“With a powerful voice and soul in spades, Debora Galan is a true talent.”—The San Diego Troubadour.

“Debora Galan brings passion, style, charm and equally energetic and delicate tones to this seamless work of art.” - Jazz Quarterly

Smooth Latin jazz vocalist and song-writer Debora Galan will delight music lovers in the Baltimore-Washington region in a September 28 concert at Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel, Maryland. A San Diego resident since 1987, the bilingual songstress performs widely on the West Coast. She has also performed in. Canada, Spain, and Mexico and her music is played on radio around the world. This is a special homecoming performance for Galan, whose professional singing career began in Washington, D.C.

Galan’s 2016 album All About Love features original compositions sung in English and Spanish, brought to life by a team of notable California instrumentalists and singers. Critics have praised her stirring vocal renditions and the rich and rhythmic arrangements that frame them. DJ Doc Hardy of FOSR says, “Deborah Galan’s breakout CD All About Love is a welcome breath of fresh air... her fire, her passion, and her vocal range shine through, providing an authentic Latin Jazz listening experience.” Jay Michaels of Magic 92.5 praises her "beautiful angelic voice" and Ron Hamilton of WRJR calls her music "A marriage of jazz and pop, but so much more."

The Montpelier show will feature beloved Latin jazz and pop selections and showcase the Galan compositions inspired by her Spanish/Cuban ancestry. Hear perennial favorites such as “Somos Novios (It's Impossible)," composed by Mexican songwriter Armando Manzanero and a salsa version of “What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life.” Fans will enjoy Galan originals such as “Arms of Love” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3flbBE3-jQ), and the lovely ballad “Through the Eyes of a Child.” (To hear the new video visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkt2VHOq5no.)

Born in Brussels and raised in Madrid, Galan inherited her love of music from her grandfather and mother who sang flamenco at house parties, weddings and baptisms. Her mother was especially fond of Concha Piquer (1908-1990) whose singing left a lasting impression on the child. The family moved to Washington, D.C. when Galan was in her teens. She began singing professionally at age 19 while attending college and working as a waitress at Cafe de Ipanema. Her unplanned debut took place in a contest similar to “Star Search” when her boss handed her a glass of Courvoisier and told her to take off her apron and get on stage. She complied, and soon found herself as the lead singer in the house band, going on to play many D.C. Latin jazz and salsa gigs with top-ranked bands in the nation’s capital.

Marriage took her to the West Coast and she devoted some years to home and family before returning to the stage. She increased her vocal range and strengthened her spectacular pipes singing gospel and R&B before gradually shifting to the jazz genre. While she was tremendously. busy as a recording and performing artist, it wasn’t until 2016 that her superb songwriting skills surfaced with the release of All About Love, her first album as a leader. (See her popular “Take Five” interview for more: https://www.allaboutjazz.com/take-five-with-debora-galan-by-debora-galan.php.)

The Band

A talented trio will accompany Galan at Montpelier. A virtuoso performer, composer/arranger and beloved educator, bassist Leonardo Lucini is trained in classical and jazz styles and holds a master’s degree in music performance from University of Maryland. A native of Rio de Janeiro, he has toured extensively in Europe, Asia and Australia and worked with international artists such as flutist Nestor Torres; saxophonists Alex Han, Raul Mascarenhas, Leo Gandelman, and Michel Nirenberg; pianists Arturo O’Farrill, Benito Gonzalez, Federico Pena, Cesar Orozco, and Alex Brown; harmonica player Gregoir Mauret, vocalist Debora Galan, and trumpet sensation Sean Jones. He performs in Origem with his brother, drummer Alejandro Lucini, with Brazilian guitarist Rogerio Souza, and with Nanny Assis and Arthur Lipner in Brazilian Vibes Trio.

Pianist Todd Simon, a Delaware native, is much in demand. He graduated from the Peabody Conservatory in 2007, then served in the U.S. Naval Academy Band. He has performed/recorded with such names as Chris Potter, Nicholas Payton, Gary Bartz, Tim Warfield, Antonio Hart, Ralph Peterson, Mike Pope, Warren Wolf, Alex Norris, Oliver Nelson Jr., Stephanie Jordan, Sean Rickman, and Daryl Davis. He has played with the Chesapeake Orchestra, the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, the Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra, Rumba Club, Afrobop Alliance, and the Donvonte McCoy Quintet.

Exploring the Brazilian side of his ancestry, drummer Julian Berkowitz grew in his knowledge of Brazilian music while studying at George Washington University with Alejandro Lucini. Since graduation he has performed at many of the DMV's top music venues, including the John F. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, The Avalon Theatre, and the Arts Club of Washington. He plays weekly at Columbia Station with the Peter Edelman Trio and works with leading area musicians, such as Mike Pope, Herman Burney, Alison Crockett, Peter Fraize, and Thad Wilson and with Brazilian saxophonist Michel Nirenberg.