Born: December 28, 1951 Primary Instrument: Various
Rebecca Parris was born in Newton, Massachusetts on December 28, 1951. She was born of a family of musicians and educators. Rebecca performed from the age of 6, mostly in musical theatre. Her parents encouraged her to pursue the study of music. She studied with world-famous vocal coach, Blair MacClosky (her uncle) and attended the Boston Conservatory. Rebecca started her professional career in music working with various top 40's bands in the Northeast. She found that she preferred singing jazz and embarked upon a career in the jazz world. Rebecca has performed all over the world with her own groups, as well as with some of jazz's greatest legends, including Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Terry Gibbs, David “Fathead” Newman, Norman Simmons. Harold Jones, Andy Simpkins, Gerry Wiggins, Bill Cunliffe, Red Mitchell, Buster Cooper, Nat Pierce, and many others.
Rebecca's other passion is teaching, both in a private, one-on-one and workshop/clinic setting. Her lessons and workshops focus on technique, performance and the “business” side of music, as well as lyric delivery and scat/improvisation.
Rebecca's latest release is You Don't Know Me on the Saying It With Jazz label. Rebecca performs some well-chosen standards with her long-time trio: Brad Harfield, piano; Peter Kontrimas, bass; and Matt Gordy, drums, plus guest artists Jerry Bergonzi and Houston Person on tenor saxophone and Gary Burton on vibes.
Rebecca's previous releases include her all-ballads CD, My Foolish Heart, The Secret of Christmas, A Beautiful Friendship, with the Kenny Hadley Big Band, Double Rainbow with Eddie Higgins and Michael Monaghan, A Passionate Fling, Love Comes and Goes, and Live at Chan's.
Rebecca continues to travel and bring her music to the world.
“Parris favors unembellished storytelling that, on the naked strength of its deceptive simplicity, reverberates with hard-won, world-weary sagacity.” --Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times
“Rebecca's vocal sound is mature and immensely satisfying; she delivers lyrics with care and affection, with wit and flair, and her phrasing is exemplary...,There is not an indifferent note on this exceptional CD and must surely bring Rebecca the international attention she so richly deserves.” --Bruce Crowther, Jazz Journal International
