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Carmela

Jazz singer-songwriter

About Me

Carmela grew up in upstate New York with a love for the Great American Songbooks. In New York City she attended ‘Theatrium’ and became involved in off-off Broadway Theater and appeared in a few independent films, later training with Eric Morris. Carmela moved to Los Angeles in ‘92 , working with such notable film directors as Rob Reiner, Wolfgang Petersen, Jonathan Lynn and Ken Kwapis. She performed in the L. A. Jazz scene with the Jon Mayer trio and recorded “Black and White”, a straight ahead standards record with them. After appearing in many of the local clubs she recorded her second album with Paul Smith, Jim DeJulio and Joe LaBarbera. This project ‘Regarding Frank’ was a tribute record to Sinatra and his 50’s Capitol years. Shortly after this she formed her own trio. Out of this trio “The Girl Who Dreams Out Loud” was conceived. This album was a departure from familiar jazz standards and a new exploration of original materials by such notables as Hirth Martinez, Donald Fagen, Mike Melvoin and Carmela. Her fourth album “Joseph City” combined straight ahead covers, with some very unique standard arrangements and some originals by Carmela. While residing in New Mexico she was nominated for a New Mexico Music Award for best original jazz song, appeared in local theater and worked on the feature film “A Bird Of The Air”. She served on the board of New Mexico Women In Film as fund raising chair, producing two highly successful events for NMWIF. One of which featured Roy Orbison’s “A Black and White Night” and benefited New Mexico’s homeless children. She was also seen as Lilith Bengalis in the web series “Cyphers”, made in New Mexico. In New York City she continued to write and perform including recent appearances in New York’s Metropolitan Room and Joe's Pub and various clubs around town. Her fifth album release “Myths and Legends” is a collection of original songs written by Carmela about difficult women, love gone wrong, and the dreams and spirits within us all, plus two covers from Duke Ellington and Al Anderson. The newest release “Howlin’ At The Moon” was recorded at The Ellis Marsalis Center For Music in New Orleans and is heavily influenced by the people, culture and sounds of New Orleans. It features the great local musicians that reside in the Crescent City. She now resides and performs in New Orleans, finally home.

www.carmelarappazzo.com