A native of Queens, New York and the youngest of seven siblings, Susan Giles began her musical career influenced by the reverberating sounds of Ella Fitzgerald and big band music while in the bassinet. With the help of her older siblings, she soon was educated thoroughly in Top 40 Radio, R&B, and what is now known as “Classic Soul”, mixed with her father’s passion for Broadway composers such as Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Kern, Hal David, Burt Bachrach and Rodgers and Hammerstein.
Her twelve-year musical journey includes performances in New York at The Blue Note, Iridium, Smoke, Chez Suzette, Showman’s, Arturo's, Kavehaz, Detour, 55 Bar, Lafayette Grill and the historic Arthur's Tavern, as well as the legendary Baker’s Keyboard in Detroit, MI.
She has mentored with jazz veterans David Durrah and Harry Whitaker; and has performed with vocalists Marion Cowlings and Andy Bey, guitarist Hironobu Saito, trumpet and flugelhorn artist Joe Magnarelli, saxophonist Jerry Weldon and pianist Harold Mabern. Her self-produced debut CD, With Love From Sue, features Harry Whitaker (piano), Noriko Ueda (bass), Peter Reztlaff and Joe Strasser (drums), Joe Magnarelli, (trumpet/flugelhorn), and special guests David Durrah (piano) and Chuggy Carter (percussion). Her artist management endeavors began as an extension of her executive management day job. Moonlighting as a jazz vocalist on the gig circuit, she sought to create opportunities for lesser-known jazz artists to cultivate a following and earn income. She met and spoke with a significant number of extremely gifted and diverse jazz artists in need but unable to afford promotion, management or booking services. She offered her background of executive assistance as barter in exchange for lessons, transcription and gig services.
Her company, gilesJazz management, is dedicated to promoting new and lesser known jazz artists and providing greater opportunities for accessible and affordable jazz performances for all audiences and age groups worldwide. gilesJazz also sponsors collaborative youth programs including music listening workshops both for children and new audiences; workshops to educate youth entrepreneurs and mentoring opportunities in independent production, promotion, marketing and distribution. With Love From Sue is the first independent release for the gilesJazz label.
