Hannah Northedge

Hannah is a sultry songstress of old fashioned glamour and bandleader of her own ensembles.

She is a classically trained singer and is in high demand with The Hannah Northedge Jazz ensembles that include some of the most skilled jazz musicians in the UK and holds residencies at Smollensky's restaurants in London and Surrey, Booty's Riverside Jazz Bar in Limehouse, The Sandgate Hotel and Mackenzie's Cafe Bar both in Kent. She made a very successful appearance at Greenwich Jazz Festival twice last year and has been invited back this year and has also been booked to play at Mill Hill and Harborough Jazz Club. She is frequently invited to sing at the 606 Jazz Club with The Russ Henderson (MBE) Piano Trio and other acts. She has received record label interest from The Jazz radio station and she will be releasing an album of uniquely arranged standards and her own original compositions with a country jazz flavour in late 2008. She recently sang with guitar legend Les Paul’s pianist John Colianni and his quintet in Greenwich Village, New York and plans to record and do a short tour of New York and London with him next year.

Hannah who grew up in Leicester and Australia started to sing jazz in her mid teens but then considered training as an opera singer and was offered a place at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She considered jazz more seriously when friends commented that she had a definite "jazz sound" to her low set rich voice. She was also drawn to glamorous films from the 1930s and 40s especially Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies and others that featured music by Gershwin, Porter and Berlin and these were to provide a lasting impression on her. Ultimately she realised that jazz was her authentic and signature vocal sound.

Hannah has been a guest singer with The Rat Pack Trio and Orchestra since early 2006. She continues to tour sold out theatres with them nationwide.

Hannah's powerful voice, musicality and talent for jazz repertoire leads to frequent requests to front other well known jazz outfits including 7 piece 1930s and 40s swing band Rockin' in Rhythm, Kind of Jazz function band, The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, 78rpm and The Rob James Orchestra. She works with former BBC Big Band leader, composer and pianist Ronnie Smith, internationally renowned pianist Simon Wallace and Christian Vaughan and guitarists Shane Hill and Alex Steer.

SESSION SINGING

The Hannah Northedge Singers are a 15 member choir that Hannah founded and session fixed for major feature film The Oxford Murders starring Elijah Wood and John Hurt recently in cinemas! Hannah directed the choir, sang and acted in the film on location at Trinity College Greenwich and The Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford. The Spanish composer Roque Banos (Sexy Beast, The Machinist) who plays a conductor in the film was so impressed with the choir's talent, enthusiasm and professionalism that Hannah won the contract to record part of his soundtrack First Disobedience at Abbey Road Studios in July 2007.

Hannah has also recorded at Sir George Martin's Air Studios in North London. She sang Beethoven's 9th "Choral" Symphony for the soundtrack to recently released major film Copying Beethoven starring Ed Harris.

Her other session singing includes work with Leicester based producer Leighton Morrell and London producers and songwriters including Jackie Chambers, lead guitarist in popular rock group Girlschool. She continues to record vocals for original tracks and backing tracks intended for use by solo artists.

INSTRUMENTS

Hannah has been playing rhythm guitar since she was 16 years old. She also plays the flute, basic piano and is learning to play bass guitar on her beloved Precision Lyte bass.

ACTING

Hannah has had many television, film and theatre roles notably starring as Hitler's Secretary, Traudl Junge for BBC 2 documentary Days That Shook the World, as a lawyer in Ditch the Bitch.

TEACHING Hannah teaches singing privately and through nationwide company Vocaltutor. She has taught for a variety of theatre schools including With Panache Theatre School and Soar Valley Community College Saturday and evening classes. She is also a vocal coach and mentor to pop group Holah who are produced by the renowned producer John Hudson (Tina Turner, Coldplay, Radiohead) at Mayfair Studios, London. Show less