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Toni Ballard
Boston-based vocalist Toni Ballard, who is profiled in "Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide" (Backbeat Press) by jazz writer Scott Yanow, has been singing with big bands and in jazz settings in New England since 1979. The Chicago native has performed with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, the White Heat Swing Orchestra, the Boston Big Band, the Silver Bullet Swing Orchestra, the Worcester Jazz Orchestra, and the Ryles Jazz Orchestra, including an appearance in 2002 at the Boston Globe Jazz Festival. She has appeared in Boston at Scullers Jazz Club, Ryles, the Starlight Roof and the Regattabar and has been featured on WGBH radio on "Homegrown" and "Jazz with Eric in the Evening" with Eric Jackson and "Music America" with Ron Della Chiesa. In 1984, Toni was one of ten singers invited to perform in New York City at the "American Song Stylists" concert, headlined by Shirley Horn. Her 1997 CD "I'm Your Pal" features guitar icon Larry Coryell, and she has plans in the works for a CD of big band arrangements by Jerry Seeco. She was the creator, producer and host of the award-winning jazz TV show "Studio 3," which aired on Channel 3 throughout Central Massachusetts from 1994 to 2004. Excerpts of shows can be viewed at www.jazzhistorydatabase.com. She also hosted jazz TV shows for BET and jazz radio programs on WICN and WGBH. From 1998 to 2004, she was a publicist at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Since spring 2009, Toni has performed five times in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Awards
"Studio 3" (which she produced and hosted) was named Best Program Series in New England Produced by a Woman by New England Women in Cable and Video (1997); Best Jazz Act (Worcester Phoenix, 1998)
Tags
"Several tracks feature Bevan Manson orchestrations that recall the intriguing writing Gil Evans did for Helen Merrill's classic Dream of You album . . . it also features Steve Swallow's title tune and the original Three-Bass Hit, which has enough wit to pass for an opus by noted baseball fan Dave Frishberg." - Bob Blumental, Boston Globe
"Vocalist Toni Ballard has an actor's ability to change her mood as the song-role indicates. Hers is a crystal clear sound with a straightforward style that allows the lyrics to shine through. She delivers familiar love songs beautifully, such as My One and Only Love . . . or The Song Is You." - Patricia Myers, JazzTimes
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