Music is in Brenda Nicole Moorer’s genes. Decades ago, her grandfather and his siblings started a group called The Esquires based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her father was an avid piano player and vocalist, and when Brenda was a preteen, Moorer’s mother bought a cassette player from an estate sale that came with classic cassette tapes of Sara Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday already inside, which further fueled her love of the craft.
Moorer started her career at 15 years old in a group founded by R&B performer Dave Hollister. Now, almost 20 years later, she has three albums under her belt and a forthcoming collaborative jazz album, “Marrow”, due out on Aug. 8 on Ropeadope Records. Several Atlanta-based millennials who offer different talents and styles have lent their diverse skills to the project. The contributors launched a fundraiser campaign in February 2019 and were able to raise the funds to complete the album last year.
All 10 tracks (seven full songs, three interludes) were co-written by Moorer, Kenny Banks, Jr., and Trevor Wolford, with Brenda singing lead vocals. London-based Troy Miller has produced the album that references bone marrow, the core of where cells are made in the body.
“I simply reached out to Troy because I liked the artists he had already produced, such as Gregory Porter, the London Symphony Orchestra, and other prominent jazz artists,” she says.
The mother of two says the style of jazz she’s presenting and the album title are both attributed to self-exploration and self-discovery. She wanted to push the envelope and then encourage her listeners to know they have light and purpose inside of them.
The songbird also has a role in the upcoming Aretha Franklin movie, “RESPECT”, alongside Jennifer Hudson, where Moorer is cast as Franklin’s cousin and background singer Brenda Franklin.
“The experience was incredible! A dream come true. Now I’m ready to do more acting,” she laughs.
Since the wrap of the movie production in February, Moorer has been spending some much-needed time with her children and partner, who is also a vocalist. Navigating motherhood and her career has been a balancing act, but she has made it work for everyone involved. Now she’s patiently awaiting the release of her album and looking forward to experiencing all the joys this album of self-discovery will bring.
