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Norma Winstone

Winstone has a lissome voice, agile and expressive, and she's a fine improviser, besides. That's not to say she's a vocal athlete, however; although she's known for her wordless improvisations, Winstone is a fine interpreter of lyrics and composed melody—a plain- speaking, rhythmically direct singer who gets to the heart of the matter quickly and effectively.

Winstone played piano and organ in her youth. She began singing semi-professionally by the age of 17, influenced by conventional jazz vocalists. During the '60s she became attracted to the jazz avant garde. She played in groups led by pianists Michael Garrick and Mike Westbrook; she also sang with such forward-thinking musicians as saxophonist John Surman, flugelhornist Kenny Wheeler, composer Michael Gibbs, and pianist John Taylor (whom she married in 1972). A late '60s gig at Ronnie Scott's club in London (also on the bill was the legendary tenor saxophonist Roland Kirk) garnered critical notice. In 1971 she was named best jazz singer in a poll by the British publication Melody Maker. That year she recorded her first album as leader, Edge of Time, for the Decca label. With Wheeler and Taylor, Winstone formed Azimuth, a critically-acclaimed contemporary chamber jazz group that recorded several times for the ECM label from the mid '70s. Winstone is also an accomplished lyricist, having written words to music composed by guitarists Egberto Gismonti and Ralph Towner, bassist Steve Swallow, and vocalist Ivan Lins, among others.

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Album Review

Mike Westbrook Concert Band: Marching Song Volumes 1 & 2 Plus Bonus Tracks

Read "Marching Song Volumes 1 & 2 Plus Bonus Tracks" reviewed by Maurizio Comandini


Mike Westbrook, pianista e soprattutto direttore di orchestra, è nato il 21 marzo del 1936 a High Wycombe, 50 chilometri a nord-ovest di Londra. Dapprima tentato dalla Art School di Plymouth, si dedica poi con decisione alla musica, dalla fine degli anni cinquanta. Nel 1958 forma la sua prima band per la quale gli capita di reclutare il sedicenne John Surman, giovane talento emergente che stava terminando il suo percorso scolastico. Quattro anni dopo Westbrook si sposta a Londra per ...

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Album Review

Nucleus: Nucleus Live at the BBC

Read "Nucleus Live at the BBC" reviewed by Maurizio Comandini


Dio salvi la regina. E la BBC. L'emittente di stato britannica ha capito fin da subito che da quelle belle energie musicali, che spuntavano come l'erba di Hyde Park sotto al tiepido sole di quelle latitudini, passavano le scelte esistenziali e culturali delle nuove generazioni e sin dagli anni sessanta ha dato ampio spazio alla musica, premiando non solo il pop ma anche le proposte più articolate e di nicchia e ha conservato in archivio una buona parte di quelle ...

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Album Review

Norma Winstone & John Taylor: In Concert

Read "In Concert" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Una ristampa da non perdere. Questo concerto in duo di Norma Winstone e John Taylor dell'agosto 1988 esisteva in una rara edizione su cassetta del 1999 della Enodoc Records e documentava una performance estemporanea data alla Guildhall Music School di Londra. La Winstone e il suo marito d'allora (nonché partner negli Azimuth e in altri organici) avevano appena terminato un seminario e fu chiesto loro di offrire un concerto agli studenti. Tanto per rinfrescarci la memoria la performance ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Women of Jazz, New Releases, and a look back at Azimuth

Read "Women of Jazz, New Releases, and a look back at Azimuth" reviewed by Bob Osborne


This programme is all about female vocalists with some of the years best new releases plus there's a look back at the music of Azimuth featuring the great Norma Winstone. Featured new albums are from Sonia Johnson, Heather Bambrick and Brenda Earle Stokes. Playlist Sonia Johnson “Storm" from Chrysalis (Self Released) 00:00 Brenda Earle Stokes “The Consequences of Falling" from Solo Sessions Vol. 1 (Allsheeneeds Music) 05:42 Azimuth “Azimuth" from Azimuth (ECM) 11:31 Heather Bambrick “You've Got ...

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Album Review

Norma Winstone & John Taylor: In Concert

Read "In Concert" reviewed by Roger Farbey


When John Taylor died on 17 July 2015, aged 72, the jazz world lost one its finest pianists. Over the course of his career he recorded with the likes of Arild Andersen, John Dankworth, Peter Erskine, Gil Evans. Jan Garbarek, Mike Gibbs, Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, Enrico Rava, John Surman, Steve Swallow, Miroslav Vitous and Kenny Wheeler. He was also a mainstay of the British and European jazz scenes. Norma Winstone (aka “Britain's best kept secret") is one ...

Interview

Stefano Amerio: 20 anni di Artesuono

Read "Stefano Amerio: 20 anni di Artesuono" reviewed by Neri Pollastri


Sono passati ormai diversi anni da quando abbiamo intervistato Stefano Amerio, tecnico del suono e patron di Artesuono, lo studio di registrazione più noto e affermato d'Italia e anche d'Europa, almeno per l'ambito jazzistico. Ma Artesuono è anche un'etichetta discografica con un catalogo ampio e interessante, ancorché popolato di prodotti prevalentemente di area friulana. Un etichetta che quest'anno celebra il suo ventennale. Abbiamo colto l'occasione per recarci da Amerio e fare con lui una chiacchierata sullo stato dell'arte tanto dell'etichetta, ...

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Album Review

Norma Winstone: Descansado - Songs For Films

Read "Descansado - Songs For Films" reviewed by John Ephland


Norma Winstone has had her current trio since 2001, long enough to have released five albums (four for ECM). Descansado, a celebration of cinema through the language of music, is that fourth CD, and it's a winner from start to finish. The album's title derives from a Armando Trovajoli composition, used in Italian director Vittorio De Sica's 1963 film Ieri, Oggi, Domani (Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow). The group's rendition of this touching number is typically sublime. With bass clarinetist/soprano ...

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Performance / Tour

Norma Winstone and Kenny Wheeler among stars at London's Art Of Song Festival

Norma Winstone and Kenny Wheeler among stars at London's Art Of Song Festival

Source: Chris May

The Art Of Song Festival continues at London's Leicester Square Theatre. Upcoming concerts include: April 15 Norma Winstone, Tina May, David McAlmont, Kenny Wheeler; April 16 Cleo Laine and, in a second concert, Yots K's The Songs Of John Barry; April 18 Stacey Kent; April 19 Fran Landesman. Details on 0844 873 3433. NORMA WINSTONE, TINA MAY, DAVID MCALMONT & KENNY WHEELER perform THE SONGS OF DUNCAN LAMONT 15th April at 7.30pm, tickets from £20 To ...

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Recording

Norma Winstone - Stories yet to Tell (2010)

Norma Winstone - Stories yet to Tell (2010)

Source: Something Else!

By Mark Saleski A variant of the “I remember exactly where I was when I first heard this" thing is the phenomenon of incomplete Déjà Vu. This occurs when you hear a piece of music and it seems totally familiar...except...hmmm...what was it? The music of vocalist Norma Winstone reminds me of my Aunt Rose's figurine collection. More specifically, it was a couple of details about her bedroom. When I was a little kid, I loved to visit her and marvel ...

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Performance / Tour

Norma Winstone, Tessa Souter, Tim Garland, Tony Kofi in Final Made in the UK Shows at Sweet Rhythm NY

Norma Winstone, Tessa Souter, Tim Garland, Tony Kofi in Final Made in the UK Shows at Sweet Rhythm NY

Source: All About Jazz

The Made in the UK concert series comes to an end this weekend with two double bills at Sweet Rhythm (88 7th Ave South) featuring four out of nine of the bands who have proved such a success at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival this week. Norma Winstone with Gareth Williams / Tessa Souter Quartet Saturday 20th June / 8pm and 10pm / $20 Tim Garland's Lighthouse Trio / Tony Kofi Quartet Sunday 21st June ...

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Performance / Tour

Norma Winstone US Tour: Rochester Jazz Festival and Sweet Rhythm

Norma Winstone US Tour: Rochester Jazz Festival and Sweet Rhythm

Source: ECM Records


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Recording

Norma Winstone Britain's Poetic Jazz Singer

Norma Winstone Britain's Poetic Jazz Singer

Source: All About Jazz

Veteran jazz vocalist Norma Winstone's new CD, Distances, features lyrics of her own, plus those by Peter Gabriel, Cole Porter and Pier Paolo Pasolini.

IN A CAREER SPANNING FIVE DECADES, British jazz vocalist Norma Winstone has pioneered, experimented and collaborated to push her music to the cutting edge. She's developed “wordless" vocals, written her own lyrics and covered the classics, always ending up with something new. The dark atmosphere in Winstone's cover of Cole Porter's “Every Time We Say Goodbye" ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

In Concert

Enodoc Records
2019

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Straight Ahead To The...

Dash Hoffman Records
2019

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Marching Song Volumes...

Turtle Records
2017

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Ensam

Lpr Music
2016

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