Belgian-born cellist, singer, composer, improviser and producer Helen Gillet grew up in Singapore, Chicago and Wisconsin before moving to New Orleans in 2002. Gillet has a B.A. in Music & Anthropology from Beloit College and a M.A. in Cello Performance from Loyola University in New Orleans. From 1998 to 2000, she studied with North Indian Hindustani cellist Nancy Lesh, sparking her deep interest in improvisation. Though Gillet had only just begun to experiment with jazz prior to her arrival, she quickly flourished into one of the most unique, talented, and beloved artists in the Crescent City. As trumpeter Michael Ray (Cool and the Gang, Sun Ra) noted after playing together at a late night jam session at a local coffee shop in 2004, “Helen, you’ve got big ears.”
Gillet has performed at a wide array of venues all over the world including The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Festival International (Lafayette, LA), Copenhagen Jazz Festival and Hindsgavl Festival in Denmark, Nikodemuskirche Festival in Berlin, Mirano Oltre Festival in Italy, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and MONA Mofo festival in Hobart, Tasmania, Darwin Music Festival in Australia and Lincoln Center in NYC.
She has recorded, toured and performed with a wide array of musicians including Jason Marsalis, Jeff Coffin, Nikki Glaspie, Kid Koala, Dr. John, Arcade Fire, Steve Earle, Iron and Wine, Marianne Faithful, Psychedelic Furs, Bill Summers, Cassandra Wilson, Johnny Vidacovich etc…
Gillet has self-produced 3 solo albums: Helen Gillet (2012), Bangkok Silver (2015) and Helkiase (2018); 2 French Chansons albums: Wazozo: Newton Circus (2009), Dusk in Wallonia (2015) and 3 Jazz albums: Running of the Bells (2011) with Tim Green (sax) and Doug Garrison (drums), Ferdinand (2013) James Singleton (bass/effects) and Tephra Sound: Horizon (2018) with Nikki Glaspie (drums), Brian Haas (keys), Rex Gregory (tenor sax and flute), Jessica Lurie (Alto sax, flute, effects), Alex Massa (trumpet), Weedie Braimah (djembe). Downbeat Magazine has praised her most recent Jazz project Let it Shine (2021) is a duo with multi instrumentalist, composer and producer Jeff Coffin released March 19th, 2021 on Ear Up Records which is up for Grammy Consideration in “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.” She has 3 new albums in the works, 2 more collaborative releases coming out in 2021 and 2022 under her own record label “TEPHRA SOUND RECORDS” and a new Solo Album scheduled for 2022.
Tickets: General Admission – $18 ($20 at-the-door)
Seating/ Bar: 6:00 PM
COVID-19 Guidelines: All guests must wear a mask when not actively eating and drinking/ provide proof of vaccination at-the-door.
This event is indoors.