Charenee Wade facts for kids

Charenee Wade is an American jazz, soul, and R&B singer. She is also a composer, arranger, and educator.

Early Life and Musical Start

Charenee Wade grew up in Brooklyn, New York. She started singing when she was 12 years old.

She joined the Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead Program. This program allowed her to perform her own music. She played at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C..

Charenee also took part in the Dianne Reeves Artists Workshop. This workshop was held at Carnegie Hall in New York City. From 2007 to 2009, she was chosen for the JAS Academy Summer Sessions. These sessions were led by famous bassist Christian McBride.

When she was younger, her favorite musicians were Sarah Vaughan and Betty Carter. They greatly influenced her music.

Her Music Career

Charenee Wade performs all over the world. She has studied both jazz and classical music. She has played at many famous places in New York City. These include the Jazz Gallery and Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club.

Her first album was called Love Walked In. It came out in 2010. She has also been a featured singer with many groups. She sang with the Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band. Their albums received Grammy nominations. She even performed with a 100-piece Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra.

Charenee has learned from many great musicians. Some of her teachers include Carmen Lundy and Luciana Souza.

Performances Around the World

Charenee has performed at big music events. These include the Festival du Riou and the Montreaux Jazz Festival. She also played at the Ascona New Orleans Jazz Festival.

In 2003, she opened a show for the legendary Herbie Hancock. This was at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. She also toured with the Oleg Butman Trio in Russia. They played in Moscow and at the Province Jazz Festival. In 2004, she performed with bassist Rufus Reid.

Albums and Collaborations

Her second album is a special tribute. It honors the music of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson. The album is called “Offering: The Music of Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson.” It was released by Motéma Music.

Many famous musicians played on this album. These include Christian McBride, Lakecia Benjamin, Dave Stryker, Stefon Harris, and Marcus Miller. Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner also appeared on the album.

Charenee has also been a guest singer on other albums. She sang on releases by Tia Fuller and Eric Reed. She also sang with the Eyal Vilner Big Band.

Recent Highlights

• 2014-2015: Charenee starred in a jazz theater show. It was called Cafe Society Swing. She performed with Cyrille Aimée and Allan Harris. The show received great reviews, including from the New York Times.
• 2015: She was a special guest singer. She performed with the Rob Garcia Sextet. They played music to honor Max Roach.
• 2017: Charenee performed at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival. She shared the stage with other great artists. These included the Lee Konitz Quartet and Terri Lyne Carrington.

She has performed with many talented musicians in her own band. Some of these include Lonnie Plaxico and Alvester Garnett. She has also performed with Brianna Thomas and Catherine Russell.

In October 2017, Charenee went to Shanghai, China. She performed at the Jazz at Lincoln Center in Shanghai. She played with the Camille Thurman Group. She also sang with pianist Helen Sung and vocalist Sachal Vasandani.

Teaching Music

Charenee Wade also loves to teach. She leads workshops and music clinics. She has also been a judge for music competitions.

She is a professor at the Aaron Copland School of Music in New York. She also teaches with the Jazzmobile workshop program. She helps teenagers learn music at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

Charenee believes music can change lives. She says her goal is to help students become good musicians. She also wants to help them share their passion for music. She feels that music helps bring good things to communities.

She has also taught at the New Orleans Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Jazz Camp.

Awards and Recognition

In 2010, Charenee Wade was a runner-up. This was in the famous Thelonious Monk competition.

Discography

• 2011 - Love Walked In (Self-Produced)
• 2015 - The Offering : The Music of Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson. Released on the Motéma Music label. This album features Christian McBride, Lakecia Benjamin, Stefon Harris, Marcus Miller, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.