Support All About Jazz's Future

All About Jazz needs your help and we have a deal. Pay $20 and we'll hide those six pesky Google ads that appear on every page, plus this box and the slideout box on the right for a full year! You'll also fund website expansion.

I want to help

Susan Krebs

A native of Baltimore, Susan Krebs grew up in a home filled with the sounds of Bach, Beethoven, Gilbert & Sullivan, Broadway Musicals, Billie, Ella, and the blues of Bessie. She studied acting in New York City with Uta Hagen and appeared in Off-Broadway plays and musicals and TV commercials, as well as performing with the improvisational theater company, War Babies. She moved to Los Angeles many years ago, where she continued her acting career, including appearances in film, theatre, radio and TV commercials, and dozens of TV shows. She performed her own solo musical revue, LUNAR I, and was part of the all-women’s improvisational company, the Wims, as well as appearing in the contemporary opera, A String of Pearls, both in Los Angeles and at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Theater.

Throughout Susan’s career as an actor and improviser, she has also been performing as a jazz vocalist, and studied with the great jazz singers, Sue Raney and Sheila Jordan. simple gifts is Krebs’ fifth CD. Her other CDs include Jazz Gardener (1999), What Am I Here For? (2002), Jazz Aviary (2007), and Everything Must Change (2012).

An avid gardener and bird lover, Krebs says her work is “about the art of becoming - whether working with plants or music or with oneself - to dig down, to cultivate, to encourage growth, to thrive and flourish, and eventually to let go and begin the cycle anew.” simple gifts is a true musical collaboration imbued with Krebs’ spirit and vision.

“Stage, screen and TV actor and vocalist, Susan Krebs, decided a few years ago to devote herself fully to singing, and the jazz world is a better place for it. Krebs’ voice is rich and pure with an enticingly dusky patina. Blessedly free of affectation, she rivals Karrin Allyson and Diana Krall in her ability to climb inside a lyric and make it seem as if she’s lived there her entire life...” ~Christopher Louden JAZZ TIMES

“Susan Krebs has nothing but fondness for our feathered friends��”and expresses her joyous affection magnificently throughout this fascinating concept project... irresistible offerings from a formidable jazz artist...” ~Jonathan Widran/AMG

Susan’s ongoing project is the critically acclaimed multi-media concert JAZZ AVIARY ��” a celebration of Birds and the universal music we share - conceived and performed by Susan in collaboration with the Soaring Sextet, with Musical Direction by Rich Eames. Susan explains her longtime fascination with birds: “I remember as a kid, lying stretched out in a hammock between two grand sycamores, watching the birds, listening to the birds - digging the birds! With JAZZ AVIARY, I want to express the wonder and awe that birds arouse as well as raise awareness for their beauty and preservation.”

Show less

CD/LP/Track Review

Simple Gifts by C. Michael Bailey
Simple Gifts by Dan Bilawsky
Everything Must Change by C. Michael Bailey
Everything Must Change by Jack Bowers

February 18, 2012

Rockwired.Com's All New Jazzed and Blue Podcast Features The Susan...

NEW Reviews for “Everything Must Change”:

“From Baltimore to Los Angeles, as an actor or singer, Susan Krebs - the self- professed “jazz gardener” - likes to dig, cultivate, grow, and flourish. Krebs' music wraps itself around the listener like a big hug. How can one not enjoy the whole grain, organic pleasure of jazz classics about spring, love, flowers, and stars? These are eight tunes that clearly provide considerable meaning, direction, and personal reflection for Krebs. They're the kind of songs that allow for plaintive, soothing contemplation. Whether a Cole Porter classic (”What Is This Thing Called Love?”) or Billy Strayhorn tune (”A Flower is a Lovesome Thing”), the songs don't rush things. The creative, four-to-six minute arrangements allow for warm, expressive conversations between the vocalist and instrumentalists. Krebs' earthy vocal presence is surrounded by the intimacy of her longtime collaborators, Rich Eames (piano) and Jerry Kalaf (drums). Together, they co- produced this project like their last - the enthusiastically received Jazz Aviary (2007). Ryan McGillicuddy (bass) and Chuck Manning (saxophones) round out the quintet for this current project. The closing feel-good single, “Are Ya Havin' Any Fun?” also taps Scott Breadman (percussion), Steve Huffsteter (trumpet), and Riner Scivally (guitar) for a carefully cultivated full combo sound. In her interpretive cover of Bernard Ighner's “Everything Must Change” (featuring Chuck Manning's fine sax work), Krebs proclaims in song: “Rain comes from the clouds/Sun lights up the sky/And music...Sweet music/Oh music makes me cry.” Thus, Krebs displays her love of good songs, as well as the emotional and symbiotic relationship that she intimately has with them. Throughout the entire set she exudes confidence, delivering the musical goods in a sturdy, self-assured, affable manner. She's a sincere singer whose ballads and sense of swing remind me of Shirley Horn. At the same time, think Sheila Jordan for the witty interpretation that Krebs and company provide in the joyously refreshing closing number.” ( Joe Ross/Blogcritics.org)

“Krebs has the latitude to make the music she wants to make and add her own special sauce as and when needed. Here we have an intimate, gutsy jazz vocal date where she isn’t afraid not to hold back an emotion. Making it seem like she’s doing what comes naturally, her latest is a side step away from her past outings and she once again shows that she can handle any facet of jazz singing.” (Chris Spector/Midwest Record)

“Refreshing...A wonderfully eclectic release with an N.P.R vibe and a warm rich sound that works hand in glove with her vocals. A somewhat personal release which reflects upon some favorites of Krebs and the current social-political climate we live in today. Normally when an artist begins mixing social commentary with their music and especially jazz then my attention span and tolerance level are equivalent to the interest I have in an Obama press conference. The release works because it does not push a message but instead shines the spotlight on the music which Krebs delivers with a refreshing honesty and clearly shows her comfort zone as an artist.

  Working with long time collaborators Rich Eames and Jerry Kalaf has a subtle chemistry that brings the music and vocals together in a nice working band setting. The joy of making music is nice. The joy of making good music is Susan Krebs.

Everything Must Change opens with a spot on version of the Freddie/Hubbard/Abbey Lincoln tune “Up Jumped Spring.” The Cole Porter classic “What Is This Thing Called Love” along with the Billy Strayhorn tune “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing” showcase Krebs unique ability to reinvent a timeless standard without disrespecting the original or herself and this is the true sign of an artist. An intimate all most live studio sound seems to permeate this recording giving new meaning to the often tired critical term “organic.”   

Having shifted a career away from stage, screen and television it would appear Krebs has made the correct career decision with pursuing singing as her vocation of choice. In her press release Krebs describes her musical odyssey as ”the art of becoming” and given the 24/7 learning curve that is life she seems to be an artist blessed with a clear focus and understanding of how to best develop her talents.

Krebs closes the release with her feel good single ”Are Ya Havin' Any Fun?” which she describes as her feel good single for challenging times. As a jazz vocalist Susan Krebs offers a nice vacation from the trials and tribulation of everyday life and Everything Must Change is well worth the trip!”  (Brent Black/CriticalJazz.com) 

REVIEWS for JAZZ AVIARY:

“Irresistible offerings from a formidable jazz artist... A lot of great jazz interpreters gather great songs together, but few do it as well and convincingly as Krebs.” (AMG)

“Stage, screen, TV actress and vocalist Susan Krebs decided a few years ago to devote herself fully to singing, and the jazz world is a better place for it. Krebs’ voice is rich and pure with an enticingly dusky patina. Blessedly free of affectation, she rivals Karrin Allyson and Diana Krall in her ability to climb inside a lyric and make it seem as if she’s lived there her entire life...” (Christopher Louden / JAZZ TIMES)

“Susan Krebs, a talented singer with wit and energy...” (L.A.Times)

“... there’s just love and joy and gratitude for the inspiration which motivated this full-throated song fest... Krebs’ interpretive passion, intelligence, and love for the project can be heard throughout.” (Bob Gish / Jazz Improv)

Show less