Fini Bearman

Fini Bearman is a London based singer, multi-instrumentalist & composer, who has a ‘rare sense of melody running through her eclectic compositions, full of catchy twists and turns’. Her music melds diverse influences from jazz, folk and contemporary music into an 'arresting and uniquely personal' sound. Sometimes dealing with settings of poetry and other times original lyrics, ‘her voice, effortlessly moves between a light precision and warm soulfulness is unmistakably her own’. Fini released her latest album 'Burn the Boat' in October 2016 and it has already received much glowing reviews from peers and critics including ****'s from Jazzwise, allaboutjazz, the Guardian and the arts desk.

'.. (Fini) has an irresistible voice... She is an expressive singer, and an intriguing composer and lyricist...' Bruce Lindsay, allaboutjazz.com

Since graduating with an MMus in composition and performance, Fini has built up an impressive profile performing across the UK and Europe. In 2010 she was a nominee for London Jazz Vocalist by the Global Music Foundation and in 2011 was a runner up at the 'Jazz Voices' competition in Klaipeda, Lithuania, as well as the 'Voicingers' jazz singing competition in Zory, Poland.

Fini has performed at prestigious venues across the UK including Ronnie Scotts, The Sage Gateshead, Kings Place, the 606 Jazz club, Pizza Express Dean Street and the Barbican, as well as European venues including the A-Trane, Schlott (Berlin), Cafe Mercedes Jazz (Valencia) and New York venues Dizzys (Jazz at the Lincoln Center) and Smalls. She has also performed at numerous festivals including the London Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, Cambridge Jazz Festival, City of London Festival, Southport Jazz Festival, Berlin Jazz Festival and Howden Jazz Singers Festival.

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Album Review

Burn The Boat by Bruce Lindsay
Porgy And Bess by Bruce Lindsay
Step Up by Bruce Lindsay

‘...Skilful and accurate... wistful soulfulness’ (John Fordham)

'...The incredible improvised poetry of Fini Bearman' 'A Guide to UK Jazz in 2017' - Bandcamp Daily

Burn The Boat ‘…A stunning album..A thing of unsurpassed beauty. One of the most memorable collections of self-penned songs you’ll hear this year’ **** 'recommended' album of 2016 Peter Quinn (Jazzwise)

'The multi-talented Fini Bearman' Ian Mann (thejazzmann)

'...With a warm, clear and expressive voice she brings a sense of realism and even practicality to her storytelling style.' Heraldscotland.com

'A beautiful recording

‘...Skilful and accurate... wistful soulfulness’ (John Fordham)

'...The incredible improvised poetry of Fini Bearman' 'A Guide to UK Jazz in 2017' - Bandcamp Daily

'The multi-talented Fini Bearman' Ian Mann (thejazzmann)

'...With a warm, clear and expressive voice she brings a sense of realism and even practicality to her storytelling style.' Heraldscotland.com

'A beautiful recording. What's immediately apparent is Bearman's own commanding ability as a writer...she's on top compositional form.' allaboutjazz.com

...'Here is a writer who not only vividly communicates her own thoughts and others’, but also wraps the sung words in shifting waves of colour and texture, combining crashing breakers with coruscating pools of heart-on-sleeve emotion…' AP Reviews

'...Yes, there’s some jazz but there is a whole lot of other good stuff too: strong songwriting, finely wrought lyrics, and wide-ranging sounds... Bearman’s band adds strong grooves behind their leader’s own words and also poetry from Fernando Pesoa, Langston Hughes and e.e. cummings – and the title track is a belter! A classy release which shows how some of the most enriching music is made in the cracks between genres and where cultures meet.' thejazzbreakfast.com

'Catchy melodies, strong harmonic structures and poetic lyricism... She’s a true jazz artist' Londonjazznews.com

‘In die Reihe dieser außergewöhnlichen und auch mutigen Musiker gehört ohne Zweifel auch Fini Bearman… Mit betörender Stimme nimmt sie uns mit auf eine gefühlvolle Reise und mischt ihre Texte mit Wörtern von Dichtern wie Langston Hughes, Fernando Pessoa oder E.E. Cummings//Enchanting// Without a doubt, brave and courageous... With a captivating voice she takes us on a heartfelt and lyrical journey.'' feuilletonscout.com

'Fin och väl sammanhållen platta av Londonbaserade kompositören och sångerskan Fini Bearman, vars röst jag tycker mycket om och som verkligen står i centrum här. Singer-songwriter är väl det fack man bör använda, men ganska jazzigt intrikat vad gäller ackordföljder, rytmik och attityd. Bandet är en kvartett med solistiskt begåvade gitarristen Nick Costley-White, basisten Conor Chaplin, som lägger smarta baslinjer, pianisten (plus rhodes och syntar) Matt Robinson och trumslagaren Dave Hamblett; en elegant farkost för Fini Bearmans konstfärdiga och poetiska musik. Hon hämtar inte helt oväntat stöd hos poeter som Fernando Pessoa och E E Cummings. Bearman sjunger mycket uttrycksfullt, hennes lågfrekventa vibrato, närmast böljande, är ett starkt och effektfullt verktyg. Hon kan också växla fint mellan det lyriskt mjuka och ett grövre och mer vardagsnära tilltal. Min favoriter är den inte särskilt ljusa You bring the sunlight/I’d rather have the rain, och Gone, där Bearman körar vackert med sig själv i en väv av vardagspoetiska overdubs. Helst borde man förstås höra henne live, kanske på Seven Jazz i Leeds, staden där hon också undervisar.' http://www.lira.se/skivrecension/burn-the-boat/

'Eine mischung aus Jazz, Folk und zeitgenössischer Musik. Die Kunsterlin hat ein innovatives Album produziert, welches in keine Schublade gesteckt werden kann. Mit gegenwärtigen Grooves und einzigartig persönlicher, alternativer Pop-Sounds. Mit ihre schimmenden, gefühlvollen Stimme belebt sie die musikalische Musikwelt und nimmt den hörer mit eine intensive, emotionale Reise. Erzählt vom Mut, etwas Neues zu wagen und dem Unbekannten Vertrauen zu schenken, von Momentanen reiner Freude bis hin bis zum profunden Nachdenken über fundamentale Fragen.' Edelhagen.com

Porgy & Bess

“Call it luck, call it happenstance, call it intuition, but just occasionally every element of a recording…seems to align in a magical kind of way…reworkings that show such imagination, subtlety and depths of emotion that they immediately take up residence in your heart” Peter Quinn, Jazzwise (4 stars)

”Fini Bearman possesses a tone that is rich and fluid. Her take on Gershwin's 'Porgy & Bess' shows that she has the imagination and courage to take a different path.” Christine Tobin

“Compelling arrangements breath new life into classic material.. Bearman and her superb quintet cast fresh light on material that has long since been imprinted on our consciousness.. Bearman has never sounded lovelier.” Peter Quinn, theartsdesk (4 stars)

“… Drawing it all together…With a heartfelt naturalness and directness, is Bearman’s lovely voice, pure, delicate, and passionate.” Alison, Bentley, LondonJazz

“Bearman’s voice is at its most sophisticated. Heartbreak is rarely this beautiful… Porgy And Bess is still a magnificent achievement.” Bruce Lindsay, allaboutjazz.com (4.5 stars)

“…The richness and feeling in Fini Bearman’s delivery carries (the song) so well… All arrangements are transformatively compelling.” Adrian Pallant

”..Their contemporary approach impressively evokes the themes of oppression and loss, love and hope, a demonstration of how this work has inspired generations of musicians...” Bebopspokenhere.com

“Through it all Fini Bearman’s supple vocals by turns growl, float and skip delivered with just the right weight… an individual and emotionally charged re-working of classic material.” Mike Collins

'…An emotional intensity, heightened by the beauty of her multifaceted, soulful voice. Infused with wisdom and honesty, her lyrics enthralled, and her polished offering was unique…’ Jazzwise

'.. (Fini) has an irresistible voice... She is an expressive singer, and an intriguing composer and lyricist... A fine addition to the exciting new generation of jazz singers emerging from the UK.' www.allaboutjazz.com album review

'...Possesses something of the rhythmic freedom of Gretchen Parlato... What impresses most is the overall sweep of the album, which pulls you into a sound world all of its own.' Jazzwise review

'...An exceptional debut for this young and exciting jazz vocalist who is surely set to be a firm fixture on the UK jazz scene.' Sofia Wilde, SoundGeneration.co.uk

'Fini Bearman's talent and creativity are evident from the moment she begins to sing. With her beautiful voice, contemporary style, and cutting-edge compositions, she raises the bar of excellence for young jazz singers.' - Judy Niemack

'Fini has a rare sense of melody running through her eclectic compositions, full of catchy twists and turns. Her voice, effortlessly moving between a light precision and a warm soulfulness is unmistakably her own...' -Liam Noble

'Bearman’s gloriously theatrical performance on “I’m Sorry”, dedicated to that very British characteristic of the unnecessary apology for things that are patently not your fault was a definite set highlight, funny and painfully insightful by turns with Bearman sometimes deploying the kind of extended vocal techniques pioneered by Julie Tippetts and others.' Ian Mann (thejazzmann)

‘A quirky and modernist singer’ Time Out

'An emergent young vocalist' - Chris May, www.allaboutjazz.com

'...Sung with elegant assurance' - Chris Parker, The Vortex Jazz Club

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Primary Instrument

Voice / vocals

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

In 2017 Fini became the first professor of songwriting at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and works with songwriters, composers, and vocalists on the Jazz pathway. Fini also teaches voice and composition at Leeds College of Music and City of London University.