Upcoming Gigs

Anita Wardell
Noted
(Specific)

Born in England, raised in Australia and back in the United Kingdom since 1989, Anita Wardell has been one of the top bop-oriented jazz singers of the past 20 years despite not being all that known in the United States. She has a sweet, cheerful and flexible voice, is a superior scat singer and, like Kurt Elling and just a few others, she writes new vocalese lyrics rather than just merely repeating "Moody's Mood For Love" and "Twisted."
On Noted, Ms. Wardell is joined by her regular rhythm section (pianist Robin Aspland, bassist Jeremy Brown and drummer Steve Brown) and, on six of the ten selections, tenor-saxophonist Alex Garnett. It is difficult not to smile at her recreation of Lee Morgan's trumpet solo on "Moanin'" (for which she wrote the words) and her revivals of McCoy Tyner's "Blues On The Corner," Herbie Hancock's obscure "And What If I Don't" and Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder."
Although she sings Jon Hendricks' words to "Doodlin',"most of the vocalese on Noted was composed by her. Noted, available from www.anitawardell.com, will be enjoyed by all fans of bop singing. Anita Wardell, with her strong, versatile and very attractive voice,
deserves to be much better known for she is one of the best around today.

Scott Yanow