Results for "Lyricist/Songwriter"

Anita Besong

Born: January 25

Anita Besong is a talented vocalist, flautist and pianist from Birmingham, Alabama. Currently residing in Georgia, she is one of the South’s most respected vocalists and musicians, recognized for her smooth vocal style and range. Anita is an Opera graduate from the Alabama School of Fine Arts, and has performed as both a featured and guest artist throughout the U.S. and abroad with artists such as Brian McKnight and Flyte Tyme (Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis) on both live stage performances and recording studio projects. Since childhood, Anita has been captivated by the energy that music bears

Lisa Marie Simmons

Lisa is a multi-disciplinary storyteller. She is a singer/songwriter (Ropeadope Records), essayist (Huffington Post, Family Stories Project, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Jazzfuel, AfroElle), and published poet currently based in Italy.  The American debut of NoteSpeak was at the Zee Jaipur Literature Festival in Boulder Co. in September 2017.  She was invited to be a speaker and performer at the 70th Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado, in April 2018. In November 2019, she presented NoteSpeak (Amore e Tragedie in Musica) in Italy, Austria, and Prague. In January 2020, she presented NoteSpeak in India on the Jaipur Music Stage. Ropeadope Records released her poetic/musical album NoteSpeak (Amori e Tragedie in Musica) in March 2020, which received a four-star review from the iconic Downbeat magazine. In October 2021, she flew to Florida to search for her birth father - Angela Tucker and her Emmy Award-winning husband Bryan Tucker,  shot a documentary about the search Lisa & Isell: A story about adoption and the Ghost Kingdom which premiered on June 22, 2022. Angela and Lisa co-wrote an essay advocating for the rights of Black fathers for the Harvard Law Bill of Health digital symposium, in May 2022. Her jazz standards album Lisa Meets Gianni with the legendary Gianni Cazzola was released on June 10, 2022, on Ropeadope Records.  She has been invited to participate in the Biennale in Venice in October 2022 for artist Simone Leigh’s  Loophole of Retreat and her new album NoteSpeak (Dodici) will be released by Ropeadope Records in February  2023.

Lori Hendrix

Born: November 7

With a famous last name like Hendrix and raised in the same neighborhood that nurtured the likes of Nat King Cole, Quincy Jones, Earth, Wind & Fire's Maurice White, Ramsey Lewis, Chaka Khan and Minnie Riperton, it was only natural that Lori Hendrix would be interested in music. Possessing vocals in the range of such musical divas as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion, Lori came from a musical household on both sides of her family including an aunt who enjoyed a jazz career in the 40's, an aunt who trained vocally with opera singer, Grace Bumbry, and a cousin whose single, "Whatchu Gonna Do With Me Now" became an iconic R&B single

Maria Schafer

Born: October 6

With a twinkle in her eye and a dazzling, velveteen voice well-informed by the Great American Songbook, singer Maria Schafer presents a contemporary jazz voice for the 21st century and has performed in some of the biggest jazz festivals and venues in North America, Europe, and Japan while firmly establishing a home base in Los Angeles. Two years spent touring full-time as the star female vocalist of the international Glenn Miller Orchestra have cultivated an alluring and honest stage presence while her albums "To Know Love" and "No Broken Hearts" garner weekly airplay on international and domestic jazz radio stations alike, including L.A.'s KKJZ 88.1

Gillian Margot

Born: June 23

Following her acclaimed debut Black Butterfly, Toronto native Gillian Margot builds on her unique and emotive interpretations of American Standards with Power Flower, a deeply soothing homage to her influences in the Jazz, Pop, and Funk of the 70s and 80s. Margot spent two and a half years building the work; selecting seasoned titans Geoffrey Keezer, Billy Kilson, Seamus Blake, Ingrid Jensen, and Munyungo Jackson, and working the arrangements and recordings to her complete satisfaction. Included in the liner notes is the phrase ‘All vocals recorded without use of any pitch correction technology,’ which sums up the care and attention she has paid to Power Flower

Irini Konstantinidi

Born: July 22, 1977

With her lyrical, expressive, and impressively clear sound, vocalist Irini Konstantinidi has achieved a very personal and refined interpretation of jazz and has been established as one of the most prominent Greek jazz singers. She is dedicated to exploring the voice as an improvising instrument and as the means of instant creativity in jazz music. Her playful and creative approach to vocal improvisation and jazz phrasing makes her music performance unique. Scat singing is like an extension of her storytelling and imagination. Reviews about Irini have highlighted her vocal brilliance, impressive tonal range, and flexibility

Linda Ellen Brown-Trinckes

John and Linda Trinckes met just over a year after both of them lost loved ones who passed on. After raising children, working to pay the bills and taking care of others who were seriously ill, they had both put their talents and dreams on hold. John taught music for 38 years, but had always wanted to write original music. Linda wrote poetry and sang, but never pursued songwriting, or sang much in public. Immediately after they met, they began singing together. Now, they have over 100 original songs, many albums or EPs, and a musical. They primarily write smooth jazz and easy listening songs, but have written in several genres, some cross genres and fit in 2 or 3, but are totally unique

Sonia Johnson

Born: April 7, 1974

Les Productions Sonia Johnson, headquartered in Montreal, produced its first CD, Don’t explain in 2005 with the help of a grant from the Fondation du maire de Montréal pour la jeunesse [the Montreal Mayor’s Foundation for Youth]. The artist garnered critical acclaim for her first release. This first production allowed the jazz vocalist to gain recognition in her artistic field and new collaborations arose, such as her participation in Frédéric Alarie’s project Sous Hôte Tension part of the 2006 edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. Sharing a common vision of jazz music, Frédéric and Sonia decided to explore composing together, and were then joined by pianist Luc Beaugrand and drummer Camil Belisle

Susanna Aleksandra

Born: September 21, 1989

Susanna Aleksandra is an Estonian jazz singer, lyricist and composer currently based in Los Angeles. Passionate for languages, she effortlessly plays with words and melodies, navigating through traditional, modern and Latin Jazz. A natural storyteller, the charismatic singer holds the listener spellbound, making jazz approachable not only for jazz lovers. Susanna’s other passion besides music is languages. She holds a degree in French language and literature and is a fluent speaker of 6 languages.

Claire McAllister

After spending 13 years performing in function bands, jazz bands and duos in a huge range of venues both private and public and singing material from pop through jazz standards to contemporary jazz I am delighted to welcome you to my own compositions with my debut album. I am influenced by classical and jazz music but am very drawn to contemporary jazz/folk such as Lauren Kinsella; singer-songwriters such as David Sylvian, Kate Bush and Laura Mvula and spoken word poets performing sometimes to music such as Kate Tempest and Selena Godden. The themes of this album are Belonging/Not Belonging; Finding your voice and Not having a Voice