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Shawnn Monteiro

Exciting, captivating and completely distinctive” is how most jazz cognoscenti describe Shawnn's pulsating lyric style. Whether in the intimacy of a club date or the glitter of a Las Vegas showroom, Shawnn has delighted audiences from USA to Europe with her highly popular jazz repertoire laced with blues-oriented improvisations.

Evident in Shawnn's liveliness of lyrical phrasing and intermittent scat variations is the influences of Carmen McRae and Sarah Vaughan, from whom she draws that inner core of creative energy. But good genes help, too. Shawnn's father was the late renowned bassist Jimmy Woode, veteran of the Duke Ellington band. Throw into the mix, a lot of musical inspiration and guidance from her Godfather, Clark Terry, and you come up with a combination that can't miss.

Percussion great and latin/jazz impressario Mongo Santamaria discovered Shawnn working in a club in San Jose, California and signed her on the spot to tour with his band. Shawnn electrified audiences as his only vocalist and female percussionist during that two-year circuit where she shared the stage with such greats as Stan Kenton, Celia Cruz, the Fania All-Stars, and Weather Report.

Since then, Shawnn has shared the stage with a prestigious list of notables jazz names: Clark Terry, Red Holloway, Ray Brown, Lionel Hampton, Frank Foster and the Basie Band, Nat Adderly, Kenny Barron, Hank Jones, Bobby Durham, James Williams, Jimmy Cobb, Keter Betts, Stanley Jordan, Ed Thigpen, Johnny Griffin, and Benny Golson....to name a few.

Ms. Monteiro has delighted audiences from the USA to Europe with her highly popular jazz repertoire laced with blues-oriented improvisations and the American Songbook. The true quality of Shawnn's voice is best experienced in the ultimate setting of the club dates where her warm charisma can be personally felt by those fortunate enough to spend an evening with her,

She continues to teach Master Classes all over the world, including one ongoing every summer in Italy since 1995. She is a former adjunct Professor at the Hartt School/Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz , University of Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut and also Rhode Island College in Providence Rhode Island.

Her popularity continues to grow as club-goers from Los Angeles to Rome extol the special feelings they share as she lulls them into a mellow mood as only a sensitive jazz vocalist can do. The true magical quality of Shawnn's exciting voice is best experienced in the ultimate setting of the club dates where her warm charisma can be personally felt by those fortunate enough to spend and evening with her.

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Radio & Podcasts

Buddy Rich, Joe Zawinul and Shawnn Monteiro

Read "Buddy Rich, Joe Zawinul and Shawnn Monteiro" reviewed by Joe Dimino


Our 736th show starts with stellar vocalist Shawnn Monteiro and music off her 2021 release You Are There. We also hear what's new from Nick Finzer, Dino Govoni and Peter McEachern. Sadly we say goodbye to the powerful St. Louis-native, NYC jazz force Montez Coleman. Enjoy the jazz, my friends. Playlist Shawnn Monteiro “Never Let Me Go" More Music (Whaling City Sound) 00:00 Host talks 4:07 Sarah Vaughan & Her Trio “Just One of Those Things" Live at ...

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Album Review

Shawnn Monteiro: To Carmen with Love

Read "To Carmen with Love" reviewed by Edward Blanco


Tributes to legendary jazz greats of the past dot the landscape of today's music, but few can actually boast a direct connection to the artist of homage. Singer Shawnn Monteiro--long influenced by the beautiful voice of pianist and vocalist Carmen McRae--is an exception. Her father and godfather, bassist Jimmy Woode and trumpeter Clark Terry, respectively, both performed with McRae, and Monteiro grew up listening to stories of their experiences. With To Carmen with Love, Monteiro pays tribute to a great ...

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Performance / Tour

Shawnn Monteiro "To Carmen With Love" Tribute With Mike Renzi at Chan's Fine Oriental Dining on

Shawnn Monteiro "To Carmen With Love" Tribute With Mike Renzi at Chan's Fine Oriental Dining on

Source: Ginny Shea

Shawnn Monteiro Italian Tour Reunion featuring recent Grammy winner Mike Renzi (piano), Dave Zinno (bass), Steve Langone (drums) Saturday, February 28, 8pm $15 Chan's Fine Oriental Dining 267 Main St. Woonsocket, RI 02895 401-765-1900 A Tribute to Jazz, A Tribute to a Talent, and a Tribute to One Artist’s Effort to Keep a Memory Alive Tributes to the jazz greats of yesterday, performed by the artists of today, are many. But few of today’s ...

“A real jazz vocalist whose dad worked with Ellington and is herself a link to classy ladies like Sarah Vaughn and Nancy Wilson, this set keeps showing you how it’s really done and frippery doesn’t make it better or newer. A real penultimate set. ” - Chris Spector, Midwest Record

“...one of music's most under-appreciated vocalists...” - The Hartford Courant

“Fresh and adventuresome...a dynamic presence” - Jazztimes Magazine

SHE IS HERE! Release 10/15/21It’s been some time since we’ve heard from Shawnn Monteiro, jazz chanteuse extraordinaire. While the pandemic derailed most performance, Monteiro, who also spends a good deal of her time teaching jazz vocals in a university setting, managed to pull a recording together, and we’re all happy that she did.You Are There, her sixth release overall and third for Whaling City Sound, is the gorgeous sound of a veteran vocalist whose artistry is crafted in the mold of Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McCrae, and Nancy Wilson.

Lisa Yves
vocals

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

You Are There

Whaling City Sound
2021

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To Carmen with Love

Whaling City Sound
2012

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