A unique talent, singer Laura Ann Singh seldom has performed under her own name.
She is an indispensable voice in Miramar, Butterbean, and Quatro Na Bossa, and has been the [magnetic] vocal core of eclectic groups led by Scott Clark and Curt Sydnor. And on the soon-to-be-released set of Antônio Carlos Jobim compositions reimagined by Doug Richards, she elegantly holds her own atop a whirlwind of complex big band arrangements.
But her headlining set for this Wednesday’s edition of the weekly Richmond Jazz Society series inside the Cochrane atrium of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a rarity.
While best known for bands with a strong musical focus, headlining allows Singh to range across styles from boleros and sambas to the Great American Songbook. It is a dizzyingly multilingual mix of genres. The Tennessee-born vocalist, who honed her Latin American craft in Brazil after graduating from the University of Richmond, is at home in each.
The accompanying rhythm section for this gig – Lee Covington on piano, Rusty Farmer on bass, and Scott Clark on drums- are longtime collaborators in various RVA recombinations. .
The two-hour VMFA series is free, with table seating if you arrive early, and a friendly enough crowd to slip into an already taken table if you do not.
Also, there is a boatload of great art within easy walking distance.
Laura Ann Singh performs at the VMFA atrium on Wednesday, Nov. 30 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free.
