angell maintains the fluidly busy calendar of a consummate professional. Performing and recording as a jazz musician is something her father would have been proud of.
“Whenever I gig, I picture him in the back of the room and it always calms my nerves,” she reflects.
To reserve your space for Saturday’s event, party@edwinmills.com, call (626) 564-8656 or visit www.edwinmills.com/events-live-music.
