Teraesa Vinson

Artist Information

Biography

Some musicians take the road less traveled on their creative journey, and vocalist Teraesa Vinson has a unique perspective on following one’s bliss. The St. Louis native actually completed a B.A. in Psychology at Spelman College and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology before deciding to pursue her musical aspirations. After a time teaching other students to follow their dreams, she decided maybe it was time she heeded her own advice. Since landing in New York in 2003, Vinson has embraced every opportunity to improve her craft.

After a relatively short stint in the city, Vinson got the chance to record for the first time in 2004. That debut, Opportunity Please Knock, was an occasion to record with some outstanding musicians: Ron Blake, Tom Dempsey, Carlton Holmes, Nicki Parrott, and Dion Parson. The combination of well-loved standards, less recorded gems (Moon Ray) and a pop favorite (I Can’t Make You Love Me) attracted both traditional jazz enthusiasts and a more mainstream audience. Moreover, the album was critically well-received and earned airplay on radio stations across the globe.

Yet another great opportunity came Vinson’s way in 2005. That January, Vinson became the resident vocalist at Langans in Times Square. Singing alongside the phenomenal young drummer Quincy Davis and his trio, Vinson performed regularly with Davis for over two years.

Recently, Vinson recorded her follow-up project to Opportunity Please Knock. Aiming for a more intimate feel, the recording, titled Next To You, is a duet album with good friend and stellar guitarist Tom Dempsey. The two have collaborated since Vinson’s first performances, and Dempsey was also featured on her debut recording. The easy chemistry between the two, which frequently enchants their audiences, led itself to a notable sophomoric effort with critical success—including a coveted Best of 2008 mention in New York’s Village Voice.

Instrumentation

Teraesa Vinson is a jazz vocalist. She has regularly collaborated with several musicians, such as guitarist Tom Dempsey, saxophonist Ron Blake, pianists Helen Sung and Carlton Holmes, and drummers Dion Parson and Quincy Davis. However, when traveling, she frequently plays with local musicians when requested.

Discography

Opportunity Please Knock
Next To You

Audio

• Next To You
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• Opportunity Please Knock
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• I Remember You
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• Ribbon In The Sky
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• Moon Ray
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Video

Every Breath You Take

Photo Gallery

Press

• eJazzNews [+ Show ]
  

  "Teraesa Vinson and partner Tom Dempsey succeed in capturing the emotions and passion that the compo..."Teraesa Vinson and partner Tom Dempsey succeed in capturing the emotions and passion that the composers of these songs intended to convey, with only a single guitar and the charming voice of an angel."
  
  

• Scott Yanow [+ Show ]
  

  "More consistently jazz-oriented than Tuck & Patti and at the same high level of musicianship, Vinso..."More consistently jazz-oriented than Tuck & Patti and at the same high level of musicianship, Vinson & Dempsey often phrase together and they constantly complement each other's ideas....Teraesa Vinson displays a beautiful and flexible voice, coming up with subtle melodic variations and uplifting each piece with joy and understanding of the lyric.”

• Cam Miller [+ Show ]
  

  “In a field already crowded with an abundance of talent….it’s imperative that when a new jazz songbi...“In a field already crowded with an abundance of talent….it’s imperative that when a new jazz songbird comes on the scene, she’d better be the real goods. Teraesa Vinson is. Blessed with a warm, rich voice that can be downright sexy and an abiding respect for both melody and lyrics, Vinson is in a position to make it big….In short, the disc is a splendid introduction to a splendid young vocalist.”

• Cadence
  

  “…an auspicious, and to some measure, an audacious debut by an exciting new singer.”

• Ken Dryden [+ Show ]
  

  "The duo is a true partnership, with the singer molding herself to Dempsey's inspired lines while sh..."The duo is a true partnership, with the singer molding herself to Dempsey's inspired lines while she tackles a wide variety of material and sounds effortless in the process."

Setlist

Numerous standards, jazz treatments of pop songs, and some original material.

Basic Requirements

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