IRENE JALENTI – 9PM & 11PM

“Her warmth and strong stage presence allow her to communicate the essence, power and importance of jazz” says Sonny Rollins’s bassist Bob Cranshaw about Irene Jalenti, jazz vocalist who brought her European flavor to Baltimore in 2010 and has become one of the most requested performers in the area.

Having grown up in an Italian family of musicians, her deep tone has been compared to icons such as Nina Simone, Cassandra Wilson and Sade, but her most powerful influence has been her father. He introduced her, at an early age, to the beauty of jazz and, together with her mother, always supported Irene’s musical aspirations. This gave her the courage to travel through Italy, France and United States, and eventually to Maryland to perfect her musicianship at the Peabody Conservatory of Music with vocalist Jay Clayton and saxophonist Gary Thomas.

Also active in Washington DC, Irene’s gospel and soul music backgrounds make for a natural fusion between those styles and her jazz phrasing. Performing professionally since 1996, she has a special feeling for the stage, where her main goal is to share not only the essence of a tune, but also her soulful individuality, spirituality and life experiences.