Liane Carroll (p, voc) Roger Carey (bg) Mark Fletcher (d)
Having been something of a stalwart of the British jazz scene for many years, Liane has in the last four or five years gone on to enjoy huge critical acclaim and is now considered by many to be one of the UK’s top jazz vocalists. A typical case of “overnight success” after twenty years of paying her dues! We’re proud to have booked her many times since her first tape (recorded on her first gig at Ronnie Scott’s) arrived in Swanage in 1995.
Having toured with the likes of Gerry Rafferty, Gerry Donahue, Sir Paul McCartney, London Elektricity and Long John Baldry, it was in 2003 with her first solo release, ‘Billy No Mates,’ (Splash Point records) that she was first recognised as a solo artist to watch. Recorded entirely live with just vocals and piano, it is a haunting and intimate collection of jazz standards and originals tinged with a soul sensibility that is at the same time fragile and powerful and often intensely moving. This went on to win her two BBC Jazz Awards at the 2005 ceremony. She was the first to pick up two of these awards in the same year – a record which she still holds.
2005 saw the release of her next album ‘Standard Issue,’ (Splash Point records), which featured her celebrated trio, along with special guest jazz greats; vocalist Ian Shaw, guitarist John Parricelli and saxophonist Bobby Wellins. It proved a hit with the critics and went on to garner a further two British Jazz Awards and a Marston Pedigree Award. The BBC then chose to make her the subject of an hour-long documentary for BBC4, which included a live performance from the Brecon Jazz Festival.
Since 2006, she has played many festivals in the UK, Europe and further afield, including some of the biggest – Cork, Cheltenham, Brecon and the London Jazz Festival. She has also made numerous radio broadcasts for BBC Radio 2 and 3 with the BBC Big Band and BBC Concert Orchestra, and sold out two three-night residencies at London’s Ronnie Scott’s and Pizza Express Jazz Clubs. She also picked up the 2008 Parliamentary Jazz Award for “Musician Of The Year.” This means she has now won a major jazz award every year since 2003.
Liane Carroll
Her 2009 duo album, “Live At The Lampie” (Splash Point records), featuring the acclaimed Scottish jazz pianist Brian Kellock was a big critical success.
Liane and her trio performed two extremely well received shows in New York at the Lincoln Center and the Rochester Jazz Festival and have just this month returned from a highly successful tour in Ireland, with four dates in Belfast.
“Close to musical perfection” Jazzwise
“World-class” John Fordham – The Guardian
One Comment
I saw Liane perform last night at the Christ Church in Rochester for the RIJF. I had never heard of her nor seen her. She blew me away!!!!!! What a voice…..what a personality…..what a talent…..what a sense of humor……what fun. I didn’t want it to end. I will buy her new CD immediately.