Jazz vocalist Libby York is making her Kalamazoo debut Thursday, Dec 11 as part of the Jazz in the Crawlspace series, performing at 7:30 and 9:15 p.m. alongside guitarist Randy Napoleon, bassist Carlo De Rosa and drummer Keith Hall. She speaks with Cara Lieurance about her life and music.
York, 81, describes herself as a storyteller who gravitates toward unheralded gems from the Great American Songbook, saying "I'm always drawn to the little more lesser-done songs." Her recent album "Dreamland," recorded at Troubadour Studios in East Lansing with Napoleon, Rodney Whitaker, and Keith Hall, earned recognition among DownBeat Magazine's Best of the Year.
The Chicago-based singer has lived in Michigan before, spending time in Saugatuck and performing at Grand Rapids, Spring Lake, and Grand Valley State University. Her repertoire includes songs by Abbey Lincoln, who attended Kalamazoo Central High School—a fact that surprises York during the interview. "Wow. That's great to know!" York responds.
York studied with Lincoln in New York during the 1980s, calling her "such an inspiration to me and to a lot of singers and musicians." The album features Lincoln's "Throw It Away" alongside works popularized by Johnny Mercer and Rosemary Clooney. York values Clooney's authenticity: "You believe every word she sings, you know, she just tells a story like no other."
"The goal is never to really do the same song the same way twice," York explains about her approach to jazz. "It's fresh. It's in the moment. It's improvisational." She continues performing regularly, with upcoming shows at Mezzrow in New York's West Village in February.
Seatings are at 7:30 pm and 9:15 pm at the Crawlspace Comedy Theatre in downtown Kalamazoo. For tickets, visit kzoojazz.com.
This interview was transcribed by Claude AI and edited by the author.
