7X

GRAMMY NOMINEE

Nnenna
Freelon

I’m so excited to share my new album, Beneath the Skin, it’s a collection of deeply held songs exploring love, loss, and the power of the feminine gaze.

YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN NNENNA FEATURED IN:

Greetings! I’m Nnenna Freelon and I’m so glad you’re here.

I’m celebrating my nearly 40-year career with my latest album  Beneath the Skin, my first recording of original songs. On this, my most personal project yet, I turn my gaze inward, singing of family, love and longing. Produced by Nick Phillips, Alan Pasqua leads the ensemble on piano, Keith Ganz on guitar,

Jonathan Richards on bass and Steve Hass on drums 

Currently on our national tour- check dates for a city near you!

catching up 

with nnenna

Listen to my latest Album

My last two Grammy-nominated recording projects Time Traveler (2022) and Ancestars (2024) have centered my sojourn with grief and love. On Beneath the Skin, I’m excited to celebrate a nearly 40-year music career with my first recording of original songs. These are new stories written from the pieces of my life stitched together by love and family. Alan Pasqua leads the ensemble on piano, Keith Ganz, guitar Jonathan Richards bass and Steve Hass on drums. An Origin records release, I’d be honored if you take a listen

Pre-Order My New Book

Over a period of just six months, eminent jazz vocalist and composer Nnenna Freelon’s life changed irrevocably. Her soulmate and husband of nearly forty years, the renowned architect Phil Freelon, passed away from ALS, her sister Debbie succumbed to cancer, and the family dog, Basie, died as well. In the immediate wake of these compounding losses, Freelon could not find a way to process or understand her grief and lost the ability to read, sing, and improvise. The inner melody that had vibrated inside of her since childhood went silent. She then realized that the only way to move forward was to lean into her grief.

A podcast about loving greatly through grief.

WITH NNENNA FREELON

Jazz singer Nnenna Freelon extends an invitation to improvise with loss in her award-winning podcast Great Grief. As a widow and self -described grief sojourner, Freelon uses tools she learned as a jazz musician to live with sorrow’s song.
Bearing witness to loss and change with musically supported storytelling, listen to Great Grief with Nnenna Freelon. Find it wherever you find your podcasts.

Scalawag Article 

Latest Episode

Upcoming 
shows

Date

Town/City

Venue

Book Online

October 17, 2025

Greensboro, NC

With Count Basie Orchestra (CBO)

November 2, 2025

Carrboro, NC

Death Faire

November 14, 2025

Atlanta, GA

All Saints Church

February 21, 2026

Palm Desert, CA

With Count Basie Orchestra (CBO)

February 22, 2026

Las Vegas, NV

With Count Basie Orchestra (CBO)

February 23, 2026

Wickenburg, AZ

With Count Basie Orchestra (CBO)