Pyeng Threadgill facts for kids

Pyeng Dubra Threadgill, born on November 14, 1977, is a talented American singer, songwriter, and music producer. She is known for her amazing voice in blues, jazz, and soul blues music. Pyeng comes from a very artistic family! Her dad, Henry Threadgill, is a famous bandleader and composer, and her mom, Christina Jones, is a dancer and choreographer. Pyeng has released three albums, starting with her first one in 2004.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Pyeng Threadgill was born in Manhattan, a busy part of New York City. Her parents were both artists: her dad, Henry Threadgill, was a musician, and her mom, Christina Jones, was a dancer. Christina was even a founding member of a dance group called Urban Bush Women.

Pyeng studied classical music at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and earned a degree in music. Even as a teenager, she was interested in singing and performed in unique dance and theater shows. She once said that she and a friend used to make a game out of who could write a song the fastest! Pyeng also received a special scholarship, the Mellon Fellowship, which allowed her to study music in Brazil.

Music Career Highlights

In 2004, Pyeng Threadgill signed her first recording contract. She released her very first album, Sweet Home: Pyeng Threadgill Sings Robert Johnson, through an independent record company called Random Chance Records. This album was special because it featured her own versions of 11 songs by the legendary musician Robert Johnson. Each song was performed in a different musical style. Pyeng explained that she wanted each song to be unique.

Just one year later, in 2005, she released her second album, Of The Air. This album included her cover of the popular song "Close to Me" by the band the Cure. After this album came out, Pyeng went on a tour across Europe. She often performed at different music venues in New York before she moved to Berkeley, California.

Pyeng has performed at many important music events and places. She was a main performer at the Fillmore Jazz Festival's Ellis Street stage and appeared at the Montreal Jazz Festival. She also performed at the Detroit Institute of The Arts and the Sun Side Jazz Club in Paris, France. In 2006, Pyeng was featured in a documentary film called Retour à Gorée, which starred the musician Youssou N'Dour.

After taking some time to perform and raise her daughter, Pyeng started working on a new project. She wrote a series of songs based on short stories by authors like Jamaica Kincaid. This collection of songs, called Portholes to a Love & Other Short Stories, helped her receive a special award in music composition from the New York Foundation for the Arts in 2008. This project then became her third album, which she released herself in 2009. In 2010, Pyeng also performed at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival.

Since then, Pyeng Threadgill has continued to explore different musical interests. She has worked with talented musicians like pianist Marc Cary and has also been involved in various theater projects.

Albums

See also

• List of electric blues musicians