New Faces of Jazz — Melanie Charles, Flutist & Vocalist

There are very few artists whose sound can capture the sentiments of a generation. The Brooklyn born and raised, Melanie Charles, is one of these artists. Over the past few decades, she has made a name for herself through dynamic engagements with jazz, soul, and R&B. Her bold genre-bending style has been embraced by a range of artists including Wynton Marsalis, SZA, Mach-Hommy, Gorillaz, and The Roots. In 2021, she appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk and stunned with her eclectic style. More on Melanie Charles

The music on KUVO never stops, thankfully. The nature of these creative compositions and compelling collaborations is growth and re-invention, re-interpretation, and the quest for things altogether new and never heard before.

Jazz Appreciation Month comes along at just the right time. Spring is the time for new life, to replace the giant trees felled by age and virus. Not to put too much pressure on the young artists headed our way, but we’re counting on them to get us out of the grief and negative funk we’re in. Too much death. Too much sorrow. Lost memories and dear friends departed. Jazz folks are ready for what’s next in music, NOW MORE THAN EVER!

In April 2022, KUVO marks Jazz Appreciation Month by highlighting a few of the “New Faces of Jazz,” however you wish to describe this music. Every few days we’ll dig into the shallow catalogs of the up-and-comers who are coming on strong with musical ideas birthed from the soil loosely called “Jazz.”

We hope you will reach out to KUVO with YOUR favorite new artists because honestly, try as we might, we haven’t heard them all. Hit us up on any of our social media channels or text:

• Instagram: jazz89kuvo
• Twitter: @KUVOJazz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jazz89kuvo
• Email: studio@kuvo.org
• Text: 303.291.0666

In the meantime, KUVO Jazz hosts (and the hosts of other formats on KUVO) will sound a little younger, a little more adventurous during April. Because we’re depending on the next wave. Join us won’t you?

For more ways to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month and for more resources, visit the Smithsonian Institution’s official JAM website at https://americanhistory.si.edu/smithsonian-jazz/jazz-appreciation-month.

Picture credit: JAZZIZ Magazine

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