Andrea Wolper

Described as both “utterly original” and “a singer with an uncanny emotional touch for the past 50 years of jazz,” Andrea Wolper, “brings songs to life, whatever their source, working in a milieu that begins with jazz and reaches out to embrace an expressive area that is uniquely her own.”*

Andrea appears in clubs, festivals, and concert spaces in the U.S. and abroad. Performance credits as a leader in her New York home base include the Blue Note, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (Jazz at Lincoln Center), Mezzrow, JVC New York Jazz Festival, Kitano, Arts for Arts Evolving Series, and more, and she has toured across the U.S., in Europe, and beyond. Working frequently as both leader and side-person, Andrea is “an audacious artist [who] flouts genre limitations, singing songs for the love of it and delivering an inventive, thrilling, appealing musical vision.”

One of the “great jazz singers” included in “The Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide” (Yannow, BackBeat Books), Andrea is as accomplished with the Great American Songbook as she is with more unusual repertoire and spontaneous improvisation. Andrea has also made her mark as a songwriter; Cadence magazine calls her “easily superior to the ever expanding population in the singer/songwriter category,” and she has been awarded composing fellowships by Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, Ucross Foundation, Newnan ArtRez, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center, and Uncool Residency.

Andrea’s third CD, “Parallel Lives” (Jazzed Media) received rave reviews, and was included on several Top Jazz CDs and Notable Releases lists for 2011. Co-produced by Todd Barkan, it features her group with guitarist Michael Howell, pianist Kris Davis, bassist Ken Filiano, and drummer Michael T.A. Thompson. Her previous release, “The Small Hours” (VarisOne.Jazz), built around her trio with guitarist Ron Affif and Ken Filiano, was produced by Barkan, and features drummers Victor Lewis and Jamey Haddad, as well as guest artists Lou Marini (flute) and Frank London (trumpet and flugelhorn).

Andrea also appears as a side person across jazz genres, from holding the vocal chair with the straight ahead Heavenly Big Band to appearing in several performance and recording projects of free jazz bassist William Parker. In addition, she was one third of the improvising trio TranceFormation, with Filiano and the late pianist Connie Crothers; the trio's live CD, “TranceFormation in Concert” (New Artists) was a best vocal CD selection in the 2012 Downbeat critics' polls.

Andrea curated the “Why Not Experiment?” series at Whynot Jazz Room in New York city for nearly two years (2014-15). She is a past President of International Women in Jazz, and served on the Advisory Board of the Jazz Vocal Coalition.

Andrea offers singing lessons in her private studio, and conducts clinics in jazz vocal performance, and workshops and master classes on performance and improvisation. Fun Facts: Andrea is an accomplished writer whose journalism and poetry have appeared in numerous publications. Among her works are two books, “Women's Rights, Human Rights: International Feminist Perspectives” (with Julie S. Peters; Routledge) and “The Actor's City Sourcebook” (Watson-Guptill). In addition, she's spent time on the stage, and came to New York from her native California to attend the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. She earned a black belt in Shotokan Karate, and has two dust-gathering trophies to tell the tale.

* Quotes: Loudon, AllAboutJazz / Graham, Tucson Citizen / Richardson, Blog Critics / Bargebuhr, Cadence Show less

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Andrea Wolper Vocalist

Album Review

Early Morning Star by Jerome Wilson
Early Morning Star by Karl Ackermann
Parallel Lives by Dan Bilawsky

Take Five With...

Take Five With Andrea Wolper

Album Review

The Small Hours by Eddie Becton
The Small Hours by Dan McClenaghan

”This album smartly illustrates the vastness of talent lying within . . . [she's] more than a competent singer set to standards and jazz traditions. She is an audacious artist, one unafraid of making mistakes in the heart of discovery. . . She flouts genre limitations, singing songs for the love of it and delivering an inventive, thrilling, appealing musical vision.” — Jordan Richardson, Blogcritics

“Refusing, in utterly refreshing ways, to follow each song's furrowed emotional path, she instead opens them up for wider examination, demonstrating that for each yin there is a yang

“Refusing, in utterly refreshing ways, to follow each song's furrowed emotional path, she instead opens them up for wider examination, demonstrating that for each yin there is a yang. . . . the album's finest evocation of dichotomous sentiments is Wolper's own aThe Girls in Their Dresses,a where the arrogance of youthful infallibility crashes against the reality of fear, dissillusonment and underachievement. . . “ —Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes

“. . . what a delivery! Wolper sounds as if she's singing just for you . . . she's come up with one of the strongest and most interesting vocal efforts of the year.” —Dan McClenaghan, AllAboutJazz.com

“I can’t begin to count the number of 'girl singer' discs that arrive here during a typical month. . . Andrea Wolper’s standout set is a disc everyone should hear. She’s got a warm and versatile voice . . . she’s a terrific arranger, taking new paths rather than expected ones. . . and she’s a composer as well. . . Moreover, she’s a talented program builder, picking good but not overexposed tunes. . . Her band is tight, consisting of musicians who can be part of the whole or set out in a blaze of glory on a solo riff. The sound that conveys all of this talent is warm and focused, and it presents a stage that has appealing depth. . . This one’s a winner; don’t let it pass you by.” —Rad Bennett, GoodSound.com

“Andrea Wolper takes risky, but worthy shots at amping up the entire experience, without taking away from the emotional curiosity and thrill that are intrinsically her landscape. . . She has the captivating energy and chops necessary to keep up the pace, be it low and slow, quick- fire, or all emotive points in between. And then some.” —Carol Banks Weber, Examiner.com

“'Not Sleeping in Your Arms' is quite striking. It's [a] Wolper original, one that succeeds on the strength of its ambiguously constrained sexuality (”It was lovely not sleeping in your arms”), suggesting, perhaps, a lack of constraint to come. Strong contributions from both Affif and Filiano on the track. 'Moanin'' is, perhaps, the program's most drastic revision. Wolper slows it down to a bluesy crawl and exlores its possibilities as an anguished plaint.” —Alan Bargebuhr, Cadence

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Primary Instrument

Voice / vocals

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

Private Lessons I offer individualized instruction tailored to the specific needs of each student. No one-size-fits-all lessons here; exercises are selected based on what you need, in the moment, to develop your voice, your individual sound, healthy technique, and the very joy of singing. My teaching is based on the principals of Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri method (with Level III certification), an integrative method of vocal training based on function and physiology (in other words, there's no mumbo jumbo: my teaching is based on how the vocal mechanism actually works, and what's healthy). When appropriate, lessons include basic musicianship skills like ear-training and rhythm training, and methods for developing ease, relaxation, and freer vocal expression. I have experience working with adults and children, and beginners are warmly welcomed and encouraged. It's important that you find not only a skilled teacher, but one you feel comfortable with. Please email with any questions you may have, and feel free to schedule a first lesson without any obligation to continue. Coaching helps you develop your performance and interpretive abilities, and can also include focus on repertoire, finding keys, arrangements, leading a band, etc. My approach is always supportive, encouraging, and non-judgmental. Singing is a joyful act! www.andreawolper.com/teaching

Clinic/Workshop Information

Primary Instrument

Voice / vocals

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

Clinic/Workshop Information

"I'm amazed at how much I've learned in these workshops. I came to the first one very shy and hesitant but I'm gaining more and more confidence under Andrea's watchful eyes and ears. Her comments and suggestions are very inspirational. Don't know how she does it but she can "zero in" on some aspect of my performance and offer insight into what could make it more meaningful. Forget the saying "Those who can do; those who can't teach," as Andrea can do both and much, much more! " - Diana "I learned much more and a bigger variety of things than I expected. This was a great, comprehensive workshop." -Vanessa "Andrea Wolper’s musical and interpersonal skills are immense and I highly recommend her workshops. I make my living as a music educator and I’ve discovered that one of the biggest challenges is teaching a group of people who have different skill-sets and different expectations. . . . The participants were varied in terms of experience, confidence, goals and musical literacy, yet Andrea managed to accommodate everybody without any perceptible compromise while creating a genuine and lovely sense of community." -Noah

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