Born in New York City, she grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey. Her first musical
instrument was the piano, which she began practicing at age four. Her
singing began while in high school with local choirs and performing with a
few select classical vocal groups across the U.S. and other venues abroad.
Most memorable was a seven-country tour of Europe in 1996 with the U.S. Youth Chorale.
As a student Melissa received numerous awards including 3 gold cups in the New Jersey Federation of Music solo piano competition, top ranking in the New Jersey all-state choir, and runner up for the New Jersey Governor's award for vocal music.
Inspired by the classic recordings by Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Nancy Wilson and Sarah Vaughn, Melissa pursued her love of Jazz through studies of music. She attended the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, studying with many prominent artists. During her tenure, she appeared with the conservatory's Jazz and Latin Jazz Orchestras and was featured vocalist with the Purchase Jazz Band during a 1999 tour of Spain. She graduated from the Purchase in 2002 with a B.A. in music.
She has since performed as a regular at several of New York's top jazz
venues; Cleopatra's Needle, Flute, G Bar, Smalls, Smoke and St. Nick's Pub
to name a few. At that time, Melissa performed with her own trio; as well as with other artists in the New York area. She was featured in performances with Jon Faddis and the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars at the Blue Note in New York in 2001. In 2002 Melissa performed at the New York Women of Jazz Festival at Smoke jazz club. Around this time she was also a guest on the Metro TV-NY program "Where to hear jazz in New York City".
Melissa competed and became a semi-finalist in the 2004 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in Washington D.C.,
"the most prestigious jazz competition in the world, hosted by Billy Dee Williams and Herbie Hancock. Judges for the competition were luminaries Quincy Jones, Al Jarreau, Kurt Elling, Jimmy Scott, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Flora Purim. Melissa eventually moved to Los Angeles, California where she has
pursued a recording career and can be heard at numerous venues in the area."
CD: Until I Met You (2009)
Melissa Morgan's "until i met you" All About Jazz (excerpts)
 Many young jazz vocalists reach into the book of standards for their first recording. Melissa Morgan follows the tradition, but in a way that works to her advantage.
Personnel:
Melissa Morgan: vocals;
Gerald Clayton: piano;
Randy Napoleon: guitar (1-4, 9);
Joe Sanders: bass;
Kevin Kannar: drums;
Christian Scott: trumpet (1, 3, 6, 8);
Tim Green: alto saxophone (3, 5, 8);
Ben Wendel: tenor saxophone (3, 6, 8);
Francisco Torres: trombone (3, 8)
"The tendency of new recording artists to cover standards can work against them as they're not giving the audience anything they haven't heard. However, Morgan succeeds with the combination of her vocal style and free-spirited arrangements. Until I Met You, named for the Donald Wolf and Freddie Green classic, is an excellent introduction to Morgan."
~ Woodrow Wilkins - All About Jazz
Reviews:
“For her debut release, Melissa Morgan wanted a gritty, retro vibe evocative of classic jazz
vocal albums of the 1950s and ’60s. She also wanted to pay tribute to such heroines of that era as
Nancy Wilson, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan. On both counts she succeeds admirably,”
“Fans of vocal jazz will love Melissa Morgan. Her vocal tone is sophisticated and complex. Many
singers belt (you can just pick a pop diva for an example), using a big, loud sound, like the the
clarion call of a trumpet. Some use a whipsy flute-like tone singing almost in falesetto
(like Dido, for instance). Melissa Morgan, though, is more like a saxophone, or a rich
english horn. Couple that tone with her obvious knowledge of jazz singing, and you've
got a jazzer's delight.”
Melissa - "Until I Met You"
Melissa's Website
|
| | Copyright
© 2012 | DC Bebop.com |
DC Bebop on Reverbnation -
Facebook