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Sure-footed swing, sweet-toned harmony, and ever-insouciant charm are embodied in the jazz vocal trio Duchess, featuring notable New York singers Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner, and Melissa Stylianou. Blending the classic and the contemporary, the trio has performed at major festivals and esteemed clubs throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Israel, making it their business to connect through joy.

Duchess first convened in 2013 at Greenwich Village’s now bygone 55 Bar, with what had initially seemed like a one-off gig ending up as obvious musical kismet. The trio recorded the studio albums Duchess (2015) and Laughing at Life (2017), prompting Downbeat Magazine to declare, “For a good time, call Duchess.” Then came the EP Harmony for the Holidays (2018) and Live at the Jazz Standard (2020), the latter an atmospheric souvenir from another beloved, now-shuttered Manhattan club. Their latest album, A Marvelous Party (2026), is a shindig in song that spins the tale of a party in all its scenes and shades of feeling, from eager anticipation and dizzy elation to wistful ennui and, ultimately, warm-hearted appreciation of it all.

Duchess has collaborated with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, performing the music of the Andrews Sisters for Taylor’s seminal piece, “Company B,” at Lincoln Center in October/November 2019. Duchess won “Vocal Group of the Year” two years running in the 2021 and 2022 Jazz Journalists Association Awards, and was named “Best Vocal Group” in the 2021 Jazz Times Critics’ Poll.

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A close-harmony vocal trio blending the classic and the contemporary, Duchess—Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner, and Melissa Stylianou—has rightly earned a reputation for “music that traffics in delight” (The New Yorker). 

The New York City-based threesome debuted on record with the eponymous Duchess (Anzic Records) in 2015. Featuring arrangements by Grammy-nominated producer/Anzic co-founder Oded Lev-Ari, the album channeled the 1930s inspiration of the virtuosic Boswell Sisters into a wonderfully entertaining package, brimming with sure-footed swing, sweet-toned harmony, and ever-insouciant charm.

The trio’s sophomore album, Laughing at Life (Anzic Records), also produced and arranged by Lev-Ari, was released in 2017. The album featured thoughtful renderings of venerable jazz standards as well as playful reimaginings of novelty songs made famous by the Boswell and Andrews Sisters. Rave reviews ensued, including Downbeat Magazine’s declaration, “For a good time, call Duchess.” Never ones to rest on their laurels, Duchess released a holiday EP, Harmony for the Holidays, in 2018, and their recording, Live at Jazz Standard, was released to rave reviews on Anzic Records in 2020. 

Their most recent release, A Marvelous Party (2026), is a concept album, a shindig in song that spins the tale of a party in all its scenes and shades of feeling, from eager anticipation and dizzy elation to wistful ennui and, ultimately, warm-hearted appreciation of it all. With its ace rhythm section plus five horns in tow, Duchess colors the performances with Rat Pack-style playfulness, something the Wall Street Journal caught early on about the trio: “They understand that swinging music goes hand in hand with an audacious sense of humor.”

Amy points out that it was her husband, producer/arranger Oded Lev-Ari, who suggested that the three women sing together, adding: “Oded was inspired to write custom arrangements for us. His arrangements are tailored for our voices, with this playful, imaginative correspondence between the history of this sort of music and our individual, contemporary sensibilities.”

As “Charlie” to their “Angels,” Lev-Ari has honed his arranging for Duchess, armed with the group’s ever-increasing rapport. “There is a tradition in big-band composition – particularly with Duke Ellington – that emphasizes writing for the individual playing the instrument, not necessarily for the instrument itself,” the producer says. “Getting to know the three voices and their range of colors has allowed me to do that with Duchess. I can hear what a specific note would sound like when Melissa sings it versus Amy or Hilary. They’re so in tune with one another that it allows us to explore and experiment even while maintaining that great sound and vibe.”

In the intervening years since their first 55 bar gig, Duchess has performed at major festivals and esteemed jazz clubs throughout the United States (Monterey Jazz Festival, Rochester Jazz Festival, Saratoga Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center), Canada (Toronto Jazz Festival, Ottawa Jazz Festival), Europe (Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival), and Israel (Jerusalem Jazz Festival). Duchess has performed with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, singing the music of the Andrews Sisters for Taylor’s seminal piece, “Company B.” 

Duchess won “Vocal Group of the Year” two years running in the 2021 and 2022 Jazz Journalists Association Awards, and was named “Best Vocal Group” in the 2021 Jazz Times Critics’ Poll.

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