Brenda Earle Stokes: Motherhood
10th May 2024
Brenda Earle Stokes is a rare jazz artist with a true command of both the voice and the piano. Hailed as “a breezy delight” by Time Out New York, Brenda’s music is rooted in the jazz tradition with influences ranging from Brazilian music to music theater and rock radio.Widely considered to be one of the top singer/pianists in the field, Stokes is back with her first album of completely original songs.
In her latest album ‘Motherhood’, Brenda shares the journey of motherhood with songs exploring identity, fear, expectations, body image, friendship and growth. Rooted in her native language of jazz, Stokes drew additional inspiration from singer-songwriters, music theatre, spoken word and 1960s protest songs. Each song is richly orchestrated by a four-piece ensemble jazz ensemble which provides an energetic backdrop for Stokes’ material which is at once honest, thought provoking and laced with humor.
Brenda Earle Stokes’ musical curiosity has led her to professional work as a choral conductor, classical vocalist, church organist, off Broadway music director, early childhood music teacher and cruise ship piano bar entertainer. These seemingly unrelated musical experiences have helped develop her versatility and fluency as both pianist and vocalist.
“While jazz is my first love, I feel passionate about making music in many different realms.”
Brenda Earle Stokes’ musical life started at age 4, when her parents enrolled her in classical piano lessons. Hearing Oscar Peterson for the first time at age fifteen prompted an immediate shift to jazz. After focusing on jazz piano at York University in Toronto, Brenda ventured to the Banff Center for the Arts for a month-long jazz residency in the mountains. It was there that she first performed as a vocalist, a huge step for her as an artist. “I really wanted to be taken seriously as a jazz pianist and I didn’t want anything to take away from that. When I stood up and sang for the first time at Banff, it felt so liberating to me that I knew there was no going back.”