Description

Melanie Charles

Brooklyn born and raised Melanie Charles is one of the few artists whose sound can capture the sentiments of a generation. Over the past few decades, she has made a name for herself through dynamic engagements with jazz, soul, and R&B. Her bold genre-bending style has been embraced by a range of artists including Wynton Marsalis, SZA, Mach-Hommy, Gorillaz, and The Roots. In 2021, she appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk and stunned with her eclectic style. Through it all, she has remained committed to making music that pushes listeners to consider new possibilities—both sonically and politically.

“Make Jazz Trill Again,” a project that she launched in 2016, demonstrates her allegiance to everyday people, especially the youth and is focused on taking jazz from the museum to the streets. “I love jazz, I really fell in love with it deeply. But I was interested in young people interacting with it,” Charles says. The album Y’all Don’t (Really) Care About Black Women is reflective of Charles’ tremendous versatility and imagination as an artist but of also her deep care for community.

The Jazz Leaders Fellowship

Now in its third year, the Jazz Leaders Fellowship provides Black women and Black non-binary jazz musicians with resources to further develop their craft and pursue projects that advance their careers.

The Mission of the Jazz Leaders Fellowship is:

• To support emerging jazz musicians in creating original music.
• To support the careers of Black women and Black non-binary jazz musicians to help increase their representation in the field
• To broaden the presence of BKCM in the jazz community
• To expose BKCM’s students to diverse emerging teachers

The program was conceived by BKCM Board member Daniel DiPietro, developed by the Jazz Leaders Fellowship Committee and continues to be led by musician and educator Fay Victor.

Learn more about the fellowship HERE!