Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Harry Connick, Jr. was born Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. on September 11, 1967 and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. His musical talents soon came to the fore when he started learning the keyboards at the age of three, played publicly at age five and recorded with a local jazz band at ten.
When Harry was nine years old, he performed with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra and later played a duet of “I’m Just Wild About Harry” with Eubie Blake at the Royal Orleans Esplanade Lounge in New Orleans. His musical talents were developed at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and under the tutelage of Ellis Marsalis and James Booker.
Moving to New York, Connick studied at Hunter College and the Manhattan School of Music. It was here that Columbia Records A&R exec Dr. George Butler persuaded him to sign with the label releasing first a self-titled album and then “20” as his sophomore project. He soon acquired a reputation in jazz because of extended stays at high-profile New York venues.
Over the course of his career Harry has sung on film soundtracks, ventured into acting on Broadway and the big and small screens, has sold over 25 million albums worldwide, has seven top-20 US albums, and ten number-one US jazz albums, earning more number-one albums than any other artist in the U.S. jazz chart history. Harry Connick Jr., singer, big-band leader, conductor, pianist, actor, and composer, continues to perform, record and tour.
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Hollywood On 52nd Street
The Look Of Loveis another jazz standard from the iconic pop library composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The tune was sung by English pop singer Dusty Springfield in the 1967 James Bond film spoof, Casino Royale. It also received a Best Song nomination at the 1968 Academy Awards and in 2008 the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
David Niven starred in Casino Royale as the original 007, Sir James Bond. It is loosely based on Ian Fleming’s first novel. Forced out of retirement to investigate the deaths and disappearances of international spies, he soon battles the mysterious Dr. Noah and SMERSH.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Claire Martin was born on September 6, 1967 in Wimbledon, South London, England. She grew up in a house full of music, claiming to have learned all of Judy Garland’s songs by the time she was 12. She also cites Ella Fitzgerald’s Song Books as being the life changing influence that inspired her to attend Stage School and later to study singing in both New York and London.
Her professional career started with her first engagement, aboard the QE2, where she sang in the Theater Bar for two years. In 1991, at the age of 21, Martin formed her own jazz quartet, and was signed by the Scottish jazz label Linn Records. Her debut album, “The Waiting Game” was extremely well reviewed and was selected by The Times as one of their “Albums of the Year”.
Claire has opened for Tony Bennett at the Glasgow International Jazz Festival, won the British Jazz Awards and BBC Jazz Awards for Best Vocalist, has co-presented for the Jazz Line Up on BBC Radio 3, collaborated with composer and performer Sir Richard Rodney Bennett and has recorded a total of 17 albums.
Vocalist Claire was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours for services to music. She continues to perform, tour and record.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Marc Courtney Johnson was born on September 5, 1967 and began singing in church youth choirs off and on from age 5 through 13. In junior high he was introduced to the clarinet and developed a love for classical music, playing in both symphony and marching bands in high school.
Matriculating at Northern Illinois University where he briefly pursued a vocal performance degree, studying for a semester with Basso Cantante Myron Myers, singing with the NIU Chorus and touring with the NIU Black Choir. However, he transferred to the University of Illinois at Chicago and getting a business degree Johnson returned to his roots in church primarily as a solo vocalist.
In the summer of 2003 Marc began his serious pursuit as a jazz vocalist. He has worked with Chicago’s icons of jazz, Kimberly Gordon and the Alan Gresik Swing Shift Orchestra; works regularly at the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge and Green Dolphin Street, fronts the Ken Arlen band Front of House and performs with the Dan Cray Trio.
In 2004 Marc produced and released his debut self-titled CD “Marc Courtney Johnson” with the dynamic Dan Cray Trio followed with his sophomore project “Dream of Sunny Days” in 2009. He continues to perform and compose.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Judy Bady was born on September 3, 1956 in Benton Harbor, Michigan. She went on to matriculate through William Paterson University with a degree in Music Studies. One hears the influence of her great predecessors with her vocal artistry, having a dramatic & rich vocabulary of musically composed American song. After a couple of auspicious performances with Bobby McFerrin at his concert performances, he advised her to leave Kalamazoo and pursue her singing career.
Moving to New York City in 1988 and delved into the artistic scene. Four years later she again appeared with McFerrin in an impromptu duet at the JVC Jazz Festival, again the following year for several songs at the Blue Note
She has performed and/or recorded with such luminaries as Hamiet Bluiett, Doug Carn, Andrew Cyrille, Jon Faddis, Billy Harper, Jon Hendricks, John Hicks, Oliver Lake, Bill Lee, Bobby McFerrin, Rene McLean, Hilton Ruiz, Paul Serrato and Francesca Tanksley, among others.
The vocalist, actress and writer has won multiple Down Beat music awards including Best Jazz Vocalist and was featured in the international award-winning documentary, “Jazzwomen: The Female Side of Jazz”.
Vocalist Judy Bady, with an emotional range from tender to swinging in her singing, recorded her debut album as a leader and titled it “Blackbird” in 2003. She continues to perform and record.
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