La Velle
Born in 1944, American singer La Velle moved from the Sunday gospel choir to the
Chicago Conservatory, then to New York's Julliard School, where she began her
operatic career. After a few roles in opera, her path veered towards musical
comedy and jazz. La Velle sang for Ray Charles and Lionel Hampton, then launched
a solo career that moved between disco(Playgirl in 1979) and jazz, with a
tribute to Nat King Cole in 1990. In 2012, the four-octave singer made a
surprising comeback with the album Special.
