artist info

Since the early 2000s, award-winning vocalist, songwriter, and producer Gretchen Parlato has captivated audiences and critics alike, earning her place as one of the most inventive and mesmerizing voices in modern jazz. With a sound that seamlessly blends intimacy, rhythm, and global influences, Parlato continues to redefine what it means to be a jazz vocalist in the 21st century. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, and a graduate of LACHSA and UCLA, Parlato made history as the first vocalist ever accepted into the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance

Gretchen Parlato has forged a singular voice that honors the deep tradition of jazz while fearlessly advancing it. On her eagerly anticipated Fall 2026 Edition Records release, The Wise Ones, Gretchen's singer-songwriter roots reflect both continuity and evolution, weaving together jazz, R&B, and soul. The album features new collaborations with Robert Glasper, Gerald Clayton, Amber Navran of Moonchild and Meshell Ndegeocello.

Featured on over 85 albums, and five as a leader, Gretchen received her first GRAMMY-nomination for Live in NYC (2013) and a coveted 4.5 star review from DownBeat Magazine with the DVD hitting No. 1 on the iTunes best music video list. The Lost and Found (2011) received more than 30 national and international awards, including the DownBeat Jazz Critics Poll No.1 Vocal Album of 2011 and iTunes Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. Her 2009 sophomore release, In a Dream, was JazzTimes Critics Poll Vocal Album of 2009 and hailed by Billboard as "the most alluring jazz vocal album of 2009."