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REVIEWS
"Love Is Never Lost"- Habaka awaits us here in a classic jazz-soul setting. Without a wedding with all of the frills, but with style and elegance. A reduced arrangement, with a subtle production, a quiet bossa beat, a solo of the jazz guitar and a voice that uses its feelings in a superior-controlled manner. Very nice for the night ... and the day after.
Von JS-Sonic Soul Reviews
"All in all it has to be said the lady can really sing"... (Living Blues Magazine)
HER VOICE IS PURE AND DEXTEROUS...PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION (WORD PRESS)
In his play, "Twelfth Night" Shakespeare wrote, "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Habaka is a perfect example of all three....(Anthony Darkstone, Global Music Club-UK)
Habaka KFJ
The Panther of Cremona, Italy
Born in Nashville, reared in Bloomfield, Connecticut, and artistically nurtured across the United States and Europe, Habaka KFJ inherited music as a birthright.
Her grandmother, Minnie Leona Jackson, was a Gospel singer in Atlanta who filled churches with spirit and grace. Her grandfather, Jeri Jackson, was a pianist, bandleader, and promoter who led the Jeri Jackson Review, placing Habaka behind the scenes of live music from an early age. Her mother, MaryAnn Jackson, was a Jazz vocalist whose voice shaped Habaka’s ear for tone and phrasing, while her father, Melvin Jackson, performed internationally as baritone saxophonist for B.B. King’s Orchestra.
From sacred hymns to smoky jazz rooms and Blues stages across the world, Habaka absorbed it all and transformed it into a career spanning three decades defined by elegance and fire.
Her critically acclaimed album Heritage Blue produced multiple chart-topping singles, including “Love On The Brain” and “Love Is Never Lost,” earning international recognition and devoted listeners worldwide.
In September 2025, Habaka joined the legendary Kinsman Dazz Band on the single “Bossa Nova Tonite,” which reached #1 on Teerex Radio Teerex Top 30 Hump Chart Canada, and surged from #22 to #6 on Soul Tracks. In 2026, “Bossa Nova Tonite” kicked off the New Year as Video of the Month for January on Soul Tracks. The track received international praise from UK publication Soul & Jazz & Funk, with a review headlined “Bossa Nova Baby!!!”, further affirming Habaka’s global reach and cross-genre appeal.
Beyond performing, multi-award-winning artist, Habaka is celebrated not only for her performances but also for her work as a producer, radio host, educator, and vocal coach known as Vocal Nectar, guiding singers of all ages in unlocking the secrets of their voice. This reflects a lifetime of lived tradition rooted in breath, phrasing, patience, and emotional truth. Her approach honors the belief that the voice is not forced, but cultivated. As of 2026, Habaka KFJ is a contributing author in the upcoming anthologies Voices of Care and Lanterns In The Dark, in collaboration with filmmaker and bestselling author Betsy Chasse.
Critics and audiences alike praise her ability to blend blues grit with jazz sophistication and gospel fire, creating performances that are both timeless and deeply personal.
Her music is not learned, it is inherited. Legacy in her blood. Blues in her bones. Gospel in her spirit.
Music Sweet As Tupelo Honey.
HABAKA SHORT BIOGRAPHY
International vocalist Habaka KFJ, known as “The Panther of Cremona, Italy,” is a four-octave powerhouse whose voice effortlessly blends Blues, Jazz, and Gospel. Winner of the 2019 Black Music Awards (Las Vegas) “Best Female Jazz Performer,” Habaka carries a rich family legacy—her father, Melvin Jackson, played saxophone for over 20 years with B.B. King, while her mother, Mary Ann Jackson, was an international dancer and jazz singer.
Her breakout single “Love Is Never Lost” (Expansion Records, UK) soared to #4 on the Canadian charts in 2021, and she continues to expand her artistry with the 2025 release of her latest single “Bossa Nova Tonite,” produced by Michael J Calhoun (of the legendary Dazz Band).
With comparisons to Cassandra Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Eartha Kitt, and Etta James, Habaka has enchanted audiences at prestigious venues across Europe and the U.S., from Theater Donizetti in Italy to Alexis Park Las Vegas. Her acclaimed album Heritage Blue (Husky Tone Records) remains a fan favorite, blending Blues and Jazz with unmatched authenticity.
And recently in 2026, Habaka KFJ is a contributing author in the upcoming anthologies Voices of Care and Lanterns In The Dark, in collaboration with filmmaker and bestselling author Betsy Chasse.
Today, Habaka also serves as Vice President and host of Habaka’s Bee Hive on Montreal’s Teerex Radio, carrying her family’s legacy forward as one of the last authentic Blues, Jazz, and Gospel voices of her generation.
