ANN MALCOLM
B i o g r a p h y
The American singer Ann Malcolm’s musical journey began in her home state of Iowa where she was born and raised in the small town of Belle Plaine. She began piano at the age of four, listening nearly daily to her grandmother who had been a pianist for silent movies. After adding the saxophone at age ten, Ann says, "I knew very young that I wanted to be a musician. In Iowa Ann had many opportunities to build up a strong musical foundation. During the high school years Ann played organ every Sunday in the Congregational Church next to an intensive schedule of music contests and master classes on the saxophone. Ann received the Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Iowa and it was in Iowa City she had her first engagements as a jazz singer. Ann received the Master of Music degree (saxophone performance) at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with the highly respected professor, Joe Allard. At the same time, she continued singing with New York guitarist, Paul Meyers ( guitarist with vocalist Andy Bey, Annie Ross, Janis Siegel among many others). Her studies in Boston included vocal workshops with Sheila Jordan and lessons in New York with Helen Merrill. At New England Conservatory she also was involved in the Third Stream Department, created by Gunther Schuller, including classes with pianist Ran Blake. She was often sought out by fellow musicians who appreciated her excellent time, intonation and sense of musical line. Ann proved to be an exciting and expressive vocalist at the Charles Mingus Memorial Concert.
After attending saxophone master classes in France with Jean-Marie Londeix and Daniel Deffayet she moved to Switzerland to study further in the Konzertklasse at the Musik-Akademie der Stadt Basel with Iwan Roth. On the saxophone Ann has played and toured with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich, Opera Orchestra Zürich, Basel Symphony Orchestra, Hessischer Rundfunk Orchestra, as well as with the saxophone trio Europort.
Ann trained vocally with the classical singers Jacob Keller in Bern, Eva Csapó, and Eva Krasznai in Basel, Akos Stefi, Budapest and private jazz studies with Vince Benedetti and soon became well known in the Swiss jazz scene. During these early years of her vocal career she also gained valuable studio experience singing radio spots and recording backing vocals for European stars such as Caterina Valente, Vico Torriani, Paola, and André Paquinet at the Swiss Radio, then DRS. In the late 1980’s and 1990’s she was the featured vocalist with the Peter Jacques Band, Alex Bally Orchestra, Victor Burghardt Orchestra, Vince Benedetti Tentet and Heritage Big Band, Cojazz, Ten In One Orchestra and Stage Four Band.
Ann’s first vocal jazz recording, “Invitation” Cojazz (Andy Scherrer, piano; Isla Eckinger, bass; Peter Schmidlin, drums) featuring Ann Malcolm, was released on TCB Records, Montreux in 1988. In July 1992 Ann appeared with the trio Cojazz at the Montreux Jazz Festival at the TCB Jazzclub Q's.
Ann Malcolm's CD " Incident'ly " was in the top 10 of vocal jazz releases in 1994 in Japan. The CD was recorded by Rudy van Gelder at Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey with Kenny Barron,piano; Ray Drummond, bass; Keith Copeland, drums, and Andy Scherrer,saxophone. This recording features Ann’s lyrics on compositions by Thelonious Monk, Tom Harrell and Kenny Barron.
A reunion with the trio Cojazz in 2000 resulted in the CD " Scenes of Christmas ", available worldwide. Recorded by Max Bolleman, at Studio 44 in Holland the CD creates a special timeless atmosphere. Bassist Ray Drummond wrote about Ann in the liner notes of " Scenes of Christmas " that her voice is "singularly unique and instantly recognizable". One definitely hears the influence of an experienced instrumentalist as well.
With the trio Robi Lakatos, piano; Reggie Johnson, bass; and Keith Copeland, drums, Ann toured several seasons performing in clubs and on festivals in Germany, France, Hungary and Switzerland. The CD “RSVP” on Mons records,Germany. 1998, documents this period in her career.
On the international jazz scene, she has performed with Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, Keith Copeland, Brian Lemon, Szakcsi, Robi Lakatos, Vince Benedetti, Junior Mance, Reggie Johnson, Ákos Holéczy, James Woode, Martin Wind, John Betsch, Fritz Pauer, Peter Tuscher, Dre Pallemaerts, Mario Gonzi, George Robert, William Evans, Alvin Queen, Marc Abrahms, Andy Scherrer, Matthieu Michel, Jürgen Seefelder, and Thomas Stabenow.
The CD, “Shadows Who Dance”, recorded by Daniel Dettwiler ( “Idee und Klang”, Basel ) at Radio DRS, Zürich was released in November 2007 on Mons Records, Germany. The rhythm section is Colin Vallon,piano; Bänz Oester,bass; and Dejan Terzic,drums and includes creative sound design by Hannes Kumke. Ann’s abilities as a lyricist are again evident on lyrics to Sascha Schönhaus’s “Bruno’s Dance” and “I’m Into You” ( “Dig”) by Miles Davis. This quartet toured in Switzerland 2006-2009.
The recording “The Crystal Paperweight”, ABEAT records, Italy was released in Sept. 2010. Arranged for octet by the great trumpeter, composer and arranger Tom Harrell, this very special work includes 4 new lyric versions of Tom Harrell’s compositions and a second recording of Before Dawn (“Sail Away”), previously recorded by Ann in 1994 at Van Gelder Studio, New Jersey, with Kenny Barron. As a producer, singer, lyricist and saxophonist Ann combines all the facets of her musical talents on this project.
With pianist Florian Favre, a new duo project began with a spontaneous CD recording entitled “Essence” which was released in April 2014 on Mons Records, Germany. First performances of this duo begin in December 2014.
Ann is a fascinating singer between mainstream and modern jazz. Her concerts are “events” at which she shares her love for beautiful melodies and unusual repertoire. One of her trademarks is a mix of material from jazz, classical and pop music. She says, “ I never separated musical genres in my mind. It was always one big world of music for me.” All of her recordings represent this personal philosophy, combining instrumental melodies without lyrics, classical melodies, jazz standards, pop songs and originals. The instrumental element she brings to her vocal performances is always present in her fine tuned clarity and rhythmical energy. A deep relationship to emotion packed lyrics and storytelling are also characteristics which infatuate the audience at Ann’s performances.
Ann is Professor for vocal jazz and workshop at the Hochschule für Musik, Abt. Jazz, in Basel as well as Professor for vocal jazz at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Mannheim, Germany. She is also an internationally active educator for workshops and expert at contests (see www.jazzfest.it/workshop/docenti.htm, www.voice-and-guitar.de 2006/2007/2008/2010, Masterclass at University of North Texas 2013.)
B i o g r a f i e
Ann Malcolm ist in Iowa, USA geboren. Ueber ihre Großmutter Goldie, die als Pianistin und Organistin für Stummfilme gespielt hat, kam sie mit dem Jazz in Kontakt. Im Alter von vier Jahren begann Ann, Klavier zu spielen, mit zehn Jahren kam das Saxophon als zweites Instrument hinzu. Während ihrer High School Zeit in Belle Plaine, Ann Malcolms Geburtsstadt, spielte sie drei Jahre lang jeden Sonntag in der Congregational Church die Orgel. „Die schwung-vollen Melodien, die meine Großmutter spielte und die spirituellen
Lieder, mit denen ich allsonntäglich den Gottesdienst begleitete, bilden das musikalische Fundament meiner Beziehung zur Jazzmusik“.
An der Universität von Iowa studierte Ann Malcolm Musik. Zu dieser Zeit bekam sie auch ihre ersten Engagements als Jazzsängerin. Bei Joe Allard, ihrem hochangesehenen Saxophon-Professor des „New England Conservatory of Music“ in Boston, machte sie ihren Master.
Das Studium in Boston beinhaltete Gesangs-Workshops bei Sheila Jordan sowie Unterrichtseinheiten bei Helen Merrill in New York. Am New England Conservatory besuchte Ann Malcolm den Unterricht des von Gunther Schuller gegründeten „Third Stream Departments“ unter der Leitung von Pianist Ran Blake.
Begleitet vom New Yorker Gitarristen Paul Meyers arbeitete Ann, parallel zum Studium, an ihrer Gesangskarriere. Ihr exzellentes Timing, ihre präzise Intonation und ein ausgeprägtes Gespür für Melodien machten sie zu einer gefragten Sängerin in der Szene.
Nachdem Ann bei Jean-Marie Londeix und Daniel Deffayet in Frankreich die Meisterklasse für Saxophon besucht hatte, zog sie in die Schweiz, um in der Konzertklasse von Iwan Roth an der Musik-Akademie der Stadt Basel ihre Ausbildung fortzusetzen. Am Saxophon spielte und tourte Ann Malcolm u.a. mit dem Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, dem Opernorchester Zürich, dem Basler Symphonieorchester und dem Hessischen Rundfunk Orchester.
Weiterhin war sie Teil des Saxophon-Trios „Europort“.
Im Begleitheft zu ihrer CD „Scenes of Christmas“ (TCB Records, Montreux) beschreibt Bassist Ray Drummond Ann Malcolms Stimme als „absolut einzigartig und sofort identifizierbar“. Ann Malcolms breites musikalisches Spektrum und ihre fundierte Ausbildung zur Instrumentalistin machen jede der sieben CDs, die sie mittlerweile aufgenommen und produziert hat, zu etwas Besonderem.
Für „Incident’ly“ (Sound Hills Records, Japan, aufgenommen von Rudy van Gelder in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, mit Kenny Barron, Piano; Ray Drummond, Bass; Keith Copeland, Schlagzeug; Andy Scherrer, Saxophon) schrieb Ann Texte zu Kompositionen von Thelonious Monk, Tom Harrell und Kenny Barron, mit denen sie Textverträge hält.
Die Aufnahme „The Crystal Paperweight“ (ABEAT Records, Italy) entstand aus einer außergewöhnlichen Zusammenarbeit zwischen Ann und dem herausragenden Trompeter, Komponisten und Arrangeur Tom Harrell, der alle Songs eigens für Ann arrangierte. Als Sängerin, Texterin, Saxophonistin und Produzentin konnte Ann Malcolm in dieses Projekt all ihre musikalischen Talente einbringen.
Ihre neueste Veröffentlichung „Essence“ (MONS Records, 2014), eine Duo-Aufnahme mit dem Pianisten Florian Favre, wurde vom Schweizer Radio Fernsehen SRF gesponsert. Ann Malcolm, „die Quintessenz des klassischen weiblichen Jazzgesangs“ (Roche ‚n Jazz)
schafft bei ihren Auftritten „eine intime, unter die Haut gehende Atmosphäre“. Sie ist des weiteren Professorin für Jazzgesang an der Musikhochschule Mannheim und tritt mit ihren
eigenen Bands in Jazz Clubs und auf Festivals in ganz Europa auf.
