Sing the Truth feat. Angelique Kidjo, Dianne Reeves & Lizz Wright

In 2004 Sing The Truth was a concert, where three charismatic female singers interpreted the legacy of Nina Simone. It was so successful that they turned it into a continueing concept. Now Angelique Kidjo, Dianne Reeves and Lizz Wright dig deep into material by great female singers of jazz, blues, soul and folk, such as Miriam Makeba, Billie Holiday, Odetta, Abbey Lincoln, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman and Lauryn Hill, throwing in some of their own songs as well.

The band is red hot, too, featuring killer players, like pianist Geri Allen, bass man James Genus and drummer Terry Lyne Carrington.

Angelique Kidjo, from West Africa’s Benin, has ruled the world music charts with her music that combines her own tradition with funk, rock and jazz. The queen of afro-funk has worked with Santana, Youssou N’Dour, Alicia Keyes and many others. She’s also a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and her Batonga Foundation helps young African girls with education.

American Dianne Reeves is one of the greatest living jazz singers and was the first artist ever to win the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance three times in a row. The virtuoso vocalist has performed with the Lincoln Jazz Center Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonics and recorded many a top album, like the Arif Mardin-produced A Little Moonlight.

As the daughter of a Georgia pastor, young Lizz Wright learned to sing in church, but has later got to the top of jazz charts, though she is far from a typical jazz singer. On her recent Fellowship-album she mirrored her gospel roots through jazz on songs by, for instance, Meshelle Ndegeocello, Jimi Hendrix and Joan As Police Woman.