IJS presents Carla Cook and Her Trio

FEATURING LONNIE PLAXICO - BASS, JARRETT WALSER -DRUMS, AND YAYOI IKAWA - PIANO.

ABOUT CARLA

Jazz great Carla Cook is a singer's singer. A favorite of the legendary Aretha Franklin, she brings all her influences to bear within her repertoire -R&B, European classical, Motown, Blues and Gospel, and deep sense of swing. Carla eschews labels and refuses to become a jazz purist or snob. She simply sings what she loves, bringing an earthy sophistication to every song in what has become her signature style.

During her formative years, Carla studied privately voice, piano and string bass, the latter of which she played in her high school orchestra. After leaving the Motor City, she moved to Boston to attend Northeastern University and earned a degree in Speech Communication. While in Boston, she formed the first of several jazz ensembles and set about the business of her trade. After five years she traveled to Europe and from 1993-1994 Cook served as a guest vocal and ensemble instructor at the Jazzschule in Basel, Switzerland, and Jazz and Rock Schule in Freiburg, Germany. She returned to New York two years later and her work included singing with Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra and George Gee’s Make Believe Ballroom Orchestra. By the late 90's, Carla was singing on a full-time basis and recording several critically acclaimed CDs for the MAXJAZZ, including the Grammy-nominated “It's All About Love.” The CD enjoyed favorable reviews and in addition to the Grammy nomination in the Best Jazz Vocal Performance category, was awarded the AFIM Indie Award for Best Jazz Vocal in 2000.

Cook performs globally both with her own groups, most notably 'the Carla Cook Quintet,' and as a guest soloist with artists including Eric Reed and old friends Regina Carter and Cyrus Chestnut (both of whom have become young luminaries in the jazz world). Her eclectic venues include the digital realm as she is featured as a character in the Sony PlayStation games, Um Jammer Lammas and Parappa the Rapper 2, and she has said that it is a dream of hers to appear with her favorite characters on Sesame Street.

After absolutely killing it last spring, she returns to Clement's with her working trio of jazz greats Nat Adderley, Jr. on paino, Kenny Davis on bass, and Jerome Jennings on drums for another evening of sublime swing.

RSVP early as sets will go quickly and space is limited.

******************************************************************************************************

Check out the livestream on the Clement's Place Jazz and IJS Facebook pages and on our YouTube channel -

https://www.facebook.com/events/407513298157352/?ref=newsfeed

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf8W7q1qlz0yt5Ebcn4tkSQ

https://www.facebook.com/InstituteJazzStudies

Host or Publisher The Institute of Jazz Studies Rutgers-Newark