The pianist and singer recreates the vintage decades of American music — think early jazz, swing, the American Songbook, rhythm and blues and soul — and combines these with fresh originals for a sound that is both vibrant and nostalgic.

In 2012 Jacques abandoned a career in computer sciences to pursue music full time, returning to her home state of Maine in 2014. She and her husband live in Westbrook, where she teaches from her home studio. She performs regularly in the greater Portland area with various projects, including her trio, Bess Jacques & The Strays.