Acisse Jay (äkēsā jā), born Jessica Michelle Hall, is a rock/blues singer-songwriter from Norfolk, VA. Influenced early on by the melodic prowess of Whitney Houston, she got started in her music career by learning to play piano, clarinet, tenor saxophone, and singing in her Baptist-church family choir. In 2012, she relocated to Raleigh, NC and decided to pick up the guitar.
Eight years later and the crooner is continually growing as artist. She released her debut EP in 2019—fittingly entitled “Experimental Phase EP, Vol. 1”—where she seamlessly blends musical styles with the ease of a veteran. She showcases her distinctive range throughout the project, infusing each title with texture, tone, nonconformist melodies, and musical intelligence. To the trained ear, Acisse Jay’s music might evoke some of the best blues, rock, and soul musicians of our time including Brittany Howard, Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Whitney Houston, Etta James , B.B. King , Bobby “Blue” Bland , and Mavis Staples, to name a few.
When she isn’t writing and recording, Acisse Jay is one part of the five piece Phoebes Band. Born of the pandemic, the Phoebes Band started their journey in March 2021 at the Bluementhal Performing Arts Presents Queens of the City at City Square.