Kristen Lee Sergeant, a jazz singer and composer with effervescent energy and musical intensity, is known for her dramatic flair and jazz vocals. One of the few jazz musicians that can tell a story through her music and performance style while also sparking spontaneous conversations with other musicians. She is a consummate professional, and her performances, as well as her recordings, are a magnet for her fans. Bob Blumenthal, a Grammy-winning writer writes that “a special singer can invoke a thermometer’s span of temperature while maintaining a singular fire inside.” Kristen Lee Sergeant is a special singer. Her debut album, Inside Out, was released in 2016. Many critics, including Down Beat, made mention of her dramatic delivery. She doesn’t just sing a song; she lives it. And her listeners feel it too. Smolder is her latest release and marks a new step for Kristen as an arranger, songwriter, and creative improviser. The album, which includes cello, alto flute, and percussion, expresses fire’s feelings from extinguished and to blaze in a deeply personal and dynamic manner. Kristen is surrounded by some of the most talented musicians in jazz (Ted Nash and Cameron Brown, Jeb Patrick, Jody Redhageferber, Jay Sawyer and Rogerio Boccato), which reflects Kristen’s vision. Her journey illuminates her style. Growing up in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, she devoted herself to theater, and worked professionally through school, graduating from Brandeis University with a degree in music. “I was able to leave high school early with a costume under my robe for an evening show. Kristen recalls the same thing in college. After receiving the Ira Gershwin Music Prize, she left Brandeis. While classical vocal training was appealing to her, she decided jazz was what appealed to her when she moved from Brandeis to New York City. The intimacy of performing in smaller venues and the nature of improvised musical compositions opened up new opportunities for me as a performer and musician. Kristen recalls that it wasn’t a choice. She was “captured by the music.” Kristen also cites Marilyn Maye and Carmen McRae, who were her inspirations. After singing in a large band, she began singing in small groups in hookah lounges and nursing homes. She began intensive study with Tom Lellis, a singer and composer, and she developed her voice and musicianship in a completely new direction. This was by taking advantage of stage training and developing her jazz approach through intensive work. Kristen won the Jazz Forum Arts vocal contest in 2014. She also received enthusiastic acclaim for her debut album. While it is not unusual for a singer to have a side business, a singer who is also certified as a sommelier and serves at top NYC restaurants while pursuing her career on stage is unique. She was also a Gotham Bar sommelier while debuting her first album at Birdland.
