Singer-songwriter Melody Gardot has been playing in cafés in her hometown Philadelphia since she was 16 years old. After a serious bicycle accident, she underwent musical therapy during her forced convalescence. She recorded the album, Worrisome Heart, in 2008, offering a mix of jazz tinged with folk and blues receiving much critical acclaim. A year later, she came out with My One and Only Thrill, blending blues and Latin rhythms. Her smooth vocals grace melancholy tunes bathed in orchestral arrangements by Vince Mendoza. Audiences will long remember her performance at the Festival in 2008 and 2009, which left the crowd breathless. The Absence came out in summer 2012, shortly before another memorable Festival concert.