Washington, DC-born and North Carolina-raised, Grammy nominated vocalist, composer and educator Christie Dashiell lives at the musical crossroads of jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel and soul. Known for her improvisational prowess and effortlessly rich and clear tone, she has become one of the most sought- after artists on the scene today. Growing up in a musical family, Christie has been singing all of her life. She is the third of four multi-talented and musical children of jazz bassist, Carroll Dashiell, Jr. Her musical lineage is deeply rooted. Christie is a graduate of Howard University and the Manhattan School of Music. While at Howard, Christie sang in the university’s premier vocal jazz ensemble, Afro-Blue. As a member of the Afro-Blue, she appeared on NBC’s “The Sing Off.”
She has twice received recognition in DownBeat Magazine’s Student Music Awards as Outstanding Soloist and Best Vocalist in the Graduate College division and was selected as a semifinalist in the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute International Vocals Competition. Christie’s long awaited sophomore album, Journey In Black, recently nominated for a Grammy Award in
the category of Best Jazz Vocal Album, and deemed a “masterpiece” by Downbeat Magazine, features seven original compositions and two arrangements that explore themes of freedom, legacy, grief and joy. Funded in part by Chamber Music America’s Performance Plus Grant, the collection of music fuses the sounds of improvised music and various styles of Black American Music. Titled Journey in Black, the album boasts a stellar cast of musicians, including Shedrick Mitchell, Marquis Hill, Allyn Johnson, Romeir Mendez and Carroll Dashiell, III with creative guidance from NEA Jazz Master, Dianne Reeves.
