Mélissa Laveaux

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mélissa Laveaux is an Ottawa, Canada, (born January 9, 1985 in Montréal, Quebec) musician of Haitian descent signed to NoFormat[1] records (others on the roster include Gonzales (musician), Julia Sarr). She is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist who plays music described as a mix of roots, folk, and blues using her signature percussive finger-style guitar and soulful vocal stylings[2]. In 2006, Laveaux released a first full-length album of her own songs. It is co-produced with percussionist Rob Reid (on tabla and cajon) and Lisa Patterson of Imaginit Music Studios[3]. Laveaux has received critical praise from her peers such as Juba Kalamka of Deep Dickollective[4] and is a Songs from the Heart recipient from the 2006 Ontario Council of Folk Festivals conference in the World Music categorie for penning "Koud'lo"[5].In 2007, Mélissa won the Lagardère Talent foundation's musician bursary[6]. Her second full-length effort will be released in 2008 with help from the bursary's funds under NoFormat records.

Mélissa has been slowly creating buzz with shows at the International Montreal Jazz Fest, in Japan[7] and in France, where she's recently opened for Arts'n'Crafts artist Feist in Bordeaux, Cape Verdean star Lura and up-and-coming French songwriter Yael Naim in Paris[8]. She has been a featured guest on CBC's All in a Day and its national broadcasts Bandwidth[9], Canada Live, and Go!.

[edit] Discography

Albums (full length)

  • TBA (NoFormat, 2008)
  • Camphor & Copper (Malleable Records, 2006)

Demos

  • Four Piece Mosaic
  • Live at Alumni
  • Warm Milk and Honey

Compilations

  • Hands off Haiti (2007)
  • Nos Artistes - édition branchée (2007)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ottawa's Melissa Laveaux Signs With France's No Format Records, http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2007/05/2401.cfm
  2. ^ Mélissa Laveaux - singer-songwriter of soulful sort (official website)
  3. ^ Ottawa Buzz: Melissa Laveaux Releases Camphor & Copper
  4. ^ Toshi Reagon, TV on the Radio and Mélissa Laveaux reviewed on ColorLines, http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-157950605.html
  5. ^ OCFF Songs from the Heart 2006 Recipients, http://www.ocff.ca/press_releases/2006pressrelease_sfth_winners.pdf
  6. ^ http://www.fondation-jeanluclagardere.com/611i/Fondation-Lagardere/Encourager-la-creativite/Bourses-de-Talent/Laureats/Fiches-laureats/2007/Musicien.html
  7. ^ Bureau Export - Tokyo
  8. ^ No Format - Infos / Concerts
  9. ^ Bandwidth

[edit] External links