Rachelle Ferrell

Composer, lyricist, arranger, musician, and vocalist Rachelle Ferrell provided a unique take on standards like Sam Cooke's "You Send Me," Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love," and Rodgers & Hart's "My Funny Valentine." Born and raised in Philadelphia, Ferrell studied at the Berklee College of Music. Throughout the 1980s and early '90s, she worked with some of the top names in jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, George Benson, and George Duke. Ferrell's debut, First Instrument, was released in 1990, originally in Japan. It featured an all-star cast of accompanists, including Stanley Clarke and Wayne Shorter. Her 1992 self-titled U.S. debut was a more urban pop/contemporary album. ~ Richard Skelly