“Her voice is a well worked instrument that brings
new vitality to classic tunes by the likes of
Cole Porter and Duke Ellington.”
ANTIGRAVITY
ABOUT
New Orleans-based vocalist, bandleader, and arranger Anna Laura Quinn is known for her particular blend of contemporary jazz, reworked gems from the American Songbook, French and Brazilian music, and more, all delivered with style, sensitivity, emotional power, and a joie de vivre that recalls the charm and mystique of a bygone era.
A 2021 graduate of the Jazz Studies masters program at the University of New Orleans, Anna currently performs leads projects under her own name, also appearing as the duo Quinn & Barrett with her longtime guitar player, Ed Barrett; and with the Unmentionables, a band she founded in 2020 that plays what she likes to call "New Orleans Getdown Music." She can be found performing all around New Orleans – from such venerable jazz venues as Snug Harbor, Dos Jefes Uptown Cigar Bar and the New Orleans Jazz Museum, to some of the city's most well loved barrooms like Saturn Bar, Vaughan's, and BJ's Lounge.
In 2022, Anna released her first full length album Open the Door. The record features nine of her own arrangements, which Jazz Times critic Andrew Gilbert praises for "artfully thread[ing] the jazz needle” and “establishing her own winsome identity as a savvy vocalist and arranger with an appealing sound, unfailing taste, and expansive palette of influences."
Anna is propelled by her unwavering dedication to music, visual art, and collaboration, and is constantly seeking out experiences that will open the door for personal growth, self-understanding, and a deepening sense of community. Whether singing Duke Ellington, Joni Mitchell, or Dr. John, she brings a playful spirit to her craft as a vocalist, leaning into improvisation and delivering lyrics and melodies with sincerity, humor, and imagination. Anna hopes that her music may convey a spectrum of emotions and above all a heartfelt expression of her joy.
“The essence of what a good mix of
tradition and moxie can result in."
JAZZ WEEKLY
