Results for "Vocalist"

Doug Porterfield

Born: August 26, 1962

BA ('86) and MA ('96)in Music Ed Azusa Pacific University Worship Leader (contemporary and traditional styles 23 years) L.A. Jazz Choir High school vocal choral and jazz teacher 20 years Moving to wester New York.

Zoe Schwarz

Born: November 21, 1963

Jun3 2011 Rob and Zoe have been writing, recording and playing together for eight years and in this time they have honed in on what suits them best. It has become very apparent from audience responses, that what sets them apart is their lean towards the bluesy side of jazz. Zoe’s expressive singing and Rob’s distinct and natural leaning towards blues inflections. Rob says about the ZOE SCHWARZ BLUE COMMOTION project, “I think there is a big vacancy in the jazz world for the bluesy side of jazz we play, it appeals to a much wider audience, but retains all the jazz qualities that we love

Laura Cunard

Born: August, 1960

Laura Cunard is making her mark as one of the most talented and versatile musicians in Portland today. Classically trained from age 7 to her 20’s, Laura had already shown a love of playing and singing and unmistakable musical gifts at a much earlier age. All through childhood she could be found performing with her guitar, piano, harmonica and voice for anyone who would listen. (She’s fairly certain she wasn’t terribly good at that age, and is grateful to all the folks who sat through her early performances!) By eleven, she was already playing for weddings. Her visions of early stardom were dashed; however, when her family moved and her first Trio was disbanded

Alexandra Cabanilla

Born: October 10, 1988

Only 21 years old, Alexandra Cabanilla, has become one of the most important contemporary and jazz music exponents in her native country: Ecuador. Winner of several and important festivals, Ecuadorian Youth Symphonic Orchestra’s scholarship, Ecuadorian National Conservatory and IMC (San Francisco de Quito University--Berklee College of Music Articulation Program) have recognize her talent during the last years. Soloist, with the Ecuadorian National Music Conservatory’s Big Band and Universidad San Francisco de Quito’s Big Band for 3 years. Winner of the contest “U.S. Jazz Envoy”, sponsored by United States Embassy in Ecuador, and traveled to the U.S

Dr. Joan Cartwright

Born: March 12

Amazing Musicwomen Ensemble Jazz Vocalist/Historian Joan Cartwright and her ensemble trace the origins of Jazz from the West Coast of Africa to the clubs of Harlem. This presentation highlights the life, times and tunes of America’s premiere Blues and Jazz Women from Bessie Smith to Betty Carter and beyond. Selections include compositions of Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Cole Porter, Norman Mapp and Joan Cartwright. (1-2 hours)

David Sylvian

Born: February 23, 1958

The David Sylvian that fronted new wave pop band Japan wore luminescent hair and glam make-up; on the cover of his solo debut, 1984's Brilliant Trees, he was stylish and refined, a gentleman popster. But the illustration that introduces 2003's Blemish sends a different message: he's bedraggled and unshaven, his far-off expression turned haunted. The new millennium has seen a more serious Sylvian, several steps further along on his musical journey and seeking new sounds to explain new traumas. While Japan started off as one of many '70s New Romantic bands, they made an unpredictable break with their hit "Ghosts" - a searching and evocative single where spare rhythms and fleeting electronic sounds lay under Sylvian's smouldering tenor

Wouter Hamel

Hamel’s songs are achingly catchy, or sometimes just aching. They often juxtapose deeply sad and even scathing lyrics with happy melodies that sweep you in. Imagine the musical landscape of a lush big band who would play with Frank Sinatra or Peggy Lee set against the emotional palette of Jeff Buckley...

Hamel is complex, seductive, clever. His songs reflect subtlety, anxiety, euphoria.

"But at the same time I would like to listen to PJ Harvey, Jeff Buckley, Peggy Lee, who is very sexy and strict and melancholic, but I also like Prince and Carmen McRae"

“By the time I was 17 and finished school I moved immediately out from my parents, not because I didn’t like them, but because I didn’t like the place they lived. I moved to the city of Utrecht.” He applied for a course in literature and journalism but left after the first year. “I was just interested in working for magazines like Vanity Fair and this course was very technical - how to write a news story.” He toyed with the idea of music school. He had guitar lessons and he was compulsively listening to Smashing Pumpkins. He wondered if music school would try to change the style before he had even developed it, but he was unhappy with journalism and decided to apply. “I wanted to make my voice bigger and learn theory so I could write songs. 120 people applied to music school and only four could be accepted, and I was, so that was quite an honour.”

Darden Purcell

Born: March 21

DARDEN PURCELL, a Washington D.C. based jazz vocalist, is an active featured soloist with symphony orchestras, big bands and small ensembles, band leader and vocal instructor. Ms. Purcell has shared the stage with many top jazz artists including Maria Schneider, Eric Alexander, Terell Stafford, Jim Pugh, Chip McNeill, Chuchito Valdes, Dana Hall, Alan Baylock, Glenn Wilson, Chip Stephens, Stockton Helbing, Byron Stripling, Bobby Floyd, Joel Spencer, Darmon Meader, Lisanne Lyons, Jim Carroll, Charlie Young, Chris Vadala, Shawn Purcell, Matt Niess, Dave Detwiler, Joe McCarthy, the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, US Navy Commodores, Naval Academy Big Band, Next Wave, The Airmen of Note, US Army Blues and the American Festival Pops Orchestra (Tony Maiello) performing at concert halls and clubs nationally and internationally, including Blues Alley, Pops for Champagne, The Jazz Kitchen, The Blue Wisp, The Kitchen Cafe, The Bop Stop, Con Alma, JazzB (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Sandler Center (back-up vocals for Ben Folds) Meyerhoff Center (BSO), Wolf Trap for the Performing Arts (NSO) and The Kennedy Center (back-up vocals for Mr. George Benson, Sara Bareilles and Caroline Shaw). Dr. Purcell is the Director of Jazz Studies, Jazz Voice Instructor and Director of the Downbeat Award-winning Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble at George Mason University.

Ms. Purcell is a former Washington DC Air Force Band vocalist, with the groups High Flight and the Airmen of Note, performing nationally and internationally, including Germany, Italy, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Purcell performed back-up vocals for nationally renowned recording artists, Chaka Khan, BeBe Winans, Bryan White, Lari White, Janie Frickie, Freda Payne, Sherrie Payne, Gloria Loring, Melba Moore and Rita Coolidge as well as a televised performance behind Darlene Love on "The Late Show with David Letterman."

In addition to her active performing schedule, Dr. Purcell is a sought-after jazz vocal educator and clinician. Dr. Purcell was the Jazz Voice Instructor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and founder/director of the University of Illinois Jazz Vocal Ensemble. She is now the founder/director of the Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble. Her groups have been invited to perform at the New York Voices Jazz Festival, Western Michigan’s Gold Company Jazz Vocal Invitational, the 2012, 2018 Jazz Education Network (JEN) conference, Kansas City Jazz Summit and Tiffin Vocal Festival. Dr. Purcell has served on the faculty of the W.O. Smith Music School camp (Nashville), Illinois Summer Youth Music, George Mason Summer Jazz Workshop, National Jazz Workshop and Mason Jazz Camp to name a few.

Sybil Gage

Sybil Gage is an award winning Jazz and Blues singer songwriter from New Orleans, and has long been regarded as one of the top musical talents in Brevard County, Florida where she now resides. She was named the Space Coast Living Magazine’s “Best Musician in Brevard County” and earned the #6 spot on the “100 Greatest Things about Brevard County” in the June 2008 issue. Sybil hosts a weekly radio show “The Stormy Monday Show” which streams live on Saturdays at 7PM EST from 1300 WMEL and features Jazz, Blues and Soul. She has just returned from a tour in New York City playing with such greats as vibraphonist Warren Chiasson

Sharon LaMotte

Born: November 30, 1957

Sharon LaMotte’s love affair with music and art has been a feature of her life from the beginning. Her total emersion in the world of jazz happened relatively late in life. She began to sing several years before meeting Bill Gerhardt and at his urging, started working professionally. She hascontinued to study with the great Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton in New York City. Her knack for choosing material that is perfectly suited to her is uncanny. Her set list includes unfamiliar, modern compositions, as well as standards ranging back to the 1920’s. Sharon’s delivery is highly personal and direct