Eileen Howard

Member Since: 2007 | Location: Atlanta | Page Views: 2,074

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About Me

Jazz and blues with pizzazz and passion!

Howard has the entertainment flair of an actress and the gift of telling a story with every word. Her concerts combine great jazz, funk and Latin vocals with meaningful interpretation of lyrics, jazz history, audience participation and sheer fun. Also an award-winning and critically acclaimed actress, Howard brings her flair for comic and dramatic acting to her performances, which are as much about touching the hearts of audience members as performing a song. Her repertoire includes the Great American Songbook, plus little known gems and original compositions.

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Eileen Howard

My Jazz Story

I grew up with classical music and musical theater. The first time I heard jazz was the Charlie Brown Christmas special when Vince Gauraldi blew me away as a kid. I wanted to hear more! Then I took flute in Junior High and High School band. Someone introduced me to Herbie Mann and gave me a song book that I think was transcriptions of his work—WA-A-Y too advanced for me! But I loved hearing that improvisation and continued to be intrigued with this music for which I still didn't even really have a name. In my era it was all rock and folk and funk (all of which I love, too). Much, much later I took vocal lessons, got back into musical theater, and then started singing jazz with veterans Clifford Murphy and Claude Black in Toledo Ohio. I love the structured improvisation and creativity of jazz and the beautiful songs of the swing and sing eras. From there my interest grew and I started studying in earnest, singing with bands, and forming my own bands. Now I'm a professional vocalist in New York—I never dreamed that "Charlie Brown" would begin my journey to this place!