Jordan Officer, sonic alchemist
Known by the public at large for his indispensable contribution to Susie Arioli's career (over 200,000 albums sold), Jordan Officer has left his indelible mark on everyone who's had the chance to hear him play. And make no mistake: despite his reserved demeanour and humility-a throwback to the image of legends past-this unassuming six-string master radiates a formidable intensity. It's as though the entire legacies of blues, jazz and country had suddenly been channeled through one utterly personal musical voice-one we can finally hear at our leisure on his debut self-titled solo album, just recently released.
Stacey Kent, the American songbird who charmed an entire planet
Singing of love with perfect phrasing and a voice that reaches out to the listener, American Stacey Kent seduced France and is now winning over the world entire-including Festival fans, who've had three opportunities to catch her live. We all recall her excellent album, Breakfast on the Morning Tram -her first for Blue Note, proof that she now belongs to the major league of great jazz singers, a free spirited artist balancing standards and new songs-which she performed at the Festival in 2008. She returns, this time in French, with Raconte-moi... a new album that ranked among the Top 10 francophone sellers in Quebec upon its release and, 2 months later, continues to draw a strong response. This is her first tour on Quebec soil!