April 2012
I am looking forward to several new projects this year. I have a new cd in the works: A big band project featuring 12 brand new arrangements by Phil Kelly. We will start fund-raising to record this music very soon.
Also excited to announce that I'm writing again. Haven't song- written in years, but find I'm pretty good at it. Our live performances feature several of these new compositions!
Also this year I am writing, with a friend, an E-book that will feature and demonstrate many of my teaching techniques. This should be available in the fall.
August 2011
I see I haven't updated this in awhile. Been and great year for me so far. Had a number of touring dates ending in a sold out show at New York's Dizzy's Club. Not bad for a first time there!
Diving into alot of innovative teaching programs this year.
October 2009
I finally got reviewed by Downbeat magazine!! so glad they loved it. In other news, I'll be returning to Singapore with my friend, vibraphonist, Susan Pascal to play a week at New Years. I enjoyed playing in Portland and Ashland Or. last month and look forward to returning again. Continuing to have new students and watching proudly as many of my older students move on to gig professionally! Clipper and I have finished recording a wonderful new cd of holiday music for release in 2010.
July 2009
I'm proud to have you check out my latest CD, I Wanna Be Loved on the wonderful new label Resonance Records in Los Angeles.
This CD, my first with string orchestrations, features arrangements and performances by Tamir Hendelman, one of the fastest-rising stars of the national jazz scene. The recording also features Bruce Forman, Bob Leatherbarrow, Clipper Anderson, Darin Clendenin, and a host of great LA players.
You can also find me on YouTube. There are a number of fine performances on our VIDEO page, beautifully filmed during the Rising Jazz Star concerts in Beverly Hills.
I'm excited to tell you that I Wanna Be Loved was the #1 add to radio stations nationally, as reported on JazzWeek for July 2009!
February 2009
Very Pleased to have recieved the Earshot Northwest Jazz Vocalist of the Year award for 2008!! This marks the 6th time I've recieved this award in15 years.
September 22 2008 I just finished to basic tracks for my new cd coming out in the spring of 2009 on Resonance Records! It's a marvelous collection of tunes from classics by Henry Mancini to Herbie Hancock and Al Jarreau! Arrangements by Tamir Hendelman.
August 1st 2008 I'm going to be traveling to Russia and Singapore this year and recording a new cd this september!
July 1st, 2007 It's going to be a busy month! I'll be teaching at The Blaine Jazz Camp for teens the 2nd week of July. There'll be some fun moments sharing this music w/ young people! I love to watch them "get it''. I have an "Out to Lunch" concert again at the Rainier Square building. This time I'm glad to be sharing the stage with my good friend Susan Pascal in vibes. Oh, and I'll be doing my tribute to Ray Charles at Bakes Place the 27th!! Not to be missed.
June 15th 2007 We are very excited to have the opportunity to open for the great Herbie Hancock in June. Also looking forward to a couple of gigs in Los Angeles this summer. I don't travel much as a rule. I love to spent time with my girls, so I don't tour much. But an occational gig out of town is nice!
Still enjoying helping my students find out what fun this music can be! I'm finding this "lesson by mail' thing I'm offering has really taken off! People seem to really enjoy having this chance to practice and get an accompaniment cd designed just for them if they are unable to travel to see me in person.
I love Alki! What a great place to walk off those pounds and listen to my favorite singers! Never a dull moment! Back in touch soon!!
May 2007: We are looking forward to releasing my new cd "The Smiling Hour" on Originarts next month. Official release party set for August 14th The Triple Door,
However I should have product as soon as mid July. Below is a copy of the liner notes:
I've wanted to record the Ivan Lins tune, "The Smiling Hour" ever since I first heard the wonderful Sarah Vaughn recording of it, with that very cool bass-line. I had the added fun of having my daughters, Gina and Franny, as well as Clipper Anderson and Jenny Ivester, sing with me on the choruses. This song put's me in a good mood!
My favorite song on this cd is "If I could, You know I would." The song started life as a breathtakingly beautiful composition by Pat Metheny. When Michael Shrieve asked me to demo a vocal version he'd written lyrics for, I was more than a little excited and intimidated. I would have to say Pat Metheny's work moves me more than any other contemporary composer, and the thought of lending my voice to one of his beautiful melodies was a thrill.
"Dance only with me" by Jule Styne struck me as an under- performed simple and elegant waltz. Blossom Deary's version was perfection. I love Mark Taylor's Desmondesque sax work here.
I did some searching on Itunes and found that our arrangement of Cole Porter's It's Delovely seems to be the most up-tempo out there. It was inspired by Anita Oday's playful version.
There are many different lyric interpretations of the classic, "Estate "by Bruno Martino. My favorite is the one recorded here. I love the way Darin, Clipper and Mark approach playing bossa's like this. They transported me to another place altogether!
"I get along without you very well" is my favorite Hoagy Carmichael tune. And it's been recorded here as a thank you to Mac Waldren, the owner of Tula's jazz club, Mac is one of my favorite people, and Tula's is my second home. Thanks for 12 great years!
This recording of "Indian summer" was arranged by the whole band. We all contributed to the concept of rythmically reinterpreting this very old standard written in 1919.
Another gem on this recording is the Duke Ellington piece, "Remeniscing in Tempo". Originally an instrumental, Mel Torme added lyrics for his recording of the Duke Ellington and Count Basie Songbook. Thanks to the vibraphone work of Susan Pascal we were able to capture the feel of that Mel Torme recording.
I always like to add an uptempo swinger to any recording, just as I like call up-tempo tunes on the bandstand, hence "Too close for comfort" here has a very brisk tempo!
The final cut on this cd, The Solitary Moon, is a kind of tribute and thanks to the late, great singer Shirley Horn. As she recorded the song "You won't forget Me'" I'm inclined to say, "No indeed, I won't forget You!"
In closing, the song selections and song order on this cd are meant to take you the listener, through a pleasant day from The Smilling Hour in the morning to The Solitary Moon at night. Have a musical day!
Personnel
Greta Matassa, vocals
Darin Clendenin, Piano
Clipper Anderson, Bass
Mark Ivester, Drums and percussion
February 2007: I'm getting ready the finish our next cd project this spring. We recorded basic tracks back in 2006 and I'll be back in the studio in March and April finishing up my vocals and mixing. I hope to return to LA this summer and do some concert work down there. The concert year is shaping up well here in the northwest.
I'm very excited about my newest teaching tool. The superscope. This allows me to modify keys, tempo, remove existing vocals from commercial tracks and put all lessons directly on a cd for my students!!
Our rhythm section/vocal workshops are filling up, so if you're thinking about joining us, please reserve your month soon.
As always I'm adding new material to my live concerts. I never get tired of exploring new tunes!
And I'm forever grateful to have the life that I lead!!! Keep the music playing!!
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