Smooth Jazz | Musicosity

Smooth Jazz

Anita Wardell

Jazz vocalist Anita Wardell has been acclaimed for the unique artistry she brings to scat and be-bop singing. Raves from peers and critics alike have cemented her reputation as one of Britain 's finest vocalists. Born in Guildford, UK, Anita emigrated to Australia with her family as child. Enraptured by movie musicals on TV, she soaked up the classics by Rodgers and Hammerstein and Cole Porter. Equipped with a portable tape player, she would record the songs off the set and listen to them countless times.

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Reel People

When ambitious young record store manager Oli Lazarus initiated his Reel People project back in 2000 he could only have dreamt of where those first tentative steps would lead him. Having immersed himself in the soulful house sounds of specialist record store Flying for the previous three years, Oli Lazurus had begun to feel that the musical education he had gained in-store was complete and that his tenure atthe shop was drawing to a natural end.

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Mario Biondi

Mario Biondi is an Italian singer. Born in Catania, son of a popular song singer, still young sings in various small choruses. Years after he follows Califano, di capri, Bongusto, Fiorello and others in their tours. After a long series of participations with Italian and international artists and a small production of disco music, during 2006 he hits the success with the Schema Records album "Handful of Soul". His deep and warm voice recalls the great interpreters and music.

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Carla Cook

Carla Cook is a Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist. A Detroit, Michigan native, music seized hold of Cook at an early age. As a student at Cass Technical High School she played string bass in the school orchestra, studied piano and voice on weekends, and sang in her church’s choir. An elder brother introduced her to jazz, Cook chose voice as her instrument of choice, and she became a disciple of jazz icon Eddie Jefferson, founder of a singing technique called ‘vocalese’ where a singer sings lyrics to a famous instrumental solo.

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Ulf Wakenius

At Present Ulf Wakenius has since 1997 held what may be the most prestigious spot in jazz for a guitarist-membership in the legendary Oscar Peterson Quartet. His predecessors have been such greats as Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, and Joe Pass. He has performed at such classic jazz venues as Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, the Blue Notes, and recently played sold out shows with Oscar Peterson at the Royal Albert Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall, Palais Des Congres, Wiener Konzerthaus, Massey Hall, Teatro Colon-Buenos Aires, Stravinski Hall-Montreaux and Tokyo International Forum Hall.

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Branford Marsalis

Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960, Beaux Bridge, Louisiana) is an American . Branford studied with Alvin Batiste at Baton Rouge's Southern University in 1978, completing his studies at Berklee School of Music, between '79 & '81. He began his professional career in the early 1980s playing with Art Blakey's big band (playing baritone), Clark Terry's band, and Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

Read more about Branford Marsalis on Last.fm.

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