V. Shayne Frederick at The Mainstay

Philadelphia-based singer and pianist V. Shayne Frederick has a sound rooted in jazz, soul, and classic balladry.

Raised on a sonic diet of gospel and contemporary R&B, he discovered jazz in his early teens. It wasn’t singers that captivated him at first, but the great jazz instrumentalists (Mingus, Miles, Monk, Herbie) – something that comes across vividly in his horn-like approach to a melody.

But it’s V. Shayne’s vocals that are constantly (and rightfully) at the forefront. Impressively, his young voice has the smooth lining of a legendary crooner like Nat King Cole and the vocal range depth of a Joe Williams.

His work has been featured at TEDx, NPR, a multitude of music fests, museums, and jazz clubs throughout the country. V. Shayne has been cited by the Broad Street Review as “one of the region’s busiest and best jazz singers,” appointed “one to watch” and a “shining light” by All About Jazz, and called “soulful” in Downbeat Magazine. According to WRTI radio, “Frederick could sing about breakfast cereal and make me believe in a higher power,” and WXPN radio remarks, “his stunning baritone effortlessly soars; sometimes a seductive whisper, sometimes an exuberant belt.”