Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Nabuko Kiryu was born on May 18, 1968 in Tokyo, Japan and grew up in a musical family. Her mother and stepfather both are jazz pianists and a brother plays classical trumpet. The daughter of Toshiko Kiryu, a classically trained pianist who has performed at Carnegie Hall, she learned an appreciation for music early. However, her stepfather Kanji Ohta, was the one who inspired her movement toward jazz.
She started singing jazz in 1990 in Japan after graduating from Shobi Junior College of Music with a degree in composition. But her musical career began much earlier. Since her arrival in New York City in 1996, she has been performing in restaurants, cafes, and jazz clubs such as Blue Note, Lenox Lounge, and Showmans. She completed her B.A. in jazz vocal performance from City College of New York in 2001 and also graduated with her M.A. at Queens College in 2004.
Nabuko has performed with jazz giants such as Jimmy Heath, Grady Tate, Earl May, and Jimmy Lovelace, the last two of which appear on her latest What’s New Records release titled Singing Love. She studied with Sheila Jordan and has participated in the Barry Harris Jazz Vocal Ensemble.
Vocalist Nabuko Kiryu continues to perform and record as she explore the jazz idiom.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
On May 12, 1964 Audrey Silver was born and raised in New York City, New York. She graduated from Brown University, where she founded The Higher Keys, the school’s first a capella singing group. After stints working in marketing for CBS Masterworks (now Sony Classical) and Chesky Records, she returned to school and earned an MBA from Columbia University Business School.
Beginning her singing career in earnest in 1998, she teamed with Jon Raney, son of pianist Jimmy Raney and produced her first demo with the help of Ronnie Zito and Jay Leonhart. In the meantime, she honed her craft through private study with singers Sheila Jordan and Mark Murphy. Building a respected career performing around the city’s jazz clubs and music venues, she also performed at national festivals and venues around the country.
She released her debut album Here In My Arms in 2004 and has since released three more, the last being before the pandemic. Silver was a 2016 semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. As a songwriter, it was her four year old son that opened that door for her and the stories began to pour out.
Vocalist Audrey Silver credits Bill Evans, Annie Lennox and Arnold Schoenberg as influences as she continues to grow her catalogue of originals and performing around the world.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Milton Suggs was born on April 15th in Chicago, Illinois as a third generation musician. While growing up in Atlanta, Georgia he was continually exposed to music of varying styles, especially with his church choir at the age of seven. He recognized music as a gift from a young age; it was later that he would accept it as a calling. While in elementary and middle school, he gravitated toward the upright bass and later played the alto saxophone and drums, however, it was not until after high school that he committed to the pursuit of music as his life’s work.
Returning to Chicago, he began studying piano with the legendary Willie Pickens, while also honing his craft as a vocalist and performer. In 2012 Milton moved to New York City where he immediately took to performing throughout the city, branching out internationally as a performer and educator.
His voice and approach to music are a reflection not only of his direct lineage, but of the many great voices in Black American Music and culture from the past century and beyond. Firmly rooted in the blues Milton sports a rich baritone with the breadth and power reminiscent of Joe Williams, Donny Hathaway, and Nat King Cole.
Downbeat Magazine’s annual critc’s poll has been repeatedly voted a top 10 rising star male vocalist. Sugg’s fixture in jazz is cemented having worked with artists and bands such as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Orrin Evans, Wycliffe Gordon, Ulysses Owens, and Marquis Hill among others.
Vocalist Milton Suggs has produced four albums to date and is continually developing new projects with new ensembles.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Alfred Wesley Hall was born on March 18, 1915 and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He played cello and tuba early in life before settling on bass at the age of 17. Moving to New York in 1936, Al played at different times through and into the Forties with Billy Hicks, Skeets Tolbert, and Teddy Wilson in both big band and small ensemble format.
Following time with Ellis Larkins and Mary Lou Williams, Hall took a job as a staff musician at CBS, working in Paul Baron’s orchestra on the Mildred Bailey Show. He also worked in Broadway theater pit orchestras for the next several decades. In 1946, he founded his own label, Wax Records, which was bought by Atlantic Records in 1949. He led five numbers on his own label in the mid Forties and four on Columbia Records Europe in 1959.
Hall had an extended partnership with Erroll Garner, playing with him intermittently from 1945 to 1963. He also played later in life with Benny Goodman in 1966, Hazel Scott, Tiny Grimes, and Alberta Hunter from 1977 to 1978, and Doc Cheatham. He recorded with Helen Merrill, Paul Quinichette, Duke Ellington, Harold Ashby, Eddie Condon, Della Reese, Teddy Wilson and numerous others.
Double bassist Al Hall, who recorded thirty albums as a sideman but none as a leader, transitioned on January 18, 1988.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Carri Coltrane was born Carrie Thompson in Phoenix, Arizona on March 14, 1953. Singing professionally since childhood, she was only nine when she joined Wallace & Ladmo, a children’s program that was founded by her father. The program aired in the Phoenix Area from 1954 to 1989 and she remained with the show until she reached adolescence and outgrew her role as a little girl singer.
She moved to Seattle, Washington in 1979 and went on to sing with various rock and pop bands as an adult, and did quite a few jingles for commercials along the way. While living in Seattle she met Eugene McDaniels who really encouraged her to explore straight-ahead jazz. Carri eventually became friends and partners with McDaniels and formed Numoon Publishing with him. They have put out several allbums on the Numoon label that included jazz, contemporary pop and Christmas music.
Carri released her self-titled debut album in 1980 under her birth name. It wasn’t until 1986 that she started going by Carri Coltrane as an homage to the tenor saxophonist. She moved to New England in 1987.
Vocalist Carri Coltrane, whose subtle waifish introspection continues to perform, record and publish her music.
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