About

Bess Jacques is a Maine-based pianist, singer, and songwriter, performing regularly in the greater Portland area. Her music spans jazz, singer-songwriter, and pop styles, combining fresh originals with vintage American classics - think early jazz, the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and soul - for a sound that is both vibrant and nostalgic. Her debut album, Anthems for Lily Briscoe, features all original music with her band Bess Jacques & The Strays and was released in March 2025.

In 2012 Bess abandoned a career in math and computer sciences to pursue music full time, returning to her home town of Westbrook, Maine in 2014. Bess performs in the greater Portland area with various projects, including her combo Bess Jacques & The Strays and the wickedly fun jump blues & swing band The Zoot Jumpers. She plays regular shows at Blue Portland Maine (BPM) in Portland, Cadenza in Freeport, and The Lincoln Hotel in Biddeford. Find upcoming shows on Bess's web calendar.