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Linda Solotaire

Linda Solotaire is a jazz vocalist and the leader of the Linda Solotaire Quartet. She also performs repertoire with her musical partner, arranger/guitarist & bassist Stu Greenspan, a jazz duo with Saalik Ziyad and more..

Linda is classically trained in music and theatre, and began her career as an actress in the late 1970s. As a solo jazz vocalist, she is most deeply influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Abbey Lincoln, Sheila Jordan, and Judy Garland. While the Great American Songbook is at the heart of her repertoire, she strives to infuse her sets with more obscure, contemporary and original songs.

Linda is a vocalist, band leader, curator, and teacher. Her current projects: "Dreams of You: the Sun, the Moon, and Johnny Mercer", embracing the dreamy world of one of America’s finest lyricists; “Ange Blu”, reimagining the songs of Jacques Brel & Marlene Deitrich; her “Speakeasy Show”; as well as her classic jazz ensemble the Linda Solotaire Quintet.

Linda studied dance, voice, music and acting. She studied acting with William Hickey at HB Studios in NYC, and she studied voice with Typhanie Monique and Carol Loverde in Chicago. She received her BA from Columbia College Chicago. With a background in theory, classical, and 20th-century music, Linda has enjoyed roles in musical theater and in studio session work, and she has collaborated on original works with artists including conductor/composer Carmen Helena Téllez, playwright/composer Thomas Weber, new music composer Christopher Preissing, NON:op Opera Company, Small Fish Radio, Local Infinities creators Meghan Strell & Charlie Levin, and poet/composer Everette Howe.

Linda was invited to join Actors Equity Association in 1984. Since then, she has had principal roles in scores of theatrical and on-camera projects ranging from Catherine in O’Neill’s “ Mourning Becomes Electra“ to Annie in “Annie Get Your Gun“, from commercial industrial videos and multimedia to surreal collaborative films. She frequently works as a voice-over talent as well, and has performed in a variety of performance situations and venues around the world.

Linda is the founder and artistic director of True Muse Productions, a not-for-profit organization promoting live performance, in particular under-exposed music genres. True Muse produces music and other performance series, supports music education, holds workshops for artists, and subsidizes marketing and PR services for independent artists.

Musicians with whom Linda has performed: John Beard, bret Benteler, James Cornolo, Paul Cotton, Tim Fitzpatrick, Pat Flemming, Jim Gailloreto, Lise Gilly, Chris Greene, Stu Greenspan, Stephen Hashimoto, Jeremy Kahn, John William Lauler, Jean-Christophe Leroy, Michael Levin, Bob Lovecchio, Shawn Maxwell, Diana Mosquer, Joe Policastro, Abigail Riccards, Benjamin Scholz, Fred Simon, Steve Strunk, Daniel Tabion, Daniel Thatcher, Leandro Lopez Varady, and Saalik Ziyad.

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"Ms. Solotaire delivers a song with feeling and nuance... a polished professional who's coolly competent and utterly delightful." ~Chuck Kramer

"Marion Street...is a great place to have a drink, eat, and hear great Jazz sung by a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice. Make sure you go on Thursday night when Linda Solotaire is performing." ~Richard White

"She's a cool, sophisticated, and a gifted performer. Linda sings like an exotic bird and presents her material in the grand tradition of a sultry night club cabaret. Support Linda by enjoying an evening of song and romance. You won't leave before the encore!"~Jack Demuth

Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

Chicago

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Credentials/Background

VOICE COACHING Ms. Solotaire accepts private voice students interested in finding their own voice. $65 per hour. Ms. Solotaire also teaches beginning piano and voice at Allegro Music Studio in Park Ridge, IL PR & MARKETING WORKSHOPS for Jazz Musicians: Getting the Word Out: PR & Marketing Workshop for Jazz Musicians (Vocalists, Instrumentalists & Leaders) Typical workshop is 3-3 hour sessions for $180

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