Elise LeGrow

With a rich, textured vocal tone in the tradition of both R&B and jazz à la Amy Winehouse, Elise LeGrow is a Canadian singer and songwriter based in Toronto. After several years developing a fan base with club and festival appearances as she maneuvered her way from pop to retro-soul, her debut single, “No Good Woman,” became a fan favorite on CBC Radio 2 in 2012. The song appeared on her self-titled debut EP later that year. She eventually drew the attention of S-Curve Records, and label founder Steve Greenberg co-produced material for first full-length alongside Betty Wright and Michael Mangini. The three of them had previously collaborated on Joss Stone’s The Soul Sessions. Led by a version of Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell,” her debut album was a collection of Chess Records covers titled Playing Chess. With contributors including but not limited to Questlove and the Dap-Kings, it was released on S-Curve and Savoy Jazz in 2018. ~ Marcy Donelson