Kellylee Evans has won Canada’s 2011 Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. The album, entitled Nina (Plus Loin Music), is a tribute to jazz great Nina Simone. Other nominees for the 2011 award included Emilie-Claire Barlow, Nikki Yanofsky, Laila Biali and the late Jeff Healey. This was the Ottawa-based singer-songwriter’s second Juno Award nomination and first win.
“It was an honour to be nominated alongside such talented artists,” said Evans. “And I am extremely grateful to have won the award with an album that pays tribute to Nina Simone.”
Evans recorded Nina in France in November, 2009. French label Plus Loin Music had invited Evans to spend two days in their studio. Shortly after its release, Nina reached the top of the iTunes Jazz charts. The album received critical acclaim and soon Evans was earning accolades for her charismatic performances as she toured the album. In February 2011, Evans was nominated for 2011 Juno Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. She is at work planning her follow-up release slated for 2012.
Evans, who in 2010 also released an alt-soul album of originals titled The Good Girl, was a 2007Juno and Gemini nominee and was awarded second place in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Vocals Competition in 2004 by judges Quincy Jones and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Evans has toured North America and France opening for such luminaries as Tony Bennett, George Benson, Maceo Parker, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Chris Botti and Derek Trucks.
The list of 2011 JUNO nominees has been announced. Included in the nominees are several 2010 Wreckhouse International Jazz and Blues Festival performers. Kellylee Evans has been nominated for her album ‘Nina’ as has Owen Howard for ‘Drum Lore’. Creaking Tree String Quartet is also nominated in the Roots and Traditional Album of the year.
Below are the nominees in the categories of Jazz, Blues and World Music.
VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY CRYSTAL SENSATIONS)
Kellylee Evans French Twist – 2010 Festival performer Kellylee Evans has been invited to Paris to make a CD reflecting her love of Nina Simone’s music. To read more from this Ottawa Citizen article click here. You can also view Kellylee’s latest newsletter here
More Photos from the 2010 Festival on the Wreckhouse Blog – Check out our blog to see see pictures from the festival including Elizabeth Shepherd
Free online copy of Jazz Inside Magazine – Download your FREE copy of the September issue of Jazz Inside Magazine, 80 pgs, featuring bassist Stanley Clarke. www.jazzinsidemagazine.com
Chris Kirby 2010 Song Quest – Chris Kirby has been selected in the 2010 Great Canadian Song Quest, Find out more here
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Chris Kirby to quit his day job – 2010 WIJBF performer takes it full time. Find out more in the Scope. Link
Interview with former WIJBF Performer Hilario Duran – The Latin Jazz Corner website (http://www.chipboaz.com/blog/) has published an interesting three part interview with Hilario Duran read them at the following links, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3,Part 4 (part 4 new as of 7th September)
Elements of Jazz blog compiles Jazz guides and reference – The blog Elements of Jazz has compiled a great list of books on jazz and prominent musicians. Why not take a look and see what should be on your reading list. Click here
New and remastered music out this week – Click here
We want your photographs! – We would love to receive any photographs that you took during the 2010 Wreckhouse International Jazz and Blues Festival. We would love to add them to our Flickr page to show views of the festival.
2007 Juno and Gemini Award nominated singer-songwriter Kellylee Evans is a unique voice in the urban-jazzworld, and many of today’s top musicians have taken notice. With a smooth style that slides through jazz, soul, R & B, blues and world music rhythms, Kellylee’s calming sound speaks volumes; Rich, soothing, robust and energizing, And with a songwriting talent being compared to Elvis Costello, Aimee Mann and Ron Sexsmith, this eclectic artist ignites inspiration. From the sultry “What About Me?” to the bluesy “I Don’t Think I Want To Know”, to the reggae-flavored “Let’s Call A Truce Tonight” and sexy poetical Spanish vibe of “Rapunzel”, the album is an eclectic and focused effort, held together by Kellylee’s rich, expressive, effortless vocal range.
The first artist announced to play at the Wreckhouse International Jazz and Blues Festival was Kellylee Evans. Here is a taste of what you can expect with this wonderful video of Kellylee performing with a group of musicians in Forte Greene Park in Brooklyn.
The first artist to be announced to play at this summers Wreckhouse International Jazz and Blues Festival is singer-songwriter Kellylee Evans. Evans has been nominated for both Juno and Gemini awards and was Best Female Artist winner at Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards in 2007.
Watch Canada AM tomorrow on CTV as Kellylee will be performing on the show.
For more information on Kellylee Evans visit her website at http://www.kellyleeevans.com/ below is a previous performance on Canada AM.
Kellylee Evans has won Canada’s 2011 Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. The album, entitled Nina (Plus Loin Music), is a tribute to jazz great Nina Simone. Other nominees for the 2011 award included Emilie-Claire Barlow, Nikki Yanofsky, Laila Biali and the late Jeff Healey. This was the Ottawa-based singer-songwriter’s second Juno Award nomination and first win.
The first artist to be announced to play at this summers Wreckhouse International Jazz and Blues Festival is singer-songwriter Kellylee Evans. Evans has been nominated for both Juno and Gemini awards and was Best Female Artist winner at Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards in 2007.
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