Lauded by jazz legend Herbie Hancock and hailed by critics as a female Frank Sinatra, Gretchen Parlato was the first vocalist to be accepted into the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance and her debut album was named number 5 Best Progressive Jazz CD of 2005 by Jazz Nation.
Fusing jazz, Brazilian, and African elements, Parlato’s ethereal sound and pure vocal prowess have led her to study and perform with jazz luminaries Dianne Reeves, Oscar Castro-Neves, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Terence Blanchard, Lionel Loueke and Dave Holland.