Veronneau
With awards for Best Jazz Group, Best Jazz Vocals, Best Jazz Recording and three chart-topping, critically acclaimed albums under their belt, VERONNEAU has captivated audiences in concert halls, festivals and jazz clubs all over the world. VERONNEAU’s repertoire, performed in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish, includes samba, bossa nova, swing, jazz and French chanson blended with their original compositions.
French Canadian vocalist Lynn Veronneau lights up the stage with her engaging presence and moving interpretations framed by the band’s acoustic guitars and rhythmic energy. Currently based in Washington, DC, VERONNEAU draws capacity crowds at major venues such as Blues Alley, Strathmore Music Center, and the Kennedy Center Millenium Stage. They’ve participated in the DC Jazz Festival, Takoma Park Jazz Festivals, and the UK’s Beat Herder Festival.
Their releases Joie de Vivre, Jazz Samba Project and Love & Surrender all enjoyed US top 10 chart success for World and Jazz music. This multi-talented group produced a two-week Brazilian music festival, a documentary movie, and a theatrical play building on the release of their Jazz Samba Project CD, which celebrated the 1962 album of the same name. The band worked with contemporary dance Company Danzante to present a live music and dance performance commissioned for the Atlas Performing Arts Intersections festival. In 2021, Lynn and Ken composed and performed for a commissioned production for Washington Performing Arts.
Lynn Veronneau (vocals) was raised close to Montreal and completed voice studies in France. Her classical training helped her develop a seemingly effortless technique that Lynn has used to great effect in singing classical, folk, blues and funk before settling on her jazz and pop repertoire with VERONNEAU. As a member of the French/Swiss band The Cernettes – an all-female vocal group – she made headlines around the world when the band featured in the first-ever photograph circulated on the web. Lynn met her husband and bandmate Ken in Switzerland, where the two started to perform together. Lynn is an in-demand session vocalist recording and performing regularly with artists in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Ken Avis (guitar and vocals) explored a wide range of roots music and performed as vocalist with WC Handy Award-winning Otis Grand Blues Band. He is an Artist Ambassador for Cordoba Guitars. Ken is also a published music journalist. He co-produced the documentary film Bossa Nova – The Brazilian Music That Charmed the World (2014), and is currently co-producing Anacostia Delta (2019), which celebrates the legend and legacy of Washington DC guitarists Danny Gatton and Roy Buchanan. Ken co-curated the NEA award-winning Strathmore Jazz Samba Project Festival. His play Bossa Fever was commissioned for performance at Atlas Arts Intersections Festival in 2015. As a solo guitarist/songwriter/vocalist, Ken has been recognized with awards from Emergent Seed, The Acoustic Guitar Project and SAW Songwriters Association.
In addition to performing and recording, Lynn and Ken created and co-host a weekly radio show, The Antidote, on WERA.FM. They also curate the annual Passport to the World music festival and other music events and festivals in the DC area.
Dave Kline British violinist Dave Kline has played on stage with musicians as diverse as Dwight Yoakum and Chick Corea. Dave has been a close friend and collaborator since appearing on their debut CD Joie de Vivre-Joy of Living. His own Dave Kline Band performs his high-energy, violin-led, jazz-fusion compositions.
