Audience Enjoys Shawnn Monteiro’s Mellow Sounds

Those jazz fans who ventured to the Branford Green on Thursday, even with a slight threat of rain, were treated to a relaxing night of captivating sound with vocal artist Shawnn Monteiro and her trio including the legendary 88-year-old Jimmy Cobb on drums, saxophonist Javon Jackson, rising newcomer Matt De Champagne on keys, and veteran Dave Zinno on bass.

You didn’t have to come from that golden era of music in the ​‘40s and early ​‘50s with vocalists like Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald to remember some of the hits back then with songs like, ​“I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” and ​“Somewhere There’s Music.” So when Shawnn performed them on Thursday it brought back fond memories of that bygone era. Here she sings ​“I Didn’t Know What time It Was.”

It’s been said of Monteiro, ​“Shawnn has delighted audiences from the USA to Europe with her highly popular jazz repertoire laced with blues-oriented improvisations.”

She along with her trio of Cobb, Jackson, and De Champagne put on a masterful program that the audience enjoyed from their opening to their closing song, ​“Nature Boy,” the song made famous by Nat King Cole in 1948.

The crowd was smaller because of the threat of rain threat, which never materialized.

But they were attentive. Here Kevin Meahan of Branford presents Shawnn with a rose.

Legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb is still playing at age 88.

Here are Matt De Champagne on keys and Dave Zinno on bass.

The audience was all smiles. 

Two regulars are always up and dancing at the concerts.

A little girl gives her mommy a gift.

Here Michael D’Addetta of Branford and his friend Karla Butterfield from Woodbury relax.

The highly regarded songstress not only performs before club goers from California to Europe, she continues to teach Master Vocal Classes all over the world, including one each summer in Italy that she’s been doing since 1995. She is also an adjunct professor at the Hartt School/Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the University of Hartford and is also an ​“Artist in Residence” at Rhode Island College in Providence.

Longtime Branford Board of Education member John Prins, a regular at many of the Thursday concerts, referred to the Monteiro performance as ​“knock your socks off good. I really am enjoying this group tonight. They’re pros and I’m glad they’re playing here tonight.” 

He wasn’t alone.

The group poses after their concert.

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