Antoinette Montague

Raised in Newark, Antoinette Montague was drawn to jazz by her mother who was always singing and sounded like Ella Fitzgerald. Montague’s interest was further jump-started by her dad. “On Saturdays, my dad would drop me off at the Newark Public Library on his way to work. There I would listen to Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington.” Years later Montague met up with the renowned Etta Jones, who became her mentor. “She encouraged me. It’s going to be wonderful,” she said. Montague released her first CD, “Pretty Blues,” in 2006 featuring pianist Mulgrew Miller, saxophonist Bill Easley, drummer Kenny Washington, and bassist Peter Washington — the same group of influential jazz players featured on her recent release “Behind The Smile.” Montague has performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Kitano Jazz, Jazzmobile’s Summer Breeze Concert Series and as curator and Mistress of Ceremonies for the tribute to Dr. Billy Taylor, and for “A Lions Roar: A Tribute to Detroit’s own Barry Harris.” She’s also appeared at legendary performance venues such as The Zebra Room in Harlem’s famous Lenox Lounge, the Blue Note, and the Jazz Standard. Antoinette’s album, “Behind The Smile” features a diverse repertoire of standards and originals including “What’s Going On,” “The Song Is You,” “Get Ready,” “Somewhere In The Night” as well as her original title song “Behind The Smile.”