"Philosopher diva" Nora York is an adventurous singer-songwriter with a drive to explore the human condition.

Why you should listen

Nora York is an adventurous jazz singer and performance artist whose genre-crossing work defies easy categorization. With a sultry, soulful voice and hypnotic stage presence, York has carved out a territory all her own — call her a "singer-songwriter-truthteller" (the Village Voice did). She brings a witty and literate twist to her performances, recombining songs and merging genres in thought-provoking ways.

Voice is at the center of York’s expression and creative invention, which emcompasses composition, live performance, and visual and multimedia arts. She's released four CDs: To Dream The World, Alchemy, What I Want (representing the outcome of the ‘02 NYSCA commission) and Power/Play. She has performed at universities and music festivals; most notably the Newport Jazz Festival, New Sounds Live series at Merkin Hall NYC, and Lincoln Center Out of Doors. York teaches musicianship and performance as member of the faculty at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, New York University. For her latest project, York received a Robert Rauschenberg Foundation grant to write and present the multimedia concert Water Water Everywhere.

What others say

“An ingenious, radical, extravagant talent.” — The New Yorker

Nora York’s TED talk

More news and ideas from Nora York

4 great talks for International Women's Day

March 8, 2009

To celebrate March 8, International Women’s Day, we suggest these four TEDTalks gems from some amazing speakers — artists, scientists and economists who think deeply about the role of women. Author and activist Isabel Allende discusses women, creativity, feminism — and the power of passionate thinkers and doers: The former Finance Minister of Nigeria, Ngozi […]

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Nora York brings a new performance to New York May 3rd

May 4, 2007

Nora York — an adventurous jazz singer and genre-crossing performance artist — lit up the stage at last year’s TED salon with her stunning original song, “What I Want” (watch it now on TED.com). She returns to the New York stage this week with STACKED! : a retrospective evening of her hybrid and recombinant musical […]

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