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biography |
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press release| discography |vocal tuition
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- Lyricist - Composer - Educator - Producer
TO ORDER E MAIL:
All the prices include postal charges Same
Air Original music and jazz standards
by Jan Ponsford Label - Symbol Records
Jan Ponsford
- voice,
Frances Knight
- piano, keyboardd, Winston Clifford
- drums, Terry Pack,
double bass Available from www.symbol.co.uk.com Some artists inspire with their
technical skill, some with their warmth and personality, some with their
compositions, some with their choice of material. Jan Ponsford, at the renowned
606 Club did all of these and then some! A launch gig is so often just a
publicity stunt to promote sales; and that’s a perfectly reasonable stance to
take. But the chaps from Symbol Records, Jan’s label, clearly have jazz in their
hearts rather than their wallets, and the commitment to great music came not
only from Jan herself, but all her musicians – of whom more later – but her
label as well. They were keen to talk about all of their upcoming releases, but
not in a way that felt like marketing…which was nice! The Swimmer
Spontaneous compositions Label - Voiceprint Jan
Ponsford - voice, Frances Knight -
piano, keyboards, accordion, Hugh
Hopper
- bass, Vince
Clarke
- drums Price 20 Euro, UK orders price GBP15
"The Swimmer picks up right where
1997's excellent The Mind in the Trees left off, except this time out Elton Dean
is on vacation and Jan Ponsford has assumed the daunting task of carrying lead
melodic lines. It must have looked good on paper, but it sounds better than I
imagined to replace Dean's fluid alto sax lines with a scat vocalist and no
lyrical content. So you're unconvinced? The opening piece, "Scat up a tree",
denies the presence of a conventional improvisation by adhering to it openly and
with balance. Ponsford is literally in the director's chair due to her out front
visibility on the deck of this small seaworthy ship. Her navigation skill
between each of the poles of the ensemble helps to anchor the at times wistful
conversations.......While the disc could be misleadingly characterized as a
light weight free jazz album, I'd correct that notion by stating that this is
one of the most sensitive dialogues between vocalist and ensemble in quite some
time. The disc is a worthy comparison to the set of recordings Norma Winstone
recorded with Kenny Wheeler for ECM."
Jeff Milton
Jan Ponsford's Vocal Chord's Words and music -
Jan Ponsford Label - ASC Records Voices
- Jan Ponsford, Norman
Winstone, Liane Carroll, Jill Francis,
Winston Clifford, Anton
Browne, Clare Foster,
Ian Shaw. Piano
-
Frances Knight, double bass
- Belinda Moody, drums and percussion
- Paul Clarvis
Jan
Ponsford's Vocal Chords. Price 20 Euro, UK orders price GBP15 In the Sun Words and music
- Jan Longfordd Independent release Jan Ponsford
- voice, Frances
Knight
- piano, keyboard,
Winston Clifford
- drums, Belinda Moody - double bass,
Tony Coe
- soprano sax, clarinet Same Air - Price 20 Euro, UK
orders price GBP 15, "[In
the Sun] is powerful confirmation of the reputation for classy technique and
original material that’s been an undercurrent on the British jazz scene for
years. Ponsford’s voice resembles Cleo Laine’s as much as any contemporary
performer — a deep, honeyed sound of shimmering textures and unexpected
inflections. But she works as an improviser with bands of like mind, and her
music doesn’t coast or avoid the sense of inventive tension between musicians
that make orthodox jazz vocals different from supper-club music. The material is
original; the styles spanning ballads, boppish scatting, gospelly forcefulness
and funk, and the band — which includes the great saxophonist and clarinettist
Tony Coe — is both demanding and supportive. Ponsford mostly inhabits a
majestic middle and lower register, and her lyrics are honest and sometimes
luminous. The beautiful ballad Adolescence, about a mother’s struggle with the
evaporating innocence of childhood (“no angels come around here anymore”), is
typical of Ponsford’s gifts, and Coe’s horn weaves gracefully around her." John Fordham - The
Guardian It's a Jazz Thing Compiled by Jazzdance DJ
Graham B Label - EVA/BMG Ariola
Take Four "First Take"
It's a Jazz Thing.
Available through EVA/BMG Ariola, Holland
All Four One Label - Spotlite Records Harry Beckett
- flugelhorn, Jon Corbett - flugelhorn, Chris Batchelor
- flugelhorn, Claude Deppa - flugelhorn Alastair Gavin
- piano, Fred T. Baker - bass, Tony Marsh - drums Jan Ponsford
- guest vocals Available
through Spotlite Records, UK
'SAME AIR' One
of the best vocal jazz cd of the year!
Symbol SR20050501 Jazz
Review
February 2006 Available from
or visit
( one of the few surviving independent uk jazz and new music
labels featuring artists such as Jan Ponsford, Kenny Wheeler, Ed Jones, plus
many more).
Jan Ponsford
Throughout three decades Ponsford
has performed internationally with renowned musicians as a duo, with her
quintet, big bands, and orchestras. She is also an established vocal coach,
teaching individuals and running workshops independently, at colleges, and
universities. SUMMARY OF JAN PONSFORD CAREER: 2001
Records well-received cd ‘The Swimmer’ with ex-Softmachine bassist Hugh
Hopper, pianist Frances Knight and drummer Vince Clarke.
"What a singer.
Soaring improvised ballads, mad snatches of imaginary Russian folk songs,
Brazilian serenades, be-bop scatting - it's all there and more, and sung with
passion and humour. Not forgetting a sharp set of ears and rapid reflexes -
hear how she tracks down the bass (however hard I tried to throw her off with
unlikely Hugh Hopper (ex-Softmachine)
- 'The Swimmer' interview. "She's a marvel. Great improviser
and can also sing great harmonies to songs." Hugh Hopper - 'In a
Dubious Manner' interview. Also in ‘98 teams up with one
of Japan’s most established composers and improvisers, pianist Kyohiko Sano,
performing improvisations based on haiku poetry, with inspiration from
Japanese and English gardens. 1997 Director of Studio Vox ‘Feast Your
Senses’ cultural festival, and featured guest at the ‘Healing Sounds’
festival, Brighton. Musical director of ‘Global Groove’ festival, De La Warr
Pavilion, UK. 1996 sets up and directs ‘Studio Vox’, an
arts and health project, with award from the Arts Council of England. 1993 - '94 composing ‘In the
Sun’ for recording with the Jan Ponsford Quintet, and ‘Vocal Chords’ for Jazz
Services UK tour. Late '80's to the present the
Jan Ponsford Quintet features European Songwriter award winning pianist
Frances Knight, and drummer Winston Clifford, joined by saxophonist/clarinetist
Tony Coe in '93 for the recording of the cd ‘In the Sun’ (see John Fordham
review, The Guardian). Playing venues such as the Royal Festival Hall and the
Barbican Centre, London. BBC radio interviews and original compositions
broadcasted internationally.
Mid 80’s line-up of the Jan Ponsford Quintet included featured musicians - award winning pianist Steve
Lodder (Andy Sheppard/Nana Vasconcelas Band), and trumpeter Harry Beckett.
Ponsford
features in the book
'Singing Jazz - the singers and their styles'
(published by Blanford Cassell), has her own
section in the Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz,
and is in the Penguin Who's Who of Jazz. " Acclaimed as one of
the top of the league for a long time... her music doesn't coast or avoid the
sense of inventive John
Fordham, The Guardian
"..one of the first to set the style that is now
considered de rigueur for British vocalists."
Gus Garvey "One of the UK's more
original vocalists whose jazz sensibilities stretch
further than the norm." Time
Out "...the singer's
insights into her material quickly win over listeners to her extremely musical
cause." Val
Wilmer
"Her influences are diverse,
including soul, funk, blues and last but not least, jazz - a discipline her
voice luxuriates in. She really could sing the telephone book and make it sound
interesting. In HHighly
Strung Magazine
"Jan Ponsford has also been down to Delta Studio to record
some voice over my loops - that'll be on the next collection. She's a marvel.
Great improviser and can also sing great harmonies to songs."
Hugh Hopper (ex-Softmachine)
"...as famous for her freely improvised work as for her skill
in interpreting both jazz and popular material.” The Times Jan
Individual and group sessions are
available for all levels, and aim to increase confidence, vocal power, agility,
range and musical skills, whilst having fun. Learning need not be a boring slog! Remedial sessions are also
available for those with vocal, hearing, or breathing problems. In fact, good
singing practice is an all round healthy thing to do. Individual and group sessions
cover practical, enjoyable exercises and instruction
which develop: b a deeper understanding of sound and its power, visualisation for
successful results, an understanding of
the use and maintenance of our vocal machinery, singing songs and
improvisations, solo and harmony singing. R
& jazz summer school Study groups are small and friendly, suitable
for all levels. Healing Voice 11th - 17th May 2006 HEALING VOICE
is
designed to help you use your voice for energising or relaxing, bringing a
feeling of well-being and harmony, increasing your vocal power, range,
confidence and listening skills. If you can speak then you can sing. You
don't have to be a 'singer' or read music to liberate your larynx and tap in
to your own healing abilities through your voice. Beginners are welcome. It's
for people who love to learn in a supportive, friendly and idyllic environment
where there's fun and sun. Places are limited so
BOOK
NOW!
For more information and bookings email:
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