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Jazz Articles about John Proulx
Marina Pacowski: New Jazz Standards, Volume 7
by Jack Bowers
To those who know--really know--their breathtaking jazz trumpeters, Carl Saunders was definitely in a class by himself. Simply put, there was nothing Saunders could not do on the horn, from nailing seemingly insurmountable high notes to creating intricate and mind- blowing solos, all the while making it seem so effortless that many listeners thought he must have found and harnessed a secret weapon of which others were unaware. What many of his admirers did not know was ...
Continue ReadingVeronica Thomas: Veronica Thomas They Say It's Wonderful
by Nicholas F. Mondello
Broadway musicals and cinema soundtrack songs have been full-bloom gardens for material harvested by singers and instrumentalists. From the romantic to the dramatic to the humorous and novelty, artists have had the buona fortuna of such a vast treasury. Partnering with the insight of producer John Proulx, (himself a marvelous singer/pianist/composer) and a cadre of LA greats, highly entertaining vocalist Veronica Thomas superbly delivers a dozen Broadway and film standards--and a standout Proulx original--with They Say It's Wonderful.
Continue ReadingNica Carrington: Times Like These
by Richard J Salvucci
Every once in a while you chance on a singer and think, “This is a find." Some people barely knew that Julie London was a singer—she didn't consider herself one, certainly—but she had a lovely voice, did not embellish the lyrics, told a story, and got out of the way. She was one of those 1950s signers who really never registered, unless you happened to focus on her looks, which distracted from her talent. So now one thinks, “She should ...
Continue ReadingNica Carrington: Times Like These
by Jack Bowers
Even though she had been singing, more or less, since she was a child, it was not until the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic that New Yorker Nica Carrington came to realize that tomorrows come with no guarantees, and that the time had come to buckle down and get serious about her craft. After moving from one voice coach to another, Carrington happened upon Jazzvoice.com, an online resource founded by singer and educator Alexis Cole that offers private lessons, classes and videos. ...
Continue ReadingNica Carrington: Times Like These
by Pierre Giroux
Intrepid may be the best word to use to describe the singer Nica Carrington's self-produced debut album. Not many months before recording it, Nica, who had been taking voice lessons, came across the highly regarded Los Angeles based pianist, arranger, and jazz voice instructor John Proulx, who thought that she showed such promise that he was willing to produce her first release. Wanting to do everything to provide the framework for success, Proulx brought along two esteemed and seasoned jazz ...
Continue ReadingBeverley Church Hogan: Sweet Invitation
by Richard J Salvucci
In 1984, an American writer named Harriet Doerr published a compelling novel called Stones for Ibarra (Penguin Books). The novel, partly autobiographical, was about rural Mexico. Ms. Doerr's novel was her first. It won a National Book Award. Doerr had attended university for a bit but dropped out to raise a family. She was 74 years old when the book was published. Of course, there was a small sensation, because few of us break into print in our ...
Continue ReadingBeverley Church Hogan: Sweet Invitation
by Pierre Giroux
The entertainment business only rarely offers second chances. However, that does seem to be the case for singer Beverley Church Hogan. Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, she began singing as a pre-teen, managed to have a regular gig on the radio and then, by her late teens, was singing in clubs and U.S.O. styled military shows. At 21, she relocated to Los Angeles, was offered a recording contract by Capitol Records but, for a variety of familial reasons, turned ...
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