Madeleine Peyroux

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Madeleine Peyroux
Madeleine Peyroux in Toronto
Madeleine Peyroux in Toronto
Background information
Born 1974
Country flag Athens,

Georgia, United States
Genre(s) Jazz
Occupation(s) singer
Instrument(s) singing
Label(s) Rounder, Atlantic
Website http://www.madeleinepeyroux.com/

Madeleine Peyroux (b. 1974) is an American jazz singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

Peyroux (pronounced 'Peru' or 'Pear-roo') is noted for her vocal style, which has been compared to that of Billie Holiday.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Peyroux was born in Athens, Georgia. Her family was in academia, and she has described her parents as "hippies". Her father moved the family to Brooklyn when Peyroux was six, so he could pursue a career in acting. She grew up in New York City and southern California, and when her parents divorced, she moved with her mother to Paris.[1]

[edit] Career

Peyroux started singing at the age of fifteen, when she discovered street musicians in the Latin Quarter in Paris. She joined a group called the Riverboat Shufflers, first passing round the hat, and then singing. At sixteen she joined The Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz Band, spending two years touring Europe performing songs by the likes of Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and others, which provided the basis for her first album, Dreamland.

Dreamland was released in 1996, and gained widespread attention. Time called it "the most exciting, involving vocal performance by a new singer this year". Peyroux soon found herself opening for Sarah McLachlan and Cesaria Evora, and made appearances at jazz festivals and on the Lilith Fair tour.

Peyroux spent much of the next six years busking in Paris, performing occasionally in clubs in the U.S., and generally living a low-key existence. She continued to contribute to works by other artists, but rarely appeared in clubs under her own name.

In May 2002 she joined multi-instrumentalist William Galison, and together they appeared at such venues as the Bottom Line, Joe's Pub, and the Tin Angel. In 2003 the duo released a seven-song EP entitled Got You on My Mind, which they sold at shows and online. Got You on My Mind was re-released by William Galison in August 2004; the original EP was expanded by the addition of four tracks by Gallison.

Peyroux released her second solo album Careless Love, in September 2004 to generally positive reviews. It went on to sell over a million copies worldwide. The album opens with a cover of the Leonard Cohen song, "Dance Me to the End of Love" and also includes covers of songs by Bob Dylan (You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go), Elliott Smith (Between The Bars), Hank Williams (Weary Blues) and others. The only track on the album that was written by Peyroux, in collaboration with Jesse Harris and producer Larry Klein, was "Don't Wait Too Long".

On September 3rd, 2006, Madeleine Peyroux performed a live session for Live from Abbey Road at Abbey Road Studios. She shared her episode with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snow Patrol and it was aired in the UK on Channel 4 and in the USA on the Sundance Channel.[2]

Her third solo album, Half the Perfect World, was released on September 12th, 2006. She collaborated with several artists, including Jesse Harris, Walter Becker, Larry Klein (who also produced the album), and k.d. lang, with whom Peyroux duets on a cover of the Joni Mitchell song, "River". Other notable covers include "Blue Alert" and "Half the Perfect World" by Leonard Cohen/Anjani Thomas and Smile by Charlie Chaplin, John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons. An interesting footnote: producer Larry Klein was once married to Joni Mitchell.[3]

On July 12th, 2007, she was awarded Best International Jazz Artist at the BBC Jazz Awards.[4]

Peyroux is represented by American International Artists, a management group whose other artists include James Carter and Sarah Pedinotti among others.

[edit] Image and Publicity

In an age where celebrities are expected to indulge all of the public curiousities, Peyroux eschews publicity and keeps a low profile. She has dropped "out of sight" for extended periods of time, as when she spent several years busking after the release of her first record.

[edit] Language and nationality

Many people assume she is French because of her name, and the fact that she speaks fluent French. However, she is American, of French descent. Some of Peyroux's songs are in French but the majority of them are sung in English.

[edit] Excerpts of Peyroux's music used to sell clothes

Peyroux's well recognized ballad Don't Wait Too Long was featured in a National Television Advertising Campaign for Dockers San Francisco brand apparel.

A clip of the song "Blue Alert" from the album "Half the Perfect World" was used in an Old Navy jeans advertisement in summer 2007.

These corporate advertising campaigns may have contributed to Peyroux's popularity by drawing more attention to her music.

[edit] References

  1. ^ NYT profile & interview
  2. ^ Abbey Road
  3. ^ NYT profile and interview
  4. ^ Wins BBC Jazz Award

[edit] Discography

[edit] External links