“If you hear any form of popular music in the twentieth century, it will have, at its base, the blues,” says award-winning jazz singer and songwriter Alison Crockett.

On February 8, in celebration of Black History Month, Alison and bassist Obasi Akoto captivated audiences at Centreville Regional and Sherwood Regional libraries with soulful melodies and a rich history lesson that brought the evolution of jazz to life.

“One of the things about jazz, and Black American music in particular, is that it is, literally, democracy,” says Alison. “We all come together; we have an idea of what we want to do. There is a leader, for a minute, …and then everybody gets a chance to speak. And if we’re all not working together, and if we all don’t know what we’re supposed to do, it doesn’t work.”

A multifaceted jazz vocalist, Alison's extensive education and diverse performance experience have made her a luminary in the music world. With vocal training from Temple University and a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music, she has seamlessly transitioned between genres, recording critically acclaimed projects ranging from jazz and neo-soul to electronica and Brazilian-inspired tunes.

To learn more about Alison, visit AlisonCrockett.com. 

Library visitors can experience Alison's presentation, "The Evolution of Jazz," in person as she performs at City of Fairfax Regional Library and Kings Park Library on Saturday, February 22 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. respectively.