Superlatones: Most Likely to Be Found at Your Local Jazz Lounge
posted in: Features
Picture the scene: red velvet curtains, dim lighting, the smell of whiskey and cigar smoke static in the air. A spotlight comes on. On the stage, a band begins to assemble, hands and instruments at the ready. Music begins to play. A slow dance begins. With their strong jazz influences and sultry voices, this is the perfect setting for a duet between Renee Olstead and Justin Thompson, this week’s dynamic duo.
Twenty-two year old Renee Olstead has been making waves in the jazz music scene ever since she was fifteen, when she released her first album under the guidance of award-winning producer David Foster. Aside from this accomplishment, the multi-talented songstress is also well known for her acting career, appearing in sitcoms as well as the ABC Family series The Secret Life of the American Teenager. In the studio however, Olstead is most praised for her sultry voice, and a startling grasp for technique that is well beyond her years.
OurStage artist Justin Thompson may have a style reminiscent of greats such as Astaire and Sinatra, but don’t be fooled”his lyrics have been known to range from romantic to humorous to downright cheeky. Perhaps this is what compelled The New York Times, The Washington Post and NPR to praise Thompson’s music. With two best-selling albums under his belt, the singer has won such accolades as the Nashville’s Starving Artist Award for Best Male Artist, and is currently touring the country to share his music.
The voice, the experience, the support from all over the music industry”Olstead and Thompson are definitely great individual artists. But, what we think makes this collaboration most enviable is the sheer amount of talent provided by both musicians. Throw some lyrical wordplay and a jazz trumpet into the mix, and the duo could set the mood for a great evening of swing dancing and champagne. Who knows, this partnership could turn into the next jazz classic, a la Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald in this video: