Falcon Main Stage: Brian Charette & Melanie Scholtz

Posted

Acclaimed B3 artist & award-winning Jazz Vocalist. Charette is a modern jazz juggernaut; Grammy-nominated, Hammond endorsed, and rising to fourth place on the Downbeat Critic's Poll in recent years. Critically acclaimed composer and bandleader, Brian has also performed with notable artists such as Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, among others. He is an active author and educator, writing for Keyboard Magazine, The New York City Jazz Record, DownBeat, and the Czech magazine, Muzikus. Brian teaches masterclasses worldwide and is on the faculty of the Czech Summer Jazz Workshop at Jesek Conservatory in Prague. Scholtz, an award winning jazz singer and composer. Originally an opera singer and competitive dancer, is a native Capetonian, well versed in South African Folk music and an ancient tribal language called Xhosa, replete with clicks and unusual rhythm. Melanie has released 5 albums under her own name thus far as well as collaborating with many South African and international jazz artists. Melanie regularly tours the Czech Republic and has also performs across Europe, and has lectured at the University of Cape Town. In 2013, Melanie launched Freedom’s Child. Freedom’s - a collaborative project with iconic poet James Matthews, marrying poetry and jazz.