Lillian Boutté

A New Orleans–based vocalist of wide-ranging ability, Lillian Boutte moves comfortably among Dixieland standards, local R&B, swing-era material, and newly composed songs. Her earliest public recognition came at age eleven with a vocal-contest victory; later she sang in her college gospel choir. In 1973 Allen Toussaint engaged her as a session backup singer for the many productions tracked at his studio. Between 1979 and 1984 she performed both as actress and vocalist in the musical One Mo’ Time, cut a gospel album with the Olympia Brass Band in 1980, and issued her debut jazz recording in 1982. She has long divided her time between residencies and performances in Europe and her hometown, maintaining a close musical partnership with reed player Thomas L’Etienne, who regularly directs her accompanying ensembles. Over the decades Boutte has appeared on releases issued by Herman, Feel the Jazz, High Society, Turning Point, Timeless, Southland, Storyville, GHB, Calligraph (in collaboration with Humphrey Lyttelton), Blues Beacon, and Dinosaur Entertainment, most of them European imprints.