Rachel Brotman
Brooklyn, New York, United States | SELF
Music
Press
On Anecdote EP:
Brotman has extraordinary vocal talents and her group of excellent jazz players clearly have a strong musical connection with her. The end result is an album that is rooted in jazz but also steps outside of that world with surprising success. - Groove On Fire
On Anecdote EP:
In Rachel Brotman‘s debut EP, improvisational jazz is paired with her beautiful vocal caress tiptoeing along subtle, strangely riveting melodies [...] Rachel’s exploratory mindset is what puts this EP a step ahead. - Bandcamp's Best
“Our September winner is the graceful miss Rachel Brotman and we are ever so thrilled to share her sounds with you. [She] is fully equipped to induce tingles at her will…”
- Giant Step
Singer-songwriter Rachel Brotman’s sweet, soulful blend of pop, jazz and R&B exudes a graceful simplicity - NPR, wnyc
Rachel’s voice is smoothly soulful, the lyrics and phrasing are unique and the band incredibly talented and in constant conversation with each other - The Huffington Post
Discography
Anecdote EP (released January, 2013)
Photos
Bio
Rachel Brotman is a vocalist, pianist, composer and a native New Yorker. She began performing solo at the age of 17, establishing a residency at a Manhattan venue that she maintained through her early twenties.
She left New York to study music in New Orleans, where she lived and performed for many years. She studied voice under New Orleans legend Leah Chase and piano with Frederick Sanders (Roy Hargrove, Norah Jones). While in New Orleans she shared bills with acts ranging from Vampire Weekend to Dr. John and appeared multiple years at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Since returning to NYC, Rachel has continued her studies with Wendy Sharp and Gretchen Parlato. In 2011 she formed the group she is currently performing with, which includes John Raymond (flugelhorn), Yago Vaqzuez (piano), Zach Lane (bass) and Anthony Taddeo (drums). Drawing from a shared history and love for jazz, the group applies the spirit of collective improvisation to music that's influenced by artists from Erykah Badu to Elis Regina.
They’ve appeared at venues throughout NYC including Rockwood Music Hall, The Living Room, Union Hall, Matt Garrison’s ShapeShifter Lab, Cornelia Street Cafe, Webster Hall (as a part of the Tinderbox Music Festival) and DROM.
In the beginning of 2013 Brotman recorded her debut EP with this group, entitled Anecdote. The record has been met with much praise, Brotman’s own performance being called “extraordinary” and “a breath of fresh air,” the EP hailed as being “in a league of its own.” Additionally, the group has been featured on NPR’s wnyc Soundcheck and most recently Brotman was chosen by Giant Step as one of their acclaimed Next Step artists.
Band Members
Links
