Ep. 50 - Andromeda Turre on From the Earth, Growing up Jazz and Charlie Parker

Jazz is not only a second language for vocalist, composer and SiriusXM radio personality, Andromeda Turre — it’s her mother tongue. She grew up in a world raised by two of the finest Jazz OGs, world-renowned cellist Akua Dixon and legendary trombonist Steve Turre, and formed formative relationships with Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach and Wynton Marsalis (a.k.a. the Jazz Pilgrims). Formal piano instruction with the phenomenal Sonelius Smith began at age four. Next emerged Andromeda’s training as a dancer in the cultural renaissance of Harlem (or Washington Heights), before she shifted to the medium of theater (The Boston Conservatory) and later, vocal performance, at Berklee College of Music. While at Berklee, Andromeda performed at the 2003 commencement concert with Dianne Reeves and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, and recorded on Michael Justiz’s film Cafe and Tobacco." Soonafter, Ray Charles hired Andromeda to be the last Raelette, and she toured with him until his untimely passing. In 2007, Andromeda starred in the acclaimed Off-Broadway musical based on Woody Allen vignettes, “Murder Mystery Blues." She reigned as the "Queen of the Blues," at Tokyo Disney and headlined a plethora of music festivals before releasing her debut album, Introducing Andromeda Turre, in 2008, which featured an array of jazz standards, latin flavors, Japanese tributes and originals “Let Me” and “Lonely Holiday.” Shine followed in 2018 which opened with her cover of the seminal Monk standard, ‘Round Midnight. She started Growing Up Jazz, a powerful keynote that teaches Black history through the lens of Jazz, for which she was awarded the 2022 Women of Distinction Award from New York State Senate. Andromeda latest album, “From The Earth,” will be released on July 19, 2024 and aims to shed light on the disproportionate impact of climate change on BIPOC and connect communities. Andromeda hosts her own show on SiriusXM on Real Jazz every Saturday and Sunday from 12pm-5pm EST. In our conversation, we discussed the chaotic underpinnings of Shine; Billie Holiday; her SNL daycare; and the recent trip to Iceland which inspired her latest work.

Opening Credits: Thomas Paul - The Name Of The Star I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED; Jangwa - Wigs I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED. Closing Credits: Giacomo Forte - Country fields (Ispiration, Emotional, Sentimental, Folk, Acustic, Soft, Calm) I CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED.