YolanDa Brown

About YolanDa Brown

What introduced you to jazz music?

It wasn’t an album in particular as Jazz music has always been around me. But it was a song! 'In a Sentimental Mood'. I remember hearing the version of John Coltrane with Duke Ellington and then hearing Ella Fitzgerald’s version, then Sonny Rollins and the list went on and on. It was my first time realising how endless jazz is and that the beauty is in the performer having a personal interpretation. It set me free as a musician.

Your favourite melody to hum in the morning?

It changes daily but a reoccurring melody has been inherited from my Dad, the bassline from 'Peanut Vendor'! He always hums it and so do I! The only melody to challenge this is the theme from Kamasi Wahington’s 'Harmony of Difference album', love it!

What is the album that expanded your idea of jazz?

I grew up listening to so many styles of music and the jazz greats were no exception. However, I think that jazz opened up further to me when I heard 'Casino Lights ’99' recorded live from Montreux Jazz Festival. I could not get enough of listening to these live performances.

What was your favourite album from 2019?

Anderson Paak's 'Ventura'

What is your most memorable jazz gig?

There are so many great live jazz memories, but I think it has to be when my husband and I were in Madrid on our Babymoon 6 years ago and we just turned up at Café Central in Madrid and Chuchito Valdes was playing. We sat right up front, in the action and were totally transported in the moment!