The year Janet Lawson for nominated for a Grammy, she got beat out by Ella Fitzgerald. Golly. Janet is an amazing jazz musician, scat singer, and composer, who lives in New York City. One of her albums (1993, The Janet Lawson Quintet, CD 1101) is available from Cambria Master Recordings, a Southern California label, at http://www.cambriamus.com/ (I produced this re-release of her two lps). From July 15 through 24, 2010, she will give master classes at the Sigulda Arts School in Sigulda, Latvia. Lucky young musicians. She is currently an instructor at the New School in New York City and is well known on the East Coast for her performances at festivals, theaters, clubs, and master classes/workshops. The director of the summer school is Guntars Zvejnieks (guntars.zvejnieks@gmail.com). Fascinating how scat singing breaks down all language barriers. Fascinating how jazz has become an international language. The main theme this year of the Sigulda master classes is "Freedom in Music," and the school "aspires to enrich each young musician's knowledge and understanding of the concept of freedom in music." Here, here!
About her teaching, Janet wrote, "I am committed to improvisation which is about trusting, about being in the moment, about being free, about relating, about communicating. I really felt and still do that I need to express my authentic self. Our society needs to live in harmony while encouraging the individual to find their own true voice. This is what I teach in my jazz clinics. I found my true voice through improvisation." Visit her web site at http://janetlawson.hypermart.net/
An enjoyable and informative blog.
ReplyDeleteIf you're into this kind of music, check out April Varner. She is a great jazz vocalist too.