World renowned improviser, HELEN GILLET is a Walloon born in a Flemish hospital. Raised in Belgium, Singapore, Illinois and Wisconsin, Helen landed in her current hometown of New Orleans in 2003, where she has studied and performed with members of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Astral Project, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Mardi Gras Indians, and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. When she is not performing an eclectic range of concerts in New Orleans, Gillet tours across the United States and Western Europe with plans to play in other parts of the world in the near future. Her live solo performances include acoustic cello, looped electronics, vocals, a vintage E.V.I. trumpet (Electronic Valve Instrument), and anything else she can reach around her to play.
Helen’s atest project is a duo album with composer, bassist, band leader, multi-instrumentalist JAMES SINGLETON. James has made his home in New Orleans since 1977. He has free-lanced with many great New Orleans artists and many others. A short list would include: James Booker, Professor Longhair, Johnny Vidacovich, Astral Project, James Black, Aarron Neville, Joe Henderson, Milt Jackson, Eddie Harris, Clark Terry, Illuminasti Trio, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Gatemouth Brown, John Scofield, Wild Magnolias, Dave Liebman, Skerik, Mike Dillon, Natalie Cole, Charlie Rich, Banu Gibson, Ellis, Branford, Wynton, and Jason Marsalis, Lars Edegran, Juanita Brooks, Anders Osborn, Harry Connick jr, John Cleary, John Mooney,Teddy Riley, Rusty Kershaw, Naked on the Floor, Evan Christopher, and others.
The Gillet Singleton Duo’s debut album “Ferdinand” has just been released and the Filament Theatre concert on Sunday, September 29 at 7:00 PM will be their first joint performance in Chicago.
www.HelenGillet.com
www.JamesSingletonMusic.com