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Norma Winstone

Winstone has a lissome voice, agile and expressive, and she's a fine improviser, besides. That's not to say she's a vocal athlete, however; although she's known for her wordless improvisations, Winstone is a fine interpreter of lyrics and composed melody—a plain- speaking, rhythmically direct singer who gets to the heart of the matter quickly and effectively.

Winstone played piano and organ in her youth. She began singing semi-professionally by the age of 17, influenced by conventional jazz vocalists. During the '60s she became attracted to the jazz avant garde. She played in groups led by pianists Michael Garrick and Mike Westbrook; she also sang with such forward-thinking musicians as saxophonist John Surman, flugelhornist Kenny Wheeler, composer Michael Gibbs, and pianist John Taylor (whom she married in 1972). A late '60s gig at Ronnie Scott's club in London (also on the bill was the legendary tenor saxophonist Roland Kirk) garnered critical notice. In 1971 she was named best jazz singer in a poll by the British publication Melody Maker. That year she recorded her first album as leader, Edge of Time, for the Decca label. With Wheeler and Taylor, Winstone formed Azimuth, a critically-acclaimed contemporary chamber jazz group that recorded several times for the ECM label from the mid '70s. Winstone is also an accomplished lyricist, having written words to music composed by guitarists Egberto Gismonti and Ralph Towner, bassist Steve Swallow, and vocalist Ivan Lins, among others.

Norma Winstone, Xhosa Cole, Louis Stewart And More

by Colin Muirhead
May 27, 2025

This show features music by acts performing in Northern England soon and showcasing new releases, with tracks by Sara Oschlag, Norma Winstone, Catriona Bourne, Xhosa Cole, Phil Bancroft, Louis Stewart and more. Playlist Sara Oschlag “Mingus Fingers" from Yeah! (Self Released) 00:00 Norma Winstone & Will Bartlett “The Trees" from The Soundless Dark (Jellymould Jazz) 07:17 Catriona Bourne “Sligachan Bridge" from Triquetra (Self Released) 11:54 Dean Stockdale “Falling in Love with Love" from Celebrating Oscar (Self Released) 18:25 ...

Album Review

Kenny Wheeler Legacy: Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores

Read "Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores" reviewed by Francesco Varriale

by Francesco Varriale
January 27, 2025

A distanza di pochi mesi dal decennale della scomparsa di Kenny Wheeler (avvenuta il 18 settembre 2014) e in prossimità di quello che sarebbe stato il suo novantacinquesimo compleanno, la Greenleaf Music pubblica un omaggio al musicista canadese, le cui composizioni vengono proposte secondo arrangiamenti dell'autore che mai erano stati eseguiti in questa forma. Si tratta di un ambito--quello della musica per ensemble allargati--che Wheeler ha più volte curato nella sua vasta produzione artistica, a cominciare da Windmill ...

Album Review

Norma Winstone, Kit Downes: Outpost Of Dreams

Read "Outpost Of Dreams" reviewed by Neri Pollastri

by Neri Pollastri
October 28, 2024

Nato in modo quasi accidentale --la pianista abituale della cantante non era disponibile e le serviva un sostituto --quest'incontro tra generazioni diverse di artisti britannici ha subito funzionato talmente bene da dare in fretta questo eccellente frutto. La cantante è Norma Winstone, ottant'anni passati e portati benissimo, il pianista Kit Downes, trentotto anni; la prima ha alle spalle un'invidiabile carriera che l'ha vista al fianco di artisti come Kenny Wheeler e John Taylor (clicca qui per la recensione della recente ...

Album Review

Norma Winstone, Kit Downes: Outpost Of Dreams

Read "Outpost Of Dreams" reviewed by Chris May

by Chris May
July 18, 2024

Any release by Norma Winstone is an event and Outpost Of Dreams, her much anticipated first album since 2018's Descansado (Songs For Films) (ECM), rises to expectations. It presents her in a new duo setting with pianist Kit Downes, a star in his own right who is equally on point as an accompanist. His sensitive, empathetic playing here is a delight in itself. Outpost Of Dreams was recorded in Italy in 2023 with ECM's Manfred Eicher producing. ...

Album Review

Mike Westbrook Concert Band: Marching Song Volumes 1 & 2 Plus Bonus Tracks

Read "Marching Song Volumes 1 & 2 Plus Bonus Tracks" reviewed by Maurizio Comandini

by Maurizio Comandini
June 20, 2022

Mike Westbrook, pianista e soprattutto direttore di orchestra, è nato il 21 marzo del 1936 a High Wycombe, 50 chilometri a nord-ovest di Londra. Dapprima tentato dalla Art School di Plymouth, si dedica poi con decisione alla musica, dalla fine degli anni cinquanta. Nel 1958 forma la sua prima band per la quale gli capita di reclutare il sedicenne John Surman, giovane talento emergente che stava terminando il suo percorso scolastico. Quattro anni dopo Westbrook si sposta a Londra per ...

Album Review

Nucleus: Nucleus Live at the BBC

Read "Nucleus Live at the BBC" reviewed by Maurizio Comandini

by Maurizio Comandini
March 21, 2022

Dio salvi la regina. E la BBC. L'emittente di stato britannica ha capito fin da subito che da quelle belle energie musicali, che spuntavano come l'erba di Hyde Park sotto al tiepido sole di quelle latitudini, passavano le scelte esistenziali e culturali delle nuove generazioni e sin dagli anni sessanta ha dato ampio spazio alla musica, premiando non solo il pop ma anche le proposte più articolate e di nicchia e ha conservato in archivio una buona parte di quelle ...

Album Review

Norma Winstone & John Taylor: In Concert

Read "In Concert" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
May 27, 2021

Una ristampa da non perdere. Questo concerto in duo di Norma Winstone e John Taylor dell'agosto 1988 esisteva in una rara edizione su cassetta del 1999 della Enodoc Records e documentava una performance estemporanea data alla Guildhall Music School di Londra. La Winstone e il suo marito d'allora (nonché partner negli Azimuth e in altri organici) avevano appena terminato un seminario e fu chiesto loro di offrire un concerto agli studenti. Tanto per rinfrescarci la memoria la performance ...

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Performance / Tour

Norma Winstone and Kenny Wheeler among stars at London's Art Of Song Festival

Source: Chris May
April 14, 2011

The Art Of Song Festival continues at London's Leicester Square Theatre. Upcoming concerts include: April 15 Norma Winstone, Tina May, David McAlmont, Kenny Wheeler; April 16 Cleo Laine and, in a second concert, Yots K's The Songs Of John Barry; April 18 Stacey Kent; April 19 Fran Landesman. Details on 0844 873 3433. NORMA WINSTONE, TINA MAY, DAVID MCALMONT & KENNY WHEELER perform THE SONGS OF DUNCAN LAMONT 15th April at 7.30pm, tickets from £20 To ...
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Recording

Norma Winstone - Stories yet to Tell (2010)

Source: Something Else!
September 22, 2010

By Mark Saleski A variant of the “I remember exactly where I was when I first heard this" thing is the phenomenon of incomplete Déjà Vu. This occurs when you hear a piece of music and it seems totally familiar...except...hmmm...what was it? The music of vocalist Norma Winstone reminds me of my Aunt Rose's figurine collection. More specifically, it was a couple of details about her bedroom. When I was a little kid, I loved to visit her and marvel ...
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202

Performance / Tour

Norma Winstone, Tessa Souter, Tim Garland, Tony Kofi in Final Made in the UK Shows at Sweet Rhythm NY

Source: All About Jazz
June 21, 2009

The Made in the UK concert series comes to an end this weekend with two double bills at Sweet Rhythm (88 7th Ave South) featuring four out of nine of the bands who have proved such a success at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival this week. Norma Winstone with Gareth Williams / Tessa Souter Quartet Saturday 20th June / 8pm and 10pm / $20 Tim Garland's Lighthouse Trio / Tony Kofi Quartet Sunday 21st June ...
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179

Performance / Tour

Norma Winstone US Tour: Rochester Jazz Festival and Sweet Rhythm

Source: ECM Records
June 11, 2009

136

Recording

Norma Winstone Britain's Poetic Jazz Singer

Source: All About Jazz
July 12, 2008

Veteran jazz vocalist Norma Winstone's new CD, Distances, features lyrics of her own, plus those by Peter Gabriel, Cole Porter and Pier Paolo Pasolini.

IN A CAREER SPANNING FIVE DECADES, British jazz vocalist Norma Winstone has pioneered, experimented and collaborated to push her music to the cutting edge. She's developed “wordless" vocals, written her own lyrics and covered the classics, always ending up with something new. The dark atmosphere in Winstone's cover of Cole Porter's “Every Time We Say Goodbye" ...
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