Results for "Great American Songbook"

Dave Coules

Born: March 1, 1955

Dave Coules is a resident of Oakville Ontario and has been on the Toronto music scene full time since 2012. He is a retired educator with over 30 years of experience in the profession during which time he led award-winning high school big bands and jazz ensembles. Dave’s musical resume comprises work with a number of Toronto area ensembles including Swing Shift Big Band, the George Lake Big Band and the Bob Clegg Big Band. He has also been a guest artist with the Bob Cary Orchestra, the Chris Hunt Tentet, the Anthony Terpstra Septet and the OctoKats. As well as playing lead alto sax for the Advocats Big Band, Dave is an accomplished soloist, featured regularly in their performances

Aleks Izotov

Born: January 1, 1992

Aleks Izotov is a pianist and composer based in the DC metro area. A native of Phoenix, Arizona, Aleks graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from Arizona State University, where he studied with pianist Michael Kocour. While in college, Aleks was awarded the Most Outstanding Rhythm Section Player at the Reno Jazz Festival and was privileged to attend Ravinia's Steans Institute. Since moving to DC in 2016, Aleks has been steadily growing his reputation as a sideman, appearing with Tarus Mateen, Michael Bowie, Marshall Keys, and Mike Cemprola. His first solo release, solo piano, was released in February 2021.

Jackie Lopez

Just a few notes is all it takes for audiences to be captivated by Jackie's soulful and sultry voice. A self-taught singer she started performing at the age of 9 in her hometown of Chicago, IL. As a vintage jazz singer she delivers a glamorous performance full of old hollywood sparkle and glam. Her musical influences include Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Patsy Cline, Michael Buble, Billie Holiday, & Selena to name a few. In 2015 she appeared in an LGV10 commercial scatting alongside actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt & HitRecord team. Jackie breathes new life into every iconic american standard, swing, latin and pop song she performs

Todd Gordon

Born: June 7, 1958

Aged 44, Todd Gordon was a late arrival to the jazz scene but quickly established himself as “one of Britain’s most popular singers and entertainers” (Scottish Television). An avid Beatles fan until the age of 11, his musical horizons broadened when he heard Frank Sinatra's "Songs for Swingin' Lovers!" album. From that moment, he collected almost every recording by Ol' Blue Eyes whilst expanding his interest in jazz and swing, encompassing numerous other renowned singers and instrumentalists.

Further inspiration came in 1975 when he met Ella Fitzgerald prior to one of her shows. During her concert, she invited him on stage and sang "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" specially to him. Since then, Gordon has been fortunate enough to meet many more of his idols - including Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Count Basie, Woody Herman, George Shearing and Tony Bennett.

Laura Ainsworth

Born: December 4

From her home base of Dallas to Los Angeles, New York, Scotland and India, the world is falling in love with Laura Ainsworth. With her satiny, three-octave voice, her sexy sense of humor and her trademark elbow-length gloves and beaded gowns that would fill Julie London with envy, Laura ushers audiences into her own enchanting world...a cocktail that combines the elegant retro style of nightclub shows of the ‘40s and '50s with sophisticated modern musical twists. She calls it "New Vintage." It’s an intoxicating blend that has attracted some of the top jazz players in Texas to her side, including longtime partner Brian Piper, one of the most sought-after pianists/producers in the Southwest

Luke Carlsen

Having been a fan of jazz and big band music since childhood, Luke Carlsen naturally began singing in the genre very early. While still in college, his big band professor, Albert Alva, introduced him to legendary jazz singer, Barbara Morrison, at Steamers Jazz Club in Southern California. Morrison invited the young singer on the stage with her to sing “Fly Me to the Moon.” The crowd erupted with applause after his performance, and his career in jazz performance unfolded. In the spring of 2016, Carlsen and his band played a Frank Sinatra tribute at Barbara Morrison’s club for Jazz and Blues Month

Heidi Savoie

Born: April 1, 1994

“While she’s able to match Guaraldi’s delicate touch on the ivories, she can also brew a solo like Brubeck, though unlike Brubeck, she cools to a simmer before she gets to a boil. She has Vince’s dexterity and Brubeck’s fire, mating them with her own style.” – Edward Mowinkel of YaLikeJazz.net “…She sent takes that would make Oscar Peterson jealous. I dropped them into the mix and the song came to life.” – Joe Kelly of the Kelly Song Collective “Her magical playing on the piano perfectly matched the romantic ambiance of the night.” – Rubi Karuna Heidi Savoie is a jazz pianist, vocalist, and composer based in Toronto, Canada

Jennifer Roberts

Jennifer is an accomplished Singer and Actress, with a Musical Theatre background, and experience in television and film. She is a classically-trained vocalist, who “excels at ballads, and in a jazz or swing mode, and can even have fun with country ” – William Wolf. With a BFA in Theatre from Wayne State University, she later studied acting with Uta Hagen. Jennifer, whose regional credits include Sarah Brown opposite Broadway leading man Tom Wopat in Guys and Dolls, serves up entertaining, exhilarating, jazz-infused shows that highlight her wide vocal range. Drawing on her own diverse and eclectic background – she’s been a symphony soloist, motivational trainer, high school drama director, Opryland theme park singer and dancer, and traveled the country as an automotive industry spokeswoman— Jennifer’s heartfelt, theatrical performances showcase her unique blend of drama and humor

Take Five with Alex Bird

by AAJ Staff
May 3, 2020

Meet Alex Bird Alex Bird is a singer/songwriter and actor in Toronto, ON. With a swinging style and an indescribable charm, Alex and his “Jazz Mavericks" are currently working on an entirely new chapter in the Great American Songbook, with their soon to be released, all original debut album, “Whisky Kisses" (Summer 2020). “The Way She ...

Corinne

Born: March 7

Evocative and provocative, “Tickled Pink,” the latest 2024 single release from Corinne, out now and available everywhere, infuses a modern spin on bossa jazz. She flirts with a pop sensibility, as well as her lyrical romantic subject, yet maintains the integrity of the traditional style. 

The song is both an instant throwback to another time and a modern classic. With just one listen, your toes feel equally buried in the sandy beaches of Rio ’24 or ’64. Corinne is an old soul who offers both sanctuary to tradition and a pioneering modern style. If Corinne has her way, “Tickled Pink” will be the new black this summer.