A Haitian-American who sings in French, Haitian Creole and English, Leyla McCalla plays cello, tenor banjo and guitar. Deeply influenced by traditional Creole, Cajun and Haitian music, as well as by American jazz and folk, her music is at once earthy, elegant, soulful and witty — it vibrates with three centuries of history, yet also feels strikingly fresh, distinctive and contemporary. She’s a current member of ‘Our Native Daughters’ with Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah and Allison Russell, and years ago toured with the Carolina Chocolate Drops (JTMF Oct 2007). Leyla has had a whirlwind of a year since releasing Breaking the Thermometer in May. She toured extensively, including major festivals (New Orleans Jazz Fest, Big Ears, Montreal Jazz), and opened for Neko Case and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Band Website: www.leylamccalla.com
