2012-06-02
7:30PM
n/a
"The exquisite, soulful vocals of April Hall deliver
every lyric with emotion and conviction." -Jazz Times
April Hall CD Release Show
Featuring: April Hall; Vocals
Tim Ray; Piano
Mark Poniatowski; Bass
Tom Hall; Saxophone
Marty Ballou; Bass
Les Harris Jr.; Drums
April Hall's new CD, "Room for Two", is a bold and intimate exploration of the art of the jazz duet. It’s unique pairings of one voice with one instrument reveal a rich landscape of normally hidden musical subtleties. This CD release celebration features Hall performing both in various duets and with her full band.
Hall combines her deep roots in southern gospel and blues with an urban soulfulness and sophistication. Her voice, described as “Glorious” by the Boston Globe, is an instrument of astonishing beauty and versatility, capable of ranging from the purest whisper to the most powerful soul-drenched delivery. But her masterful performances are always centered on bringing every song to life through emotional interpretation, playful phrasing, and rock solid rhythm. “The exquisite, soulful vocals of April Hall deliver every lyric with emotion and conviction.” - Jazz Times Magazine
April graduated from Berklee College of Music, where she received the prestigious Louis Armstrong Performance Award. She has done projects for Atlantic Records under the direction of Arif Mardin, for the likes of Chaka Khan, Melissa Manchester, and Bette Midler and has performed with artists such as Rosemary Clooney, Al Jarreau, Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius and Dinah Shore.
She regularly performs and records with New England’s finest musicians, including Gray Sargent, Tim Ray, Marshall Wood, Kenny Hadley, Les Harris Jr., Tom Hall, Joe “Sonny” Barbato, Jerry Bergonzi, John Lockwood, Marty Ballou and New Orleans's Amadee Castenell, and is currently Executive Producer for ImprovLive 365, a daily webseries dedicated to exploring spontaneous creativity and improvisation.
April is also an award winning songwriter. Her music has been featured on Boston's "Women in Music" series, on "The Coffeehouse”, WGBH’s “Eric in the Evening” and the nationally syndicated "Jazz After Hours" with PRI's Jim Wilke. In addition to her ongoing performances, Hall also continues to work with students across the country holding master classes in modern vocal techniques and on the subject of "Songwriting in a Free Society".
