Jewelle McKenzie & Ad-Lib

Jewelle McKenzie (pronounced jew-WELL): singer, songwriter, producer. Performing Pop, Soul, Jazz, R&B, Gospel. An incomparable vocalist and consummate performer with over 1000 shows locally and over 500 shows internationally, Jewelle’s ability to connect with the audience and wow her fans comes from her openness, undeniable stage presence and extraordinary voice and range. Jewelle charms and disarms with her voice and music. She has graced stages in Canada, Qatar, Guadeloupe, Morocco, Thailand, Hong Kong SAR, and Vietnam in the most prestigious hotels and venues.

Jewelle’s original music makes a bold statement that she is not a woman seeking anyone’s approval. She explores and combines different genres making no concessions to pop trends. Her latest singles Rise Up (I Can’t Breathe) and I Want it All, are Dance / Electronica with a little New-Age flair. Her full-length CD, Ain’t It Good, combines Swing, R&B, and Jazz spiced with Gospel vocals and a little Rock for an eclectic style that is all her own.

As a lead vocalist of the Umoja Gospel choir, Jewelle’s performed at Montreal’s International Jazz Festival, the Maximum Blues Festival in Carleton Quebec, the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, and at the Martin Luther King Achievement Awards.

Jewelle also performed with Montreal recording artists Dawn Tyler Watson, Michelle Sweeney, Freddie James, Alan Prater, and Kim Richardson. She has had studio recordings with Lexa Productions, Joel Campbell, and Domenic Romanelli. Later, forming her own band Ad-Lib, Jewelle soon established a reputation for outstanding performance and excellence, performing at corporate and public events, weddings and festivals.

Jewelle has performed for such prestigious clients as the Quebec Parliament, Walmart Canada, the Jewish General Hospital Foundation, the Quebec Bar Association, Chef Ricardo Larivée, Ginette Reno, the Peak Financial Group, and designer Joseph Ribkoff. She has opened for Matt Dusk at a Gala event, performed on the television program Belle et Bum, was a featured soloist on the CBC Radio Canada Christmas Special with Florence K, and performed at the Porgy and Bess concert as a member of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra choir under the direction of Maestro Kent Nagano. She continues her passion for Gospel music as a lead vocalist with the Imani Gospel Singers and infuses gospel in her interpretation of songs and in her original compositions.

Jewelle is constantly sharing her passion with the world performing, writing, arranging, and recording.