Diane Schuur, Cry me a river

Blue Note Jazz Festival Presents "I Remember You"

An Evening with DIANE SCHUUR & Friends

June 10, 2014 - Showtime @ 8pm 

Long regarded as one of Contemporary Jazz's leading vocalists, Diane Schuur is as eclectic as she is brilliant. Born in Tacoma, Washington in 1953, Schuur was blind from birth; but she was gifted with perfect pitch and initially taught herself piano by ear. She later received formal piano training at The Washington State School for the Blind, which she attended until she was 11 years of age.

Nicknamed "Deedles" as a child, she grew up surrounded by the world of Jazz embraced by both of her parents: Her father was an amateur pianist, and her mother kept a formidable collection of Duke Ellington and Dinah Washington albums in her home. Not surprisingly, Dinah Washington is often listed as Schuur's major vocal influence, and she learned the iconic singer's "What a Difference a Day Makes" while she was still a toddler. She also developed her own rich, resonant vocal style at a very young age.

With a distinguished recording career that spans three decades, including two Grammy awards (Timeless and Diane Schuur and The Count Basie Orchestra on GRP Records), as well as three additional Grammy nominations, Schuur's music has explored almost every corner of the 20th Century musical landscape. Her musical collaborations include the aforementioned Count Basie Orchestra, Barry Manilow, B.B. King, Ray Charles, and Jose Feliciano, among countless others.

These collaborations have resulted in numerous #1 Billboard Chart recordings, including Pure Schuur and Heart to Heart with B.B. King; Ms. Schuur has appeared on PBS and many other television specials...as well as a very special visit to the beloved TV show, Sesame Street. Diane has been invited to perform at The White House on multiple occasions, and was one of the select musical guests invited to perform for Stevie Wonder at the Kennedy Center Honors when he received his prestigious award. She continues to tour and perform extensively at major concert halls and venues around the world.

Ms. Schuur has recently recorded an homage to two of her very important mentors, Frank Sinatra and Stan Getz. The CD will be released on June 10, 2104, and will also commemorate her "official" discovery 35 years ago by Stan Getz at The 1979 Monterey Jazz Festival. The recording features all new arrangements by Alan Broadbent, and in addition to Mr. Broadbent on piano, it includes an All-Star Band of Ben Wolfe, Ulysses Owens Jr., Romero Lubambo, Roni Ben Hur, and Joel Frahm. This Band will appear with Diane at her very special CD release party at B.B. King's in NYC.
Diane Schuur >>

See more at: http://www.bbkingblues.com/bio.phpid=3930#sthash.n1b8P7W4.dpuf

Diane Schuur - Round Midnight (arranged by Clare Fischer)

From Schuur's 1992 recording, "In Tribute," this oft-recorded Thelonius Monk classic (w/ lyrics by Bernard Hanighen) receives an inspired and poignant reading. Schuur sings her ass off here, her impressive technique and obvious harmonic comfort level never getting in the way of the song: the melody is clearly delineated and the emotion is palpable. 

Supporting her in this endeavor are Clare Fischer's characteristically dense but supple harmonies, making for a subtle and altogether exquisite arrangement which, BTW, foregoes the standard Dizzy Gillespie intro.

Diane Schuur plays country music — at Jazz Alley

By Paul de Barros, Seattle Times jazz critic

Jazz musicians have notoriously looked down their noses at country music as simplistic and sentimental, but even Charlie Parker was attracted to its down-to-earth storytelling.

No surprise, then, that another down-to-earth jazz artist, vocalist and pianist Diane Schuur, has a jones for Nashville, too.

What is astonishing, however, is that after nearly 20 jazz albums, the Auburn-raised diva has released an entire disc of classic country songs.

"A few months ago I was watching the Country Music Awards and I thought, 'Hey, let's change direction, even at the risk of having the jazz police a little bit irritated," explained Schuur by phone this week from her home near Los Angeles.

"The Gathering" (Vanguard) — with heartbreakers such as "Why Can't He Be You" and "Nobody Wins" — is one of the finest albums the 57-year-old singer has ever made.

Schuur performs material from the disc — along with her usual jazz standards — Thursday through Sunday at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley.

Full on: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2015464007_schuur30.html?syndication=rss

Diane Schuur Debuts at Jazz at Lincoln Center - December 10-11

Diane Schuur is one of the major contemporary stars of jazz—with two GRAMMY® awards, and more than a dozen chart-topping albums—and it's no mystery as to why. Her singing is saturated with the spirit of swing, soul, and the blues.

When she belts out her hard-driving numbers, the whole house starts jumping. Diane Schuur will perform with her trio of Randy Porter (piano), Scott Stead (bass), and Reggie Jackson (drums), with special guest tenor saxophonist Lew Tabackin. Find out why legends from Stan Getz to B.B. King have worked with her. Diane Schuur makes her Jazz at Lincoln Center debut on her birthday, December 10th. Come celebrate with us in The Allen Room for two wonderful evenings!

December 10-11, 2010, 7:30pm/9:30pm

The Allen Room at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street, New York, New York.

Complete on  >>  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=70269

At Ronnie Scott's....

Sun 8th Nov
NATALIE WILLIAMS SOUL FAMILY
Soul Family Sunday offers the chance to catch some of the best R&B, soul and jazz musicians in the UK up close and personal.

Mon 9th - Tues 10th Nov
DIANE SCHUUR
A long-time disciple of Dinah Washington and other legendary jazz singers of the ‘40s and ‘50s. Blind, self-taught, Grammy Award winning singer-pianist Schuur has built a stellar career by embracing not only the jazz of her parents’ generation, but also the pop music of her own youth during the late 1950s and ‘60s.
Diane Schuur: Vocals, Scott Steed, Musical Director, bass, Reggie Jackson, drums, Dan Balmer, guitar