Ingrid James + Pete Churchill Quartet (Album Launch)
Ingrid James is an award-winning Australian jazz singer, recording artist, lyricist and educator who, over the last 25 years or so, has established herself as one of Australia’s leading jazz vocalists. With nine albums to her name, her projects have included collaborations with international artists from Paris and Prague to London and Los Angeles, giving her an enviable international status. In addition Ingrid is Festival Director for the Brisbane Vocal Jazz Festival (2016 to present); Producer of International Jazz Day events from 2019 onward at the Brisbane Jazz Club; Women of the World jazz events as part of International Women’s Day and the Producer/Host of Voices of Tomorrow for high school jazz instrumentalists and vocalists.
Pete Churchill has been working as a composer, pianist, singer and educationalist for almost 30 years. Currently Professor of Jazz Composition at the Royal Academy of Music and Head of Jazz Voice at the Brussels Royal Conservatoire, he has performed with the likes of legendary Jazz singers Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan, has been a member of both Kenny Wheeler’s and Abdullah Ibrahim’s Vocal Projects and was the conductor of the Kenny Wheeler Big Band. He is the Founder/director of ‘The London Vocal Project’ (LVP) which includes work with the likes of Sir John Dankworth, Dame Cleo Laine and Bobby McFerrin as well as the critically acclaimed album ‘Mirrors’ with Wheeler and Norma Winstone MBE. After a lengthy collaboration with the iconic Jazz singer/lyricist Jon Hendricks, Pete and LVP travelled to New York to present the world premiere of Jon‘s “Miles Ahead”.
The album Ingrid and Pete are launching this evening, “Search for Peace”, is a result of a collaboration long in the making. They have known and admired each other for many years as a result of Pete’s trips to Brisbane to teach and perform, as well as Ingrid’s visits to the UK (where over the years, she has appeared at the Club on a number of occasions). The combination of Ingrid’s thoughtful and creative approach to everything she does combined with Pete’s brilliant arrangements and sensitive musical framing have created a unique musical offering - an album of depth and maturity, which promises to translate to a truly absorbing and exciting evening from two masters of the genre.
“James' exceptional voice…beautiful vocals” All About Jazz; “Churchill… a piano master and superb vocal arranger” AustralianJazz.net; “Ingrid James has a special ability to convey real, almost tangible emotions. You can feel her voice embracing and caressing you.” AustralianJazz.Net