The Jazz Singer

VIRTUOSO ELIZABETH SHEPHERD'S SONG STYLINGS ARE PRAISED AROUND THE WORLD, BUT SHE HAS STAYED TRUE TO HER SALVATION ARMY ROOTS.

by Ken Ramstead

Music-Maker

“All ideas and all creativity come from God,” Elizabeth Shepherd explains. “That was what drew me to jazz"

Velvety-voiced jazz keyboardist Elizabeth Shepherd arrived on the international scene in 2006 and, since then, the Montreal-based soul-jazz innovator has established herself as one of the most alluring and imaginative artists on the scene today.

Elizabeth has a “soulful coolness,” states USA Today. Montreal’s La Presse writes that she is “more interesting than all the other jazz singers out there,” while MOJO magazine declares that her “wholly unique and unclassifiable style blurs the boundaries between jazz, R&B, pop and hip hop.”

A six-time JUNO nominee, Elizabeth has toured extensively in North America, Europe, Japan and Mexico, selling out shows from the Cotton Club in Tokyo to the Jazz Cafe in London, England.

“THERE’S AN IMMEDIACY TO MUSIC,” declares jazz musician Elizabeth. “There are so many things you try to put into words that ultimately can’t be expressed. You try, but you get bogged down in the nuances of what you actually mean to say, but not quite express correctly. With music, it’s immediate. That emotional content, whether you label it or not, is incredibly palpable.”

Shared Language

Elizabeth grew up in The Salvation Army, the daughter of pastor parents. Though the family moved around as they were transferred to different postings, Elizabeth never felt unmoored.