On albums such as the critically acclaimed "Belly of the Sun" from 2002 and the Grammy-winning "New Moon Daughter" in 1996, Cassandra Wilson created her own blend of music, influenced by her upbringing in Jackson, Mississippi, in the American South.
With her characteristic dark contralto voice, she often ventured beyond the boundaries of jazz and also interpreted songs by such diverse acts as The Monkees, U2 and Neil Young.
In the early 1980s, Cassandra moved via New Orleans to New York, where she made her recording debut as a solo artist in 1986, and over the years she was a frequent guest in Sweden, including at the Stockholm Jazz Festival.
“Cassandra Wilson carried the sound, feel and history of Mississippi with her wherever her music took her,” Jackson Mayor John Horhn said in a statement.
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