"...The album (Talkin fishbowl blues) is an implicit statement of it's own that however you slice up American roots music, those roots come in several shades." - No Depression
"...The album (Talkin fishbowl blues) is an implicit statement of it's own that however you slice up American roots music, those roots come in several shades." - No Depression
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After four years in a prestigious performing arts high school in Atlanta GA and an all-too-brief stint as a singer and performer/regional favorite in Austin TX, Queen Esther relocated to New York City. Her work as a vocalist, lyricist/writer, songwriter and actor/solo performer led to creative collaborations in neo-vaudeville, alternative theater, various alt-rock configurations, (neo) swing bands, trip hop DJs, spoken word performances, jazz combos, jam bands, various blues configurations, original Off Broadway plays and musicals, experimental music/art noise and performance art.
As Queen Esther’s distinct sound began to emerge, she joined forces with guitarist Elliot Sharp as Hoosegow to create Mighty, collaborated with jazz guitar icon James “Blood” Ulmer and performed regularly with blues guitar icon Hubert Sumlin. Produced by Vernon Reid (Living Colour), her featured vocals on James “Blood” Ulmer’s No Escape From The Blues (Hyena) garnered praise while earning a spot in Rolling Stone’s pick of The Best 50 CDs of 2003. Her songs and vocals and songwriting are also present on Mr. Ulmer’s much lauded black-folk effort Blues & Grass: The 52nd St. Blues Project (Chesky.) All Music Guide says: “(But) as great as (Blues & Grass) is, Ulmer fans have heard much of this music before; the real revelation on this album is Queen Esther, whose uplifting songs and great singing are definite highlights on a consistently strong album. Just see if you can get ‘Sunnyland’ or ‘I’m Goin’ out of your head at the end of the disc. ”
Queen Esther is the featured vocalist on Underneath A Brooklyn Moon, Grammy Award-nominated composer/pianist JC Hopkins’ Biggish Band’s debut CD. The band is a thirteen piece line-up of celebrated New York City musicians (Patience Higgins, James Zollar, Vincent Chancey) and guest vocalists/songwriters (Madelene Peroux, Norah Jones, Syd Straw) that highlights original swing tunes and hard bop. Of her performance on the recording, Jazzitude says: “(Queen Esther’s) work on this CD is ultra-hip, not because of who she reminds the listener of, but precisely because, whatever influences she brings to the table, she manages to make you think of no one but herself.”
After securing a publishing deal with Bug Music, Queen Esther started EL Recordings and self-released Talkin’ Fishbowl Blues, her full length debut CD of Black Americana, in September, 2004. If Keith fired Mick and decided to let Tina Turner front the band with Gram Parsons riding shotgun, they would sound a lot like this. A Southerner by the grace of God, her unique sound – Black Americana – is a hybrid of the music that raised her: back-porch blues, straight-up old timey twang, sanctified gospel and 70’s country rock.
Of Talkin’ Fishbowl Blues, All Music Guide says: “You’ll have to set your preconceptions aside for this one. Queen Esther is active in the theater and performance art worlds, sings the blues, sings jazz with the JC Hopkins Biggish Band and now has offered up a great Rock and Roll album. Is there anything this woman can’t do?” (4 out of 5 stars)
As a featured actor in Bravo TV’s documentary series The It Factor, an AUDELCO award-nominated star of George C. Wolfe’s new musical Harlem Song, and Grand Prize winner of the 2008 Jazzmobile Jazz Vocal Competition, Queen Esther continues to create solo performance art as well as self-released original rock music while thriving in ongoing creative partnerships in jazz.
Photo By Sylvia Plachy
Check out Sylvia Plachy’s BEAUTIFUL photo of Queen Esther and JC from the Sept 12, 2005 New Yorker Magazine!
Goings On About Town
See more of Queen Esther in the book Sylvia Plachy: Goings On About Town — Photographs for the New Yorker (Aperture, 2007)
For a listing of radio stations and shows that have included Queen Esther’s songs on their playlists, Click here.
For Queen Esther’s downloadable Press Kit Click here.
To see all of Queen Esther’s videos, Click here.
Queen Esther is available for performances, lessons, corporate and/or commercial voiceovers, session work, private bookings, and workshops.
For more information, please email info@queen-esther.com or call 212 501 2231.
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