Piñata Music Series: Corinne Bailey Rae presents Black Rainbows

Have you forgotten about Corinne Bailey Rae? If so, that’s a big mistake. Yes, it’s been a long time since she became the fourth British vocalist in history to debut with a number one album in her country’s charts. That was in 2007. But that doesn’t mean she’s stopped being a major artist. She’s a force of nature, capable of embodying the best of R&B and vocal jazz in a proposal that’s elegant yet heartfelt, refined yet genuine. Her albums are still there: the outstanding self-titled debut in 2007, for which she won a Grammy, The Sea (2010), and The Heart Speaks In Whispers (2016). But there’s also her splendid stage presence, where she performs her classics and some covers, like her famous reinterpretation of Bob Marley’s “Is This Love.” A lot has happened since those times when she declared herself a fan of Led Zeppelin, Veruca Salt, or L7, still being a teenager. Then she discovered the finest delicacies of black music and filtered them into an essential proposal that retains the aura of highly respected artists.