Christelle Durandy

Christelle Durandy fuses Afro-Caribbean, jazz and other polyrhythmic sounds in a provocative exploration of the African diaspora’s diffuse and powerful musical energy, a multicultural complexity Christelle herself embodies, having been raised in France by a mother from Réunion Island and a father from Guadeloupe.

 

Christelle currently fronts her Afro-Caribbean ensemble SankTET, a play on the French phrase “cinq têtes,” or “five heads,” as well as the Grammy-winning Pacific Mambo Orchestra. She contributes her talents as writer, arranger and performer to the all-female collective Cocomama. Her vocals have been featured on diverse projects with such luminaries as Benny Golson, John Santos, Paula West, George Mesterhaze, Jon Faddis, Pedrito Martinez, Baptiste Trotignon, Toshi Reagon, Allison Miller, Luis Enrique, Papo Pepín, Dayramir González Vicet, Flea, Lizz Wright, Meshell Ndegeocello, Nona Hendryx, Xiomara Laugart, Paul Carlon Octet, LaFrae Sci, Camille Thurman, Edward Perez, Ran Blake, John Benitez, Max Pollak RumbaTap, Ricky Ford and Ze Big Band, La India, Camille A. Brown, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Meklit Hadero, Carlos “El Bola” Betancourt and Millicent Johnnie.

 

Ranging joyfully amongst forms as varied as Cuban son to Haitian kompa to traditional jazz, Christelle’s border-transcendent music is rooted in the diversity of her ethnic background. She began performing at the age of five, joining the family band as it toured France: her father sang and played percussion, specializing in Gwo Ka, the traditional music of Guadeloupe, while her mother introduced her to jazz, along with the music and activism of the broader African diaspora. Under her parents’ guidance, Christelle began developing the sophisticated musical skills that she later honed during her apprenticeship in Europe, Cuba, and the U.S. Her deep engagement with Cuban music and culture has included performing at the National Changüí Festival in Guantánamo, Cuba, and she has toured with U.S. State Department cultural programs in Guatemala.

 

Christelle draws upon this extensive education to connect with a variety of audiences, traditions and social issues. Her work explores and deepens a global conversation, moving fluently from the intricate clauses of contemporary jazz to the simplest, sincerest phrases of folk. This same range has made her a powerful collaborator in dance, theater, public culture and activist performance. She served as musical director for the 40th anniversary of Krissy Keefer’s Dance Brigade, and later as musical director for A Woman’s Song for Peace, created for Dance Brigade’s 50th anniversary season. While touring with Holly Near, she worked with EPES, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to empowering vulnerable communities through health education, social justice and grassroots leadership; from that collaboration came “Nunca Más Mujer,” a protest song collectively composed with Chilean women songwriters to combat gender-based violence. Christelle has also been honored for her collaboration with Justice Sonia Sotomayor in the Bronx Children’s Museum’s launch of “Dream Big,” an intensive arts-enrichment and educational initiative.

 

This musical rigor, combined with her powerhouse vocals and fiercely passionate live performances, has garnered Christelle consistent critical praise whilst mesmerizing audiences worldwide.