Melanie Charles Represents the Best of Kreyol Jazz Artistry
On a brisk New York evening, The HMI Magazine team was nestled in the warm ambiance of the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club in Greenwich Village. The stage was set for an artist who’s been redefining the boundaries of modern jazz with every breath of her flute and every lyric that leaves her lips. As Melanie Charles took the stage, it became instantly clear to us and everyone in the sold-out crowd that we were about to witness something more than just a performance. We were about to be immersed in an experience.
Melanie Charles, the Brooklyn-born, Haitian-rooted singer-songwriter, flutist, and actress, has made a name for herself through a career marked by fearless experimentation and unwavering authenticity. Her presence at Blue Note was nothing short of electric. From the first note, Charles held the audience captive with a voice that danced effortlessly between smoky jazz, soulful gospel, and the rhythmic pulse of Haitian roots music. Her flute, too, became an extension of her storytelling, fluttering over beats and harmonies with graceful precision.
“Melanie doesn’t just perform—she conjures,” said HMI Magazine critic and jazz historian Pierre Laurent. “You feel the church, you feel Port-au-Prince, you feel Billie Holiday, and you feel the future—all in one breath.”
A product of rich musical soil, Charles grew up singing in church, trained as an opera singer, and studied at the prestigious LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, where she majored in flute. In 2010, she graduated from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, mentored by legends like Reggie Workman, Junior Mance, Bobby Sanabria, Carla Cook, and Billy Harper. These influences are evident in the richness and depth of her work—yet her sound is wholly her own.
Charles has pushed creative boundaries whether at Smalls, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Nublu in New York, or abroad at iconic venues like Blue Note Milan, Billboard Live in Japan, and Ronnie Scott’s in London. The HMI Magazine staff enjoyed seeing her in multiple settings—from intimate jazz bars to international festival stages—and the verdict was unanimous: Melanie Charles doesn’t play to impress. She plays to express—and in doing so, she transcends.
Our team witnessed how she moved seamlessly from traditional jazz ballads to hard-hitting grooves. Her reimagined version of classic Billie Holiday pieces (notably from her 2021 album Y’all Don’t Care About Black Women) injected new life and urgency into old standards. This project, in particular, exemplified Charles’s genius: honoring jazz’s past while making bold demands for its future. Her social consciousness is as present as her virtuosity.
“She’s a griot of the modern era,” said HMI Magazine’s music editor Claudine Merveille. “She carries stories through melody, memory, and movement. Her Haitian background is not just part of her heritage—it’s part of her sound.”
Indeed, Charles’ deep connection to Haiti permeates her work. She’s shared the stage with Haitian luminaries like Pauline Jean, Emeline Michel, Bonga, and Mushy Widmaier. The Haitian Jazz Foundation has honored her, and cultural icon Ralph Boncy has recognized her as one of the most important women in Haitian music. Her performances at the Haitian Women in Jazz Festival and benefit events for Haitian communities have only deepened her impact and solidified her legacy within the diaspora.
In 2017, she collaborated with the Gorillaz on their Humanz album, proving that her versatility extends far beyond the confines of jazz. From working with neo-soul stars like SZA to underground icons like Jean Grae, Melanie Charles has left her mark on multiple genres while always keeping her signature soul intact.
She’s on rotation on virtually every jazz station in New York City and worldwide. DJs and programmers alike are drawn to her fearless sound—whether it’s her experimental project, The Girl with the Green Shoes, under her alter ego D’Flower, or the profoundly resonant tones of her live performances.
And while she may have performed for Haitian President Michel Martelly and even graced stages alongside Wyclef Jean during the Urban Zen fundraiser in 2011, Charles remains deeply connected to the people and places that shaped her.
Back at Blue Note, the final notes of her set hung in the air like incense—sweet, spiritual, and unforgettable. As the lights dimmed and the audience roared, it became evident that Melanie Charles is not just a jazz artist. She is a movement.
Final Verdict from HMI Magazine Critics:
“Melanie Charles represents the best of what jazz—and Haitian artistry—has to offer. She is a cultural curator, a sonic risk-taker, and an international force. Catch her live if you can. Your soul will thank you.”
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Stay tuned to HMI Magazine, Where Haitian Music Lives, for more features on groundbreaking Haitian artists and jazz innovators.
