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Sunday 7 February 2010

Forthcoming gigs - February and March

Thursday 18th February Pizza on the Park, 11 Knightsbridge, London SW1 8:30 start (doors open 7pm) Booking is advised: 08456 027017 or www.pizzaexpresslive.co.uk Darren Altman (drums), Rick Simpson (piano), Matt Ridley (bass) We will be previewing material from my new album - and I will be able to sign exclusive pre-release copies after the performance and during the interval. Wednesday 17th March ALBUM LAUNCH The official launch of my album, this gig will feature the quartet and a special appearance from vibes virtuoso Jim Hart. I will be signing copies of my album during the interval and after the performance. The show starts at 7:30, and will be finished by 10pm, giving you a chance to catch a train home in reasonable time! Either this, or stay to catch the late-night band. 606 club, 90 Lots Road, London SW10 0QD 7:30 start (doors open 6pm) Booking is strongly advised: 020 7352 5953 or www.606club.co.uk Darren Altman (drums), Rick Simpson (piano), Tom Farmer (bass), Jim Hart (vibes) The club has excellent food at fair prices. Sunday 21st March Hugo’s restaurant, 25 Lonsdale Road, London NW6 6RA 8pm Book a table: 020 7372 1232

News - January

Snow! What an exasperating weather condition. A sprinkling too much, and our transport system shuts down, we run out of grit, and people are forced to stay in. Such a situation presented itself in early January, coinciding with my first gig at Pizza on the Park. A stalwart few were in the audience, including a gentleman who I happen to share a birthday with, making the total tally of shared birthdays in the room 3 (including my twin sister). My next, and last performance at Pizza on the Park is Thursday 18th February. Hopefully snow will not be a problem. This month, I visited a great new jazz venue called the Hideaway in Streatham. The performance was from Julian Stringle and his band. Breathtaking. The Hideaway is a fantastic little place, aptly named because it’s hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Streatham High Road. Top-class London jazz acts are featured here every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. More information is on www.hideawaylive.co.uk. This month’s Tomorrow’s Face gig at the Bull’s Head was very successful - a bigger audience than usual, and it gave me a chance to practise my piano skills as our pianist didn’t show. This venue still needs great support, and we’ll be there again on Sunday March 28th.

Gill Manly review

To start 2010 in style, I spent an evening at Ronnie Scott's listening to the outstanding singer, Gill Manly. She was doing a tribute to Nina Simone. Gill is someone whose singing is superb in every style - whether it be a heart-breaking ballad, or a swinging bop tune. In fact, on my iPod shuffle today, her version of Ellington's 'Daydream' made me stop on the King's Cross Station concourse and turn up the volume... and play it twice in a row. Read my review of the performance here: http://londonjazz.blogspot.com/2010/01/review-gill-manly.html

Learning to sing jazz

People have recently been asking me about my background in vocal training and how I came to be a jazz singer. I have never had any formal training, although in my late teens I had several lessons with a family friend (Alison Bryan) who taught me things about vowel pronounciation and breath control which shaped and improved my singing technique. This had a classical focus - Alison was not a jazz fan - but it was an essential and valuable education. I grew up in a household listening to Radio 3 and The Carpenters. Many jazz musicians spend their childhood with Ella Fitzgerald or Miles Davis in the background, but my parents - despite being excellent musicians themselves - were not into jazz, nor were they very knowledgeable on the subject (my Dad had never heard ‘My Funny Valentine’ until I sang it at a gig last year). It was when singing in The Orpheus Choir of North Herts, that one day we were rehearsing an arrangement of ‘Every Time We Say Goodbye’ and I remember thinking ‘This isn’t how it’s supposed to go!’ I longed to be freer with the melody - putting an emphasis on the important lyrics. The jazz was in me! My secondary school housed a jazz band (North Herts Youth Jazz Orchestra) for weekly rehearsals, and I joined as a flautist (although it started off as a way to kill time whilst waiting for a driving lesson. I soon changed my driving lesson time!). One day the singer was absent. I thought to myself, ‘Well, I can sing,’ but had never before sung jazz, or listened to anyone singing jazz, so I wish I’d thought twice before volunteering. The song was Billie Holiday’s beautiful ballad ‘Don’t Explain.’ I’m good at sight-reading, so I sang exactly what the copy said - complete with full semi-breves and crotchets rigidly in time. Where had my inner-jazzer gone?! The following week, the band’s singer returned and sang it properly. I was very embarrassed at the thought of my attempt! But still I didn’t learn. Another time the singer was absent and this time the song was ‘Wave,’ a Jobim bossa. The melody on the copy starts on a B above middle C, and quickly rises to a top G/A. As I shrieked out the notes, the bandleader stopped the rehearsal and quickly relegated me back to my flute seat. My first exposure to real jazz was hearing an old NYJO album - Shades of Blue and Green - which I found to be a fine record: exciting, moving, thrilling and awesome. By this time I had made new friends with other jazz musicians, and they introduced me to recordings of Natalie Cole, Carmen McCrae, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and Sarah Vaughan. My jazz education had begun. It soon developed with the discovery of Nancy Wilson, Shirley Horn and Kurt Elling. As a professional I have had lessons from several singers whom I admire and find inspiring, including Claire Martin and Georgia Mancio. And still I continue to learn - at every gig I go to you’ll find me scribbling notes at particularly inspiring moments. I try to listen to a wide range of vocalists performing different genres, so that I might emulate the things I enjoy about what I’m listening to. Hopefully in the future, young singers will be listening to me for the same reason!