Gaby Moreno (born María Gabriela Moreno Bonilla on 16 December 1981 in Guatemala City, Guatemala) is a Guatemalan singer-songwriter and guitarist Her music ranges from blues, jazz, soul, to R&B Moreno sings both in English and SpanishMoreno’s album, Illustrated Songs, continues her love affair with the sounds of the blues, soul and jazz that captivated her as a girl Although she was born and raised in Guatemala, it was the sounds of the American South that inspired her to become a songwriter and recording artist “I heard an African American woman singing on the street in New York City when I was younger I just froze When I asked her what she called that music, she looked at me and said, ‘That’s the blues, honey’”As Moreno devoured albums by Robert Johnson, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald, she discovered an affinity for the vintage African American sounds of the 20s, 30s and 40s She combined them with the sound of the Latin music she loved from the same era to create the 12 tunes on Illustrated Songs
Port Fairy Folk Festival, Port Fairy, Australia, March 8-11, 2024
musicfestivalsworld.com 2024
