Results for "Vocalist"

Grace Testani

Born: June 28

"If you like your singers bold and sassy, Grace Testani delivers on both counts!" -JazzTimes Magazine

** 4-Star All Music Guide Pick
** Co-writer with Chick Corea and Kenny Barron
** Performs at Birdland, Blue Note, Village Gate, Mikell's, and more.
** Works with Jim McNeely, Mike Richmond, Adam Nussbaum, Danny Gottlieb, Kenny Werner, Harry Whittaker & more
** Owner-Grace Notes Music / Owner-The Singers Center
** Music Educator since 1983.
** Current faculty: NYU, The Singers Center
** Former faculties: Drummers Collective / SOJ Contemporary Music Center, Fashion Institute of Technology, Empire State College, Guitar Study Center, Castillo Cultural Center, Hebrew Arts Center.
** www.gracenotesmusic.com

Fay Victor

Born: July 26

In command, infectious, energetic and strong: Fay Victor hypnotizes audiences, whether she sings a blues, sculpts a free improvisation piece, reinvents a Herbie Nichols tune through her own lyrics, or effortlessly scats over the harmonies of a jazz standard. Her musicality is deft and the words (usually hers) speak of universal themes with the focus of a story-teller, running the full gamut of human emotion in an original mix of traditional song forms and free improvisation. At the beginning of the nineties, Ms. Victor began building a name as a jazz vocalist around NY performing primarily jazz standards and blues

Dianne Reeves

Born: October 23, 1956

Five-time Grammy winner DIANNE REEVES is the pre-eminent jazz vocalist in the world. As a result of her breathtaking virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B stylings, Reeves received the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings – a Grammy first in any vocal category.

Featured in George Clooney’s six-time Academy Award nominated Good Night, and Good Luck, Reeves won the Best Jazz Vocal Grammy for the film's soundtrack. 

Reeves has recorded and performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. She has also recorded with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim and was a featured soloist with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic. Reeves was the first Creative Chair for Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the first vocalist to ever perform at the famed Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Catali Antonini

Born: April 12, 1971

Catali Antonini, a native of Corsica, is at the junction of the melodist Italian jazz school and improvised music. She founded the Antonini trio (with Stephane Pelegri - vibraphone & Manu Vallognes - fretless bass) in which she performs as a vocal instrumentalist and is able to explore her own personal take on the European jazz movement and find her place in it. The Antonini Trio appears regularly on the jazz festivals scenes, has recorded 3 albums: «Academy House» (1996), «Chateau de Sable» (2001), «d’antre deux terres» (2005) and won the second prize of the ALLUM’JAZZ competition in 1999. In 2000, Catali was a finalist in the French National Jazz Orchestra european competition (Dir

Taunia Soderquist

Born: February 18, 1972

Taunia Soderquist is an award-winning vocalist that the Boston Globe has called a "powerful vocalist with a warm, rich sound." Terrance Blanchard, Phil Wilson and Herb Pomeroy call Taunia a "wonderful vocalist." Taunia is the rare full-time vocalist working in various settings throughout Boston, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and more. Influenced by both jazz greats (Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Clifford Brown) and the soul divas (Aretha, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight), her approach blends hard swinging with a deep, bluesy and soulful sound. She has shared the stage with Wayne Brady, The Persuasions, The Bobs, Sean Altman, Vance Gilbert, and many more. In addition to her performance schedule, she is also an active private vocal coach and clinician, and can frequently be found in the studio doing session work.

Vicki Burns

Born: August 26, 1961

Vicki Burns has a pleasing wide-ranging voice, crystal clear diction, and she knows how to sing as if she means it.” Bebop Spoken Here 

“Avoiding the predictability of safe havens, her music brims with many more surprises and uncharted delights... Vicki Burns is irresistible.” Dr. Herbert Wong 

Jazz singer Vicki Burns is the complete package. With her three-octave range, sure sense of rhythm, and perfect intonation, she can scat convincingly, swing like a horn, and write hip songs worthy of attention from other vocalists.

She has produced three CDs as a leader: Siren Song (2005), Live at Anna’s Jazz Island (2008), and her 2022 release Lotus Blossom Days.  Jazz writer Marc Myers said, "Vicki's voice on Lotus Blossom Days is warm and round, sophisticated and optimistic with shades of blue. She also takes terrific risks that pay off.” 

Vickie Smith

With jazz, swing and latin stylings, and inspired by music legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Sarah Vaughan, Vickie Smith works regularly with her trio -- Bob de Benedette (piano), Ron Naspo (bass) and Rick Visone (drums), or her newly formed Vickie Smith HOT Seven with horn section, performing her shows throughout the New York tri-state area at clubs, colleges and festivals. Spurred by audience requests, Smith released her CD "c-Ella-brate" - a celebration of the music and spirit of Ella Fitzgerald - an inspiration to Smith's stylings and musical tastes. All of the arrangements in Smith's live performances and on her CD are her own

Anna Rejda

Polish jazz vocalist, songwriter and improviser, Anna Rejda’s music features a sensual timbre of voice, impeccable phrasing and atmospheric sounds featuring instrumental arrangements.

Rejda played the accordion and French horn as a child, but decided that playing in a symphony orchestra was not her vocation. Studying the horn at the Academy of Music in Wroclaw, she was quickly appreciated for her natural vocal talent and passion for jazz, which she uses in her cooperation with Aleksander Mazur's Big Band and The Sound Office quartet.

Cathy Segal-Garcia

Born: May 28, 1953

Boston-bred Cathy Segal-Garcia loved jazz since the age of 5 when she would hang around with her dad (sax player Mike Segal) while she listened to and copied Ella Fitzgerald. Her mother and sisters were also musical, and the family got her started on flute at the age of 10.

Cathy attended the Berklee School of Music from 1972 through 1975, where studied flute and Arranging and Composition . After college, she moved to San Francisco for a brief period, and then to Los Angeles in late 1975, where she still resides. One of the things that has impressed her many colleagues, fans and critics is that she has consistently performed and composed over the years. Performing and recording with literally hundreds of musicians, some of the more well known include: Pianist Russell Ferrante (The Yellowjackets) Drummer Tom Brechtlein (Robben Ford, Chick Corea) Bassist Marc Johnson (pianist Bill Evans, John Ambercrombie, John Scoffield) Bassist Gary Willis (Scott Henderson) Ledgendary guitarist Ted Greene Guitarist Jeff Richman Guitarist Mike Miller (Chick Corea) Saxophonist Bob Sheppard (Steeley Dan) Drummer Peter Erskine (Weather Report, Stan Kenton, Steeley Dan, and many modern jazz recording artists) Pianist Kei Akagi (Miles Davis) Drummer Joey Barron (Bill Frisell, John Scoffield) Studio pianist Mike Lang Singer/pianist Diana Krall Drummer John Robinson (Quincy Jones) Pianist David Benoit Pianist Billy Childs Drummer Joey Heredia (Scott Henderson, Tania Maria) Flautist Sam Most Pianist Carl Schroeder, head of the piano department at Musicians Institute in Hollywood (Sarah Vaughn) Trumpeter Bill Berry Saxophonist Don Menza Pianist extraordinare Dave Mackay Guitarist John Pisano ...and the list goes on. Their styles range from bebop to modern jazz.

Michelle Walker

Born: January 9

Michelle Walker is a New York City based jazz vocalist, arranger and educator with an international resume of concert and festival performances, including 7 tours in Russia, a 10-day tour in Israel with one of the performances at The Tel Aviv Musuem of Art being broadcast live on national radio as well as concerts in London and Amsterdam. Other performance highlights include The Lincoln Center-Women in Jazz Festival, The Silver Spring Jazz Festival and live jazz performances throughout the US. Michelle studied privately and attended masterclass with a number of teachers including Betty Carter, Mark Murphy, Rhiannon and more.