Tessa Souter is a literally international singer. According to the analysis from a DNA-checking service, she’s made up of genes from an English mother, a Trinidadian father, and a variety of other peoples, including from eight countries around Africa.
Her newest album, Picture in Black and White, includes songs from around the world that lives in Tessa: Milton Nascimento’s “Nothing Will Be As It Was,” Jon Lucien’s “Child of Love,” Bobby Scott’s “A Taste of Honey,” Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman,” McCoy Tyner’s “Contemplation,” and U2’s “Where The Streets Have No Name,” all with echoes from around Africa. She’s also written the album’s title song and a lyric to Wayne Shorter’s “Ana Maria.”
Tessa Souter will perform this Friday, Dec. 14, at the 55 Bar. She’ll also perform on Jan. 8 at Mezzrow, before touring around Russia.