A Grammy-nominated jazz singer with a sophisticated, cosmopolitan sensibility and an intimately warm voice, Stacey Kent returns to Rockport to support her upcoming record, Summer Me, Winter Me.

“She has charm to burn, a smile that could give you hope in February, and sings like nobody’s business.” – Wall Street Journal

For more than 20 years, Kent has been delighting jazz lovers with her inimitable graceful style, releasing over a dozen records and touring the world. The platinum-selling vocalist, who is known to interpret standards in French and Portuguese as well as in English, has amassed a loyal fanbase on both sides of the Atlantic. With a catalogue of 11 studio albums, including the Platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated Breakfast On The Morning Tram (EMI/Blue Note 2007) and an impressive list of collaborations, Stacey has graced the stages of more than 55 countries over the course of her career.

Kent paid her dues in the jazz clubs of London, before releasing the first of a series of albums for the Candid label, beginning with Close Your Eyes in 1997. Her second album, The Tender Trap (1999) brought her to the attention of US audiences with appearances on CBS Sunday Morning and NPR’s All Things Considered. Albums and awards followed, with Stacey winning the ‘Jazz Vocalist of the Year’ at the BBC Jazz Awards. The Boy Next Door (2003) was Stacey’s last Candid release and her first album to achieve Gold status.

Stacey cemented her reputation as a singer capable of putting a distinctive stamp on an impressive repertoire of standards. Her ability to communicate emotion through a nuanced and minimalist approach was showcased on husband and musical partner Jim Tomlinson’s album, The Lyric, which was awarded Album of The Year at the 2006 BBC Jazz Awards. This album brought her to the attention of Blue Note records with whom she signed in 2007. With each successive album, Stacey’s style has become more honed as her artistic outlook has broadened, leading her beyond the Great American Songbook to French chanson and Brazilian music which form an ever-larger part of her repertoire.