Alicia Olatuja gives voice to 60 years of women artists at Flushing Town Hall this February

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Alicia Olatuja gives voice to 60 years of women artists at Flushing Town Hall this February

On Saturday, February 19, Flushing Town Hall audiences can enjoy the music of Sade, Tracy Chapman, Kate Bush, Linda Creed, Angela Bofill, and Brenda Russell—all performed and interpreted by the incredible Alicia Olatuja.

Praised by DownBeat for her “full-bodied tone, precise pitch, and personal engagement at the lowest whisper or highest wail, ” Olatuja’s show, Intuition: From the Minds of Women, will celebrate the achievements of a long list of esteemed, female composers and draws from her 2019 sophomore album of the same name.

Olatuja first came into the national spotlight in 2013, whilst performing as the featured soloist with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir at President Barack Obama’s Second Inauguration. Shortly thereafter, she assembled her own jazz-based ensemble and recorded her first solo album, Timeless (2014).

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Olatuja grew up immersed in a wide range of musical styles, including gospel, soul, jazz and classical, all of which have informed her artistic journey. She holds a Masters in Classical Voice/Opera from the Manhattan School of Music. After appearing in numerous operatic and musical theater productions, she started to perform more regularly in gospel and jazz concerts and has worked along such icons as Chaka Khan, BeBe Winans and Christian McBride.

On Intuition: From the Minds of Women (Resilience Music Alliance label), she is joined by Kamau Kenyatta and Ulysses Owens Jr. as producers.

Olatuja’s band features Toru Dodo (piano) David Rosenthal (guitar), Daniel Winshall (bass), and TJ Reddick (drums). The ensemble has been steadily and increasingly in demand. They have performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Jazz Standard, Vermont Jazz Center, SFJAZZ Center, Rockport Jazz Festival, Markham Jazz Festival, Monty Alexander Jazz Fest, Montreal Jazz Festival and the Harlem Stage Gatehouse, to name a few.

“We are overjoyed to welcome Alicia Olatuja to Flushing Town Hall and excited to hear her lush vocals, ” says Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “Audiences are in for a real treat, be they fans of jazz, folk, rock, or pop. Olatuja crosses genres seamlessly and is known for her regal presence and stunning voice.”

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