Michelle Walker Quartet at Jazz On Main

Armed with a provocative, whiskey-soaked tone, jazz vocalist Michelle Walker is a charismatic singer that uses an artful blend of blues, bebop, swing and soul with playful rhythmic expressiveness. Based in New York City, she bends the lines and pushes the boundaries of jazz vocal art. With rich colors and adventurous flexibility, she moves easily from a dark, deep tone to a mid-range, swinging lilt. Michelle is very versatile and blessed with a beautifully distinctive voice. She has a refreshing approach to arranging and interpreting often easily recognizable contemporary songs.

“[Walker]…has a soul-comforting allure…”
– THE WASHINGTON POST

“Extraordinary Musicality…”
- Dave Nathan- ALL ABOUT JAZZ

Michelle studied Economics and Public Policy at American University. She also studied classical voice at the University of Maryland and as well as the Amsterdam Music Conservatory in Holland and the Stanford Jazz in Palo Alto, CA. Michelle was the first vocalist asked to perform at the “Hot Jazz” Concert Series, a tour across Israel, which featured jazz veterans Kenny Werner, Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein, David Hazeltine and Jimmy Greene. Walker has performed throughout US, Canada, Russia, Israel England, Holland, Southeast Asia and most recently at Java Jazz Festival in Indonesia. 

Michelle has received a Washington Area Musician Association (WAMA) Award nomination for Best Jazz, Best Debut and Best Independent Jazz Vocal album of the year. She was also a finalist for the Jazz Mobile Vocal competition. She currently resides in New York City performing full time, teaching as the Vocal Instructor for New York Jazz Workshop and is the Director of the Jazz Voice Lab. Michelle has served on the Executive Board for the DC Chapter of the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) and currently serves on the Executive Board for The New York Music Institute (NYMI), working to serve underprivileged communities for lessons, instruments and access to higher learning through outreach programs and master classes.