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Chris McNulty

McNulty first visited New York City in 1985 and settled there in 1988 after being awarded an International Study Grant from the Australia Council. Since then Chris has garnered further accolades from critics, jazz musicians and fans alike. She has collaborated and performed with some of the finest musicians on the jazz scene today including: Gary Bartz, Paul Bollenback, Gary Thomas, Mulgrew Miller, Ugonna Okegwo, John Hicks, Frank Wess, Ingrid Jensen, Terri-Lyne Carrington, Tim Garland, Tom Lellis, Billy Hart, Ed Howard, Jeff Ballard, Dave Pietro, Joe Locke, Peter Leitch, Tineke Postma, James Genus, , Matt Wilson, Jeff “Tain” Watts, David “Fathead” Newman, George Mraz, Kenny Washington, Steve Wilson, Joel Frahm, Gary Versace, David Budway, Harvey S and Tony Reedus.

Chris’s debut recording in the States, Waltz For Debby (Discovery 1990), received outstanding reviews in several publications and features the official published lyric by Chris of the great Miles Davis classic, “Blue in Green.” In 1994 Chris was also honored to be selected as one of the six exceptional new jazz singers on the New York scene to be featured on the Venus recording, “Big Apple Voices”. Chris has gone on to record several CD’s since then, A Time for Love (Amosaya 1996), I Remember You (Mop Top 2004- re-released on Elefant Dreams 2006), Dance Delicioso (Elefant Dreams 2005) and her most recently released Whispers the Heart (Elefant Dreams 2006), during this time crossing over from lyricist to full fledged composer.

In between raising her only son Sam, Chris managed to maintain an active profile and presence on the international scene. Her touring schedule has taken her to all four corners of the globe and includes appearances at BAM’s presentation of the first Australian Arts Festival held at the Brooklyn Academy of Arts in 2001. She toured Russia with Paul Bollenback in 2002, 2003 and appeared in 2004 for the very first St Petersburg Jazz Festival. Their magnetic and captivating performances have led to ever increasing festival dates around the world.

Following the release of her highly acclaimed Dance Delicioso, Chris returned from successful festival appearances in both the UK and Ireland including the Brecon Festival in Wales and the Killarney Festival in Ireland. Along with national radio features throughout the States, UK, Ireland and Europe, her music has also been a major feature in Australia on ABC’s nationally broadcast program, “The Nightly Planet.” Dance Delicioso and Whispers the Heart have received major attention in the press and radio world wide, both making it onto the pre-nomination ballot for a Grammy nomination the last 2 years respectively.

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9
Album Review

Chris McNulty: Eternal

Read "Eternal" reviewed by Blaine Fallis


Losing a child. The pain can't be explained, although a close personal friend of ours lost their first born during childbirth. After the months of preparation, the painting of rooms, the choosing of a name. In response to their loss, they built a gorgeous rose garden, and placed poetic emblems on the back fence. And our friendship was was re-established through many long suppers and after- dinner jazz listening sessions, our families spending time just being with each other.

5
Album Review

Chris McNulty: Eternal

Read "Eternal" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Eternal is a work of love and loss, a celebration of life, and a poignant piece of artistic expression. Vocalist Chris McNulty crafted this album as a tribute to her son, Sam, who passed away in 2011. This album took shape in the days following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, as McNulty, with no electricity, heat, or running water, sat with her thoughts and selected songs that reflected the complex emotions that were running through her. In the ...

2
Album Review

Chris McNulty: The Song That Sings You Here

Read "The Song That Sings You Here" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Great art often results from conflict, pain or loss. Australian-born singer Chris McNulty notes that The Song That Sings You Here, in spite of being conceived and recorded before she suffered the death of her son Sam, could have just as easily been conceived and recorded after, summing these circumstances into a type of preemptive creative process filled with both grief and gratitude. The temporal results are a highly refined offering filled with robust standards, finely delivered by the singer's ...

149
Interview

Chris McNulty: A Siren From Down Under

Read "Chris McNulty: A Siren From Down Under" reviewed by Ludwig vanTrikt


Chris McNulty emigrated to New York City, from her native home in Melbourne, Australia, in 1988. Since then she's released five recordings, with Waltz For Debby (Discovery, 1991) first introducing the Australian singer to American audiences. On that record, she wrote what would ultimately become the official, published lyrics to Miles Davis' classic “Blue in Green." Since 2004, she has released three records on Elefant Dreams, the independent label she shares with her husband, guitarist Paul Bollenback. Both Dance Delicioso ...

1,000
Interview

Chris McNulty: A Global Voice

Read "Chris McNulty: A Global Voice" reviewed by Joao Moreira dos Santos


Chris McNulty may well be regarded not only as a fine jazz singer but also as the epitome of jazz globalization these days. Born in remote Australia, she made her career in the USA and in 2003 performed in Russia at the White Night's Jazz Festival to celebrate St. Petersburg's 300th Anniversary. How far McNulty wants to go seems to be the million dollar question to ask the author of one of the finest vocal recordings of 2006: Whispers the ...

157
Album Review

Chris McNulty: Whispers The Heart

Read "Whispers The Heart" reviewed by Andrew Velez


It's particularly on that '40s Cahn-Stordahl-Weston gem “I Should Care that Aussie songstress Chris McNulty evokes pleasant memories of Anita O'Day and Chris Connor's hip cool. McNulty's voice can soar lightly into upper registers like O'Day's, and she also exudes a kindred innate cheerfulness that never totally disappears, whatever the song. It's especially apparent with her upbeat, swinging take on Legrand-Bergman's “Summer Me, Winter Me. She also makes a very credible dive into “Make It Easy On ...

200
Album Review

Chris McNulty: Whispers The Heart

Read "Whispers The Heart" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone


Whispers The Heart, the sixth album from Chris McNulty, a native-born Australian, continues the positive vibe of last year's Dance Delicioso, with a similar cast of jazz players. McNulty has selected an average collection of tunes, some of which are familiar titles from the Great American Songbook, plus others which make this an interesting package.

The Michel Legrand/Alan and Marilyn Bergman movie song “Summer Me, Winter You," the Bacharach/David '60s hit “Make It Easy On Yourself" (with a guest appearance ...

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142

Interview

Vocalist Chris McNulty Interviewed at AAJ

Vocalist Chris McNulty Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz

Chris McNulty may well be regarded not only as a fine jazz singer but also as the epitome of jazz globalization these days. Born in remote Australia, she made her career in the USA and in 2003 performed in Russia at the White Night's Jazz Festival to celebrate St. Petersburg's 300th Anniversary. How far McNulty wants to go seems to be the million dollar question to ask the author of one of the finest vocal recordings of 2006: Whispers the ...

117

Recording

Vocalist/Composer Chris McNulty Celebrates Release Of New CD "Whispers the Heart" on Elefant Dreams Records

Vocalist/Composer Chris McNulty Celebrates Release Of New CD "Whispers the Heart" on Elefant Dreams Records

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications

With Frank Wess, Ingrid Jensen, Paul Bollenback, Dave Pietro, Ed Howard, Gary Versace, Tineke Postma, Matt Wilson, Montez Coleman and Rogerio Boccato Jazz vocalist/composer Chris McNulty's new CD Whispers the Heart, out September 12, 2006 on the Elefant Dreams label, showcases her unique vision, strong individual style and boundless creative energy. Her risk-taking, fluid, and powerful emotional approach support but never compromise her musical sensibilities as she combines her talent as both vocalist and composer. She is consummate musician with ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Eternal

Palmetto Records
2015

buy

The Song That Sings...

Challenge Records
2013

buy

Whispers The Heart

Elefant Dreams Records
2006

buy

Dance Delicioso

Elefant Dreams Records
2005

buy

You Are There

From: Eternal
By Chris McNulty

Summer Me, Winter Me

From: Whispers The Heart
By Chris McNulty

Star Eyes

From: Dance Delicioso
By Chris McNulty

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