Cécile McLorin Salvant

When Cécile McLorin Salvant arrived at the Kennedy Centre in Washinton, DC to compete in the finals of the 2010 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, she was not only the youngest finalist, but also a mystery woman with the most unusual background of any of the participants. When she walked away with first place in the jazz world’s most prestigious contest, the buzz began almost immediately. If anything, it has intensified in the months leading up to the launch of her debut album, WomanChild. “…she has it all. If anyone can extend the lineage of the Big Three - Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald - it is this 23-year-old virtuoso.” - The New York Times