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Jeff Baker

Called “…one of the best male vocalists in the jazz world today,” by WCLK in Atlanta, Jeff Baker has quickly become one of the most significant talents in the next generation of jazz vocalists. His diverse musical recordings, exciting live performances, and infectious energy and personality have gained him accolades from critics and listeners alike. Baker has headlined numerous festivals and clubs, and has shared the billing and played with some of jazz music’s top artists including: Ray Brown, Gene Harris, Brian Blade, John Patitucci, Steve Wilson, Bobby Hutcherson, Carla Cook, Marquis Hill, the Yellow Jackets, Mose Allison, Kenny Werner, Joey DeFrancesco, Joe LaBarbera, Bruce Barth, Darrell Grant, Karrin Allyson, Nancy King, Henry Butler, Dave Frishberg, Gene Harris, Orrin Evans, Clark Sommers, George Colligan, Randy Porter and many more!

Jeff has performed throughout the U.S., and has enjoyed performance engagements in central Europe and South Africa. His four critically acclaimed CD releases on the Origin/OA2 Records imprint have charted on the ‘Jazzweek’ International Radio Top 50, have been played on over 200 stations internationally, were Top 5 on NPR’s nationally syndicated “Jazz Works” radio program, and were #1 on stations in Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Portland, Buffalo, St. Louis, Cape Town, SA and New Zealand.

A graduate of Willamette University, Baker has also been sought after as a jazz educator, adjudicating numerous festivals, and working in clinics with some of the nations very best high school and college jazz programs. As one of the ‘founding fathers’ of the ArtsWest School for Performing and Visual Arts, Baker helped create one of the top High-School Jazz programs in the country. His students have won over 100 Top Awards at festivals and competitions throughout the U.S., including being named finalists to the Monterey Jazz Festival ‘Next Generation Competition’ in 2010, 11’, and 12’ and winning 10 Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards, including the 2010, 2012 and 2013 High School Vocal Solo Winners, and the 2012 Winner for Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble. Additionally, Baker’s groups have been invited to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Portland Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, and the National Cathedral.

Jeff is an ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) Certified Clinician/Adjudicator, a past member of the International Association of Jazz Education (IAJE), and a current member of the Jazz Education Network (JEN), the National Association for Music Education (NAFME), and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS or the GRAMMY Foundation).

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10
Album Review

Jeff Baker: Phrases

Read "Phrases" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


After a seven-year absence, vocalist/composer/arranger/educator and foremost fan of the Boise State Broncos, Jeff Baker has returned to the studio to add to his already impressive discography, which includes: Baker Sings Chet (OA2, 2004); Monologue (OA2, 2005); Shopping for Your Heart (OA2, 2007); Of Things Not Seen (OA2, 2009). The distance between the earthy, basic Of Things Not Seen and the present airy and ethereal Phrases is a vast one. Baker increases his instrumentation dramatically, from a quintet ...

5
Reassessing

Of Things Not Seen

Read "Of Things Not Seen" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


How Jeff Baker avoided full coverage at All About Jazz is beyond me, but now is a fine time to write this wrong. In 2009, Baker took a professional and stylistic chance in producing a jazz treatment of songs from the American Christian Songbook, Of Things Not Seen. He had worked up to this bold statement with his preceding recordings: Baker Sings Chet (OA2, 2004); Monologue (OA2, 2005); and Shopping for Your Heart (OA2, 2007). Proving deft and smart with ...

161
Album Review

Jeff Baker: Shopping for Your Heart

Read "Shopping for Your Heart" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Jeff Baker's first major exposure came at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, backed by the Lionel Hampton Trio. The vocalist was sixteen years old at the time. He'd won the Jazz Fest's solo vocal competion, and he had the word “promising" written all over him. He has since released three CDs on OA2, the promising Baker Sings Chet (2004), the excellent Monologue (2005), and now the near-perfect Shopping for Your Heart.The “just play" recording approach employed for this ...

138
Album Review

Jeff Baker: Monologue

Read "Monologue" reviewed by Stephen Latessa


Monologue is not the most appropriate title for vocalist Jeff Baker's followup to Baker Sings Chet. To his credit, Baker cedes plenty of the spotlight to his band. The result is far more conversational than its title would lead one to believe.

Singers seem to fall into one of two categories. The first is the Tony Bennett/Nat King Cole type, acting as a warm and trusted friend you can turn to when you are down and out. The ...

141
Album Review

Jeff Baker: Monologue

Read "Monologue" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Vocalist Jeff Baker--who'd just earned a degree in Music Education--took a risk and put the money he'd saved for grad school into making a CD. That was last year's Baker Sings Chet Baker (OA2 Records). Baker's good debut didn't rise to the level of top-notch excellence of his second outing, Monologue --sophomore jinx be damned. A good deal of the credit for the step up into the upper class of male vocalists lies with pianist Bill Anschell, Nnenna ...

121
Album Review

Jeff Baker: Baker Sings Chet

Read "Baker Sings Chet" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Jeff Baker is a Boise, Idaho native with a New York state of mind. His debut recording, Baker sings Chet, pays tribute less to Chet than to the music the late vocalist made his own. Jeff Baker has a beautifully smooth and confident vocal style that would sound appealing singing polka music. Backing Mr. Baker is an exquisite septet that sounds damn near like a big band. This swinging little-big unit tears it up with pithy and intelligently ...

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5

Recording

"Phrases," Jazz Vocalist Jeff Baker's 5th Album & First To Feature His Original Music, Due January 19 On OA2 Records

"Phrases," Jazz Vocalist Jeff Baker's 5th Album & First To Feature His Original Music, Due January 19 On OA2 Records

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

After a seven-year hiatus from recording, contemporary jazz vocalist Jeff Baker is preparing to release Phrases, his fifth and most ambitious album to date. The new CD, due from OA2 Records on January 19, marks Baker’s debut as a composer, with seven of the album’s songs featuring his music and lyrics. The album takes its title from Baker’s use of what he calls “prompts” from favorite works of fiction, poetry, and song, among them texts by Pablo Neruda, J.D. Salinger, ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Phrases

OA2 Records
2018

buy

Of Things Not Seen

OA2 Records
2009

buy

Of Things Not Seen

OA2 Records
2006

buy

Monologue

OA2 Records
2005

buy

Baker Sings Chet

OA2 Records
2004

buy

Lost

From: Phrases
By Jeff Baker

Be Thou My Vision

From: Of Things Not Seen
By Jeff Baker

What'll I Do

From: Shopping for Your Heart
By Jeff Baker

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