Gabrielle Cavassa (born July 5, 1994) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

vocalist.

Life and career

Cavassa was born and raised in

Escondido, California Escondido (Spanish language, Spanish for "Hidden") is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. Located in the North County (San Diego area), North County region, it was incorporated in 1888, and is one of the oldest cities in San ...

, and is of Italian descent. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music from

San Francisco State University San Francisco State University (San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Francisco, California, United States. It was established in 1899 as the San Francisco State Normal School and is ...

. In 2012, she was a contestant on the 11th season of ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...

'', where she performed in the Hollywood rounds before being eliminated. In 2017, Cavassa moved to

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

, integrating herself into the city's music scene. She soon toured with Adonis Rose and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, trumpeter

Irvin Mayfield Irvin Mayfield Jr. (born December 23, 1977) is an American trumpeter, composer, bandleader and educator. On November 3, 2021, Mayfield was sentenced to 18 months in prison for defrauding the New Orleans Public Library, New Orleans public librar ...

, and collaborated with drummer/singer

Jamison Ross Jamison Ross (born November 12, 1987) is an American jazz drummer and vocalist, singer, songwriter, and producer. He was the winner of the 2012 Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Competition for drums. Career A native of Jackson ...

, who would co-produce her debut album. After releasing her self-titled debut album, Cavassa won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition at the James Moody Jazz Festival in 2021. Her first, self-titled album was released and self-published on August 21, 2020. Cavassa cites

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday made significant contributions to jazz music and pop ...

Phyllis Hyman Phyllis Linda Hyman (July 6, 1949 – June 30, 1995) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Hyman's music career spanned the late 1970s through the early 1990s, and she was best known for her expansive contralto range. Some of her most ...

Ornella Vanoni Ornella Vanoni (; born 22 September 1934) is an Italian singer. She is one of the longest-standing Italian artists, having started performing in 1956. She has released about 112 works between LP, EPs and greatest hits albums, and is considered ...

, and

Jeff Buckley Jeffrey Scott Buckley (raised as Scott Moorhead; November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997) was an American musician. After a decade as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, he attracted a cult following in the early 1990s performing at venues in ...

as musical influences. Cavassa performed on '' Where Are We'', a 2023 studio album by jazz saxophonist

Joshua Redman Joshua Redman (born February 1, 1969) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He is the son of jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman (1931–2006). Life and career Joshua Redman was born in Berkeley, California, to jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman a ...

and his first to feature vocals. She appeared on Redman's subsequent 2025 album, '' Words Fall Short'', on the track titled "Era's End". In August, 2024, Cavassa signed to

Blue Note Records Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by History of the Jews in Germany, German-Jewish emigrants Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it deriv ...

, and entered the studio to record her label debut.

Discography

Albums

* ''Gabrielle Cavassa'' (self-released, 2020)

Singles

* ''Inside My Arms'' (self-released, 2020)

Appearances

* Seth Somni, ''Dirty (Kind of Lover)'' (Somnium, 2018) * Ryan Hanseler, ''Live at Snug'' (independent, 2021) * Calvin Martin, ''Lovesongs'' (2022) * Al Strong and

Sullivan Fortner Sullivan Joseph Fortner (born December 29, 1986) is an American jazz pianist. He was the regular pianist in trumpeter Roy Hargrove's band from 2010 to 2017, and has released two albums on Impulse! Records. He has received two Grammy Awards, inclu ...

, ''Love Stronger'' (Al Strong Music/Lightyear, 2022) * Strivers' Row, Aaron Green, and Dion Kerr; ''A Sneaky Link Love Song'' (Strivers' Row Productions, 2022) * Michelle Welchons, Anna Moss, and Sabine McCalla; ''Flickering Lights'' (EP; self-released, 2023) *

, '' Where Are We'' (

Blue Note Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by German-Jewish emigrants Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derived its name from the blue no ...

, 2023) *

Bria Skonberg Bria Skonberg (born 1983) is a Canadian jazz trumpeter and vocalist. Early life Skonberg was born in Chilliwack, British Columbia in 1983; her great-grandparents on her father's side came from Sweden. She took piano lessons in elementary school ...

, ''What It Means'' (Cellar Music Group, 2024) * Adonis Rose, ''For All We Know'' ( Storyville, 2024) * Joshua Redman, '' Words Fall Short'' (Blue Note, 2025)

References

External links

* Living people 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers American jazz singers American women jazz singers Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition winners People from Escondido, California Year of birth missing (living people) American Idol participants {{US-jazz-singer-stub