Wendy Kirkland Quartet
Wednesday 6 November 2019 8.30pm Churston Golf Club
“The unsung heroine of British Jazz” Ian Mann jazz critic
Fougou Jazz is proud to
present an evening with Wendy Kirkland as part of her UK tour celebrating the
great female singer pianists who have earned their rightful place in jazz
history.
Pianist, singer and Hammond organ player, Wendy will perform music representing
jazz piano divas – including Diana Krall, Eliane Elias, Blossom Dearie and Nina
Simone, and others deserving attention – such as Shirley Horn, Dena Derose,
Carol Welsman and Tania Maria.
Wendy Kirkland is a world class jazz pianist and vocalist whose debut album
‘Piano Divas’ made such an impact when it was released in March 2017 that it
was immediately snapped up for distribution by Discovery Records and made the
Album of the Week slot twice in one year on The Jazz UK radio, shortly followed
by overwhelming critical acclaim from the national mainstream and jazz press.
More airplay of the album followed on Clare Teal’s Radio 2 show, Alyn Shipton’s
Jazz Record Requests on Radio 3, Helen Mayhew’s shows on JazzFM and latterly
BBC Radio Scotland by Clare Teal’s Scottish counterpart Seonaid Aitken. All
have noted her swinging style, equally as adept with the Great American
Songbook as with Brazilian bossa nova and her own original songs.
Described as “the unsung heroine of British Jazz” by esteemed jazz
critic Ian Mann and “mellow and stylish” by Clive Davis of the Sunday
Times, Wendy will be performing songs from her album which contains fresh
arrangements of songs made famous by jazzwomen who started out as pianists then
learned to serenade the audience too, as Wendy has done. Wendy tells the story
of these women and how they inspired her to strive to become the UK’s leading
exponent of jazz piano and voice, with equal merit in both.
Wendy is joined by a band who have performed with the UK’s top jazz players. On
guitar, Pat Sprakes cut his jazz teeth with Tony Kofi and Darius Brubeck and
has performed for Robben Ford. Pat is an excellent accompanist as well as a
clear and melodic soloist whose influences include Wes Montgemery and George
Benson. With Paul Jefferies on double bass and Steve Wyndham on drums.
“One of the great unsung
heroines of British Jazz – the lucid warmth of her singing is complemented by
her highly accomplished piano playing” – The JazzMann
“Terrific pianist and
singer. Assured and full of surprises.” – ★★★★ Dave Gelly, The Observer
“Kirkland impresses
on every level. Superb. Recommended.” ★★★★ Matt Ruddick, Kind of Jazz