Melody Gardot’s career began under extraordinary circumstances. In 2003, she suffered serious injuries in a cycling accident in Philadelphia when an SUV driver fled the scene. At the age of 19, she sustained severe head and spinal injuries, as well as multiple pelvic fractures.
During her long rehabilitation, music became central to her recovery. Through music therapy, Gardot began singing, playing guitar and writing her own songs. She also started recording music to help cope with significant short-term memory problems caused by the accident. Looking back, she has described songwriting as a way of preserving memories and rebuilding her life.
Just a few years later, Melody Gardot returned to the stage. She still frequently performs wearing tinted glasses due to her ongoing sensitivity to light. Today, she is regarded as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary jazz. With several internationally successful albums — including Grammy-nominated releases — she has developed an unmistakable style blending jazz, blues, chanson, bossa nova, and influences from pop and world music.
Gardot has continued to evolve artistically in recent years. The intimate duo album Entre eux deux with pianist Philippe Powell was followed in 2024 by The Essential Melody Gardot, her first major retrospective, featuring songs she personally selected from more than a decade of her career.
INFO
Admission: Advance €89.50 / On the door €92.00
Doors open: 6.30 pm
Start: 7.30 pm
Part of: Leverkusener Jazztage 2026.
More info in the Lust auf Leverkusen event calendar.
