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Nicole Yarling

Nicole Yarling defies description. Her myriad of personal influences have created a product that begs attention across the board. Her chosen instruments are voice, violin and fiddle (in that order). Nicole is a rich velvet voice with technical skill and personality to boot! She is a rising star in the jazz community who, like many others, has been at it for years.

Born and raised in and around Brooklyn, New York, a musical household laid groundwork for Nicole's career. She was inspired very early by her father, who plays jazz organ and piano, and her father's records, which all made an impact on Nicole's musical tastes: Artists such as Etta Jones, Miles Davis, Stuff Smith, J.J. Johnson, and Sonny Rollins, to the Beatles and Motown classics were in regular rotation. As early as age nine, Nicole would jam on the violin with her father. It was then that she caught the bug to perform for a living. Aside from the familial influences, Nicole's education is extensive, ranging from a B.A. in Music from Baruch College, to a Masters in Music Education at Columbia University. as well as private training in composition, arranging, voice and violin. She uses her various music skills today to conduct master classes and give vocal lessons.

Nicole moved to Florida in 1980 and has created quite a buzz. According to the Miami Sun Sentinel, "Every musical hat fits Nicole Yarling. For more than a decade, she has been a part of South Florida's musical world as a singer and violinist, working in jazz, rock, R and B, experimental music and a few other styles that defy description."

Nicole's musical excursions have brought about stints with Dizzy Gillespie, and three years on tour as a featured soloist with Jimmy Buffet. She also participated on Buffet's platinum-selling CD, Fruit Cakes, and then went on to do eight worldwide tours with her own project, Little Nicky and the Slicks.

Nicole's notable talent has a virtue all its own, but it would be remiss not to mention the late great vocal legend Joe Williams. Joe "discovered" Nicole through a series of events and adopted her as his very own project. He recognized this diamond in the rough, gleaming through, and began to invest in seeing Nicole rise to the top. Joe Williams Presents Nicole Yarling at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild was born as a result. This unique performance captures Nicole in her element and reflects her undeniable charisma.

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Album Review

Nicole Yarling: Joe Williams Presents Nicole Yarling Live at Manchester Craftsmen

Read "Joe Williams Presents Nicole Yarling Live at Manchester Craftsmen" reviewed by Dave Nathan


Sponsored and released by Manchester Craftsmen's Guild of Pittsburgh, PA, this CD records a live concert by vocalist/violinist Nicole Yarling at the Guild's Hall. Introduced by the late and sorely missed Joe Williams, Ms Yarling presents a mixed program of traditional popular material, two of her own originals and some straight-ahead standards by the likes of Miles Davis, Eddie Harris and George Shearing -all with mixed results. One gets a preview of coming attractions with the first cut where"The Best ...

154
Album Review

Nicole Yarling: Joe Williams Presents Nicole Yarling Live at Manchester Craftsmen

Read "Joe Williams Presents Nicole Yarling Live at Manchester Craftsmen" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Vocals and Fiddle. In what would prove to be his last recording, Joe Williams presented the recording debut of a serious vocal talent, Nicole Yarling. Yarling, a native of Florida, was “discovered” and nurtured by Joe Williams and this disc represents her entrée into recorded jazz. A passing of the baton.

Before this disc, Yarling was a relative unknown, nationally, mostly honing her craft in Southern Florida. Influenced by everyone from the Beatles to Stuff Smith, Yarling went on to ...

118
Album Review

Nicole Yarling: Joe Williams Presents Nicole Yarling At Manchester Craftsmen's Guild

Read "Joe Williams Presents Nicole Yarling At Manchester Craftsmen's Guild" reviewed by Joel Roberts


When Joe Williams puts his imprimatur on an unknown singer and uses his considerable influence to give her career a boost, it's worth paying close attention. The unknown singer (and violinist) in question is named Nicole Yarling and Williams not only sponsored her debut album, he lent his majestic voice to the project in what's billed as his final recording before his death last March 29.

As for Yarling, it's clear from the first notes of Joe Williams Presents... why ...

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