Leyla Sarah McCalla[1] (born October 3,[2] 1985)[3] is an American classical and folk musician.[4] She was a cellist with the Grammy-winning[5] string band Carolina Chocolate Drops[6] but left to focus on her solo career.[7]
Both of McCalla's parents were born in Haiti.[6] Her father Jocelyn McCalla[8] was the Executive Director of the New York-based National Coalition for Haitian Rights[9] from 1988 to 2006[10] and is credited as translator on her album Vari-Colored Songs.[11] Her mother Régine Dupuy arrived in the United States at age 5, and is the daughter of Ben Dupuy who ran Haïti Progrès, a New York-based Haitian socialist newspaper.[9] McCalla's mother went on to found Dwa Fanm, an anti-domestic violence human rights organization.[9] McCalla's younger sister, Sabine McCalla, is also a musician in New Orleans.[12][13]
As of 2017, McCalla was touring with her New Orleans-based trio, which also included her Québécois husband Daniel Tremblay on guitar, banjo, and iron triangle (ti fer); and Free Feral on vocals and guitar.[16]
In 2019-20, McCalla toured with her Leyla McCalla Quartet, which included New Orleans musicians Dave Hammer (electric guitar), Shawn Myers (drums/percussion), and Pete Olynciw (electric and acoustic bass).[17][18]
First album
McCalla's critically acclaimed album Vari-Colored Songs is a tribute to Langston Hughes which includes adaptations of his poems, Haitian folk songs sung in Haitian Creole,[4] and original compositions.[6] McCalla says the first song she wrote for the album was "Heart of Gold" because it provided "a window into Hughes' thinking".[19] McCalla chose to dedicate this work to Hughes because she says "reading his work made me want to be an artist."[6] McCalla started working on the album 5 years prior to its release.[6] Commentators have noted the influence of Louisiana musical traditions such as old Cajun fiddle melodies and trad-jazz banjo on the album.[5] Members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops appear on the album.[5] The album was financed at least in part through a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter which exceeded its goal of $5,000 to raise $20,000.[15]
Personal life
As of 2019, McCalla is married to fellow musician, and electrician, Daniel Tremblay. They live in the New Orleans area and have three children.[9][16][20][21]
Discography
Vari-Colored Songs: A Tribute to Langston Hughes[19] (February 4, 2014, Music Maker[6])
A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey (May 20, 2016, Jazz Village/Harmonia Mundi)
^Leyla McCalla (leylamccallamusic) (September 11, 2015). "October 3rd is my birthday!". Facebook. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
^Leyla McCalla (leylamccallamusic) (September 3, 2015). "my 30th BIRTHDAY!!". Facebook. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
^ abTassell, Nige (September 26, 2013). "Cellist Leyla MacCalla: From Bach on the Street to Haitian Folk Jazz". The Guardian. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
^ abcFensterstock, Alison (February 5, 2014). "Leyla McCalla's tribute to Langston Hughes, out this week, plus more New Orleans albums to look forward to". Nola.com/The Times Picayune. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
^ abcdefOrr, Dacey. "Album Stream: Leyla McCalla – Vari-Colored Songs: A Tribute to Langston Hughes". Paste. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
^Steinoff, Jessica (September 23, 2014). "Carolina Chocolate Drops give vintage string-band music a very bright future". Isthmus. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
^. Loumacfotos. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
^ abcdefDwyer, Andrea (April 6, 2015). "A Conversation with Cellist and Singer Leyla McCalla". AfroPunk. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
^"Jocelyn McCalla". LinkedIn. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
^"Vari-Colored Songs". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
^Hobbs, Holly (September 16, 2019). "Gambit's 2019 Music Issue: Sep 16, 2019". Gambit. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
^Cugny, Noé (June 27, 2018). "Power Players: Sabine McCalla Speaks From The Heart". OffBeat. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
^Rentner, Simon. "Cellist, Banjoist, and Singer-Songwriter Leyla McCalla Revisits Her Own Root System, on The Checkout", WBGO, December 4, 2017. Accessed January 15, 2020. "Leyla McCalla has traveled a winding path as a musician, from the European classical canon to the folkways of her Caribbean heritage. Born into a Haitian-American family in Queens, she was raised in Maplewood, and brought up in the New Jersey public school system."
^ abc. Leyla McCalla. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
^ abcGilbert, Andrew (September 22, 2017). "Leyla McCalla thriving in life after the Chocolate Drops". Mercury News. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
^Gilbert, Andrew (February 12, 2019). "Leyla McCalla: Cool Under Pressure". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
^"Leyla McCalla: Shows". Leyla McCalla. 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
^ abRuehl, Kim. "Folk Alley Presents: Leyla McCalla". NPR. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
^"Leyla McCalla Facebook Page". Facebook. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
^"Leyla McCalla Facebook Page". Facebook. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
February 02, 2023
leyla, mccalla, leyla, sarah, mccalla, born, october, 1985, american, classical, folk, musician, cellist, with, grammy, winning, string, band, carolina, chocolate, drops, left, focus, solo, career, concert, with, carolina, chocolate, drops, september, 2012born. Leyla Sarah McCalla 1 born October 3 2 1985 3 is an American classical and folk musician 4 She was a cellist with the Grammy winning 5 string band Carolina Chocolate Drops 6 but left to focus on her solo career 7 Leyla McCallaLeyla McCalla in concert with the Carolina Chocolate Drops in September 2012BornLeyla Sarah McCalla 1985 10 03 October 3 1985 age 37 New York City United StatesOccupationsSinger songwriter cellistMusical careerGenresHaitian folk Louisiana folk Classical FolkInstrument s Vocals Cello Banjo GuitarLabelsMusic Maker Jazz Village PIASWebsiteleylamccalla wbr com Contents 1 Background 2 Career 3 First album 4 Personal life 5 Discography 5 1 Collaborations 6 External links 7 ReferencesBackground EditBoth of McCalla s parents were born in Haiti 6 Her father Jocelyn McCalla 8 was the Executive Director of the New York based National Coalition for Haitian Rights 9 from 1988 to 2006 10 and is credited as translator on her album Vari Colored Songs 11 Her mother Regine Dupuy arrived in the United States at age 5 and is the daughter of Ben Dupuy who ran Haiti Progres a New York based Haitian socialist newspaper 9 McCalla s mother went on to found Dwa Fanm an anti domestic violence human rights organization 9 McCalla s younger sister Sabine McCalla is also a musician in New Orleans 12 13 McCalla was born in Queens New York City and raised in Maplewood New Jersey 14 where she attended Columbia High School 15 9 She lived in Accra Ghana for two years as a teen After a year at Smith College she transferred to New York University to study cello performance and chamber music In 2010 she then moved to New Orleans 9 where she honed her craft playing music on the streets of the French Quarter In addition to cello she also plays banjo and guitar 15 Career EditFrom 2011 to 2013 McCalla was a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops 16 As of 2019 she is a member of Our Native Daughters As of 2017 McCalla was touring with her New Orleans based trio which also included her Quebecois husband Daniel Tremblay on guitar banjo and iron triangle ti fer and Free Feral on vocals and guitar 16 In 2019 20 McCalla toured with her Leyla McCalla Quartet which included New Orleans musicians Dave Hammer electric guitar Shawn Myers drums percussion and Pete Olynciw electric and acoustic bass 17 18 First album EditMcCalla s critically acclaimed album Vari Colored Songs is a tribute to Langston Hughes which includes adaptations of his poems Haitian folk songs sung in Haitian Creole 4 and original compositions 6 McCalla says the first song she wrote for the album was Heart of Gold because it provided a window into Hughes thinking 19 McCalla chose to dedicate this work to Hughes because she says reading his work made me want to be an artist 6 McCalla started working on the album 5 years prior to its release 6 Commentators have noted the influence of Louisiana musical traditions such as old Cajun fiddle melodies and trad jazz banjo on the album 5 Members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops appear on the album 5 The album was financed at least in part through a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter which exceeded its goal of 5 000 to raise 20 000 15 Personal life EditAs of 2019 McCalla is married to fellow musician and electrician Daniel Tremblay They live in the New Orleans area and have three children 9 16 20 21 Discography EditVari Colored Songs A Tribute to Langston Hughes 19 February 4 2014 Music Maker 6 A Day for the Hunter A Day for the Prey May 20 2016 Jazz Village Harmonia Mundi Capitalist Blues January 25 2019 Jazz Village PIAS Breaking The Thermometer May 6 2022 ANTI Collaborations Edit Carolina Chocolate Drops Leaving Eden February 24 2012 Nonesuch Our Native Daughters Songs of Our Native Daughters February 22 2019 Smithsonian Folkways External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leyla McCalla Official websiteReferences Edit American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers Heart of Gold Work ID No 886049205 Leyla Sarah McCalla IPI No 715028763 American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers Archived from the original on March 6 2013 Retrieved January 1 2016 Heart of Gold Work ID No 886049205 Leyla Sarah McCalla IPI No 715028763 Leyla McCalla leylamccallamusic September 11 2015 October 3rd is my birthday Facebook Retrieved January 1 2015 Leyla McCalla leylamccallamusic September 3 2015 my 30th BIRTHDAY Facebook Retrieved January 1 2015 a b Tassell Nige September 26 2013 Cellist Leyla MacCalla From Bach on the Street to Haitian Folk Jazz The Guardian Retrieved March 14 2015 a b c Fensterstock Alison February 5 2014 Leyla McCalla s tribute to Langston Hughes out this week plus more New Orleans albums to look forward to Nola com The Times Picayune Retrieved March 16 2015 a b c d e f Orr Dacey Album Stream Leyla McCalla Vari Colored Songs A Tribute to Langston Hughes Paste Retrieved March 14 2015 Steinoff Jessica September 23 2014 Carolina Chocolate Drops give vintage string band music a very bright future Isthmus Retrieved March 17 2015 Leyla McCalla at the BRIC Loumacfotos Archived from the original on April 2 2015 Retrieved March 16 2015 a b c d e f Dwyer Andrea April 6 2015 A Conversation with Cellist and Singer Leyla McCalla AfroPunk Retrieved April 6 2015 Jocelyn McCalla LinkedIn Retrieved November 19 2019 Vari Colored Songs Barnes amp Noble Retrieved March 16 2015 Hobbs Holly September 16 2019 Gambit s 2019 Music Issue Sep 16 2019 Gambit Retrieved February 22 2020 Cugny Noe June 27 2018 Power Players Sabine McCalla Speaks From The Heart OffBeat Retrieved February 22 2020 Rentner Simon Cellist Banjoist and Singer Songwriter Leyla McCalla Revisits Her Own Root System on The Checkout WBGO December 4 2017 Accessed January 15 2020 Leyla McCalla has traveled a winding path as a musician from the European classical canon to the folkways of her Caribbean heritage Born into a Haitian American family in Queens she was raised in Maplewood and brought up in the New Jersey public school system a b c About Leyla McCalla Archived from the original on April 2 2015 Retrieved March 16 2015 a b c Gilbert Andrew September 22 2017 Leyla McCalla thriving in life after the Chocolate Drops Mercury News Retrieved November 19 2019 Gilbert Andrew February 12 2019 Leyla McCalla Cool Under Pressure San Francisco Classical Voice Retrieved November 19 2019 Leyla McCalla Shows Leyla McCalla 2019 Retrieved November 19 2019 a b Ruehl Kim Folk Alley Presents Leyla McCalla NPR Retrieved March 14 2015 Leyla McCalla Facebook Page Facebook Retrieved March 17 2015 Leyla McCalla Facebook Page Facebook Retrieved November 15 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leyla McCalla amp oldid 1127710097, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
