FULL LEGAL NAME: Ingrid Kristy James

PLACE OF BIRTH: Australia

EDUCATION: *Grad. Dip. Film & TV (Australian, Film, Television & Radio School, Sydney)

*Grad. Cert. Vocal Pedagogy (Contemporary Voice, specialising in jazz) @ The Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, Australia

Ingrid James is an Australian jazz singer songwriter and international recording artist. As a songwriter she specialises in mainstream/contemporary/bebop/cool/ original and Brazilian music and is well known for her note perfect delivery as a performer of Jazz.

Early Years

She studied classical voice with Tatjana Hitrina, Brisbane contemporary voice at the Australian National Academy of Music and jazz flute with Rick Pethick, while performing soul, r’n’b, jazz fusion, jazz funk and jazz rock. Her first paid singing gig was singing backing vocals for a Children’s program “Happy Go Round” (Paul Sharratt as host) 1979.

She then toured the east coast of Australia with a soul group ‘Jamaica’ for a year before winning ‘Stairway to the Stars’ - a Queensland vocal television competition – singing contemporary Jazz Standards.

Ingrid then worked for ABC TV while completing post- graduate studies in Film and TV with AFTRS (Australian, Film Television and Radio School) (Sydney) where she received an Academic Award and the Industry Colorama Prize for Black and White Photography.

For the second half of her 10 year tenure at ABC, Ingrid directed News/Current Affairs/Countrywide and Music clips. She also performed as a singer on ABC’s program “In Person with Wiley Reed” produced by Dianne Parr.

Whilst at the ABC, Ingrid initiated the link between local musicians and documentary filmmakers. After leaving the ABC to have a family, she continued to direct music clips for Australian country music artists such as Lee Kernaghan, Brent Parlane, Gina Jeffreys, James Blundell, Melinda Schneider, Keith Urban, Ted Egan, Colin Buchanan.


2001 – 2010

After her children were born she decided to return to her first love of music, and particularly jazz. In 2001, she completed post-graduate studies in Vocal Pedagogy (majoring in Jazz Voice), studying with Dr. Irene Bartlett and Adele Nisbet at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music (receiving an Academic Award for Excellence). She also did some private studies with Kerrie Biddell, Sydney.

Since 2001, Ingrid has been producing and hosting a monthly Jazz Singers’ Jam Night at the Brisbane Jazz Club. She is passionate about nurturing vocal jazz in the music fraternity while spreading the love for vocal jazz through the wider community. She currently facilitates master classes for national and international artists.

She has toured the UK, France, Czech Republic and Australia and has performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra as well as the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra in several concerts at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Gold Coast Arts Centre.

Her recording career started in 1991 with her first album ‘Captured’ (ABC Music), followed up in 2001 with ‘Just Visiting’ (Independent) which won a SUNNIE Award for Best Jazz CD. Lazy Afternoon followed in 2002 winning another SUNNIE for Best Jazz CD.

Ingrid then started working with Newmarket Music, in 2005 and released ‘Essence’ which was quickly followed up with ‘Portrait’ in 2006 winning QMUSIC award for Best Original Jazz Song “Time to Be, co-written with Louise Denson.

Circumflex, was Ingrid’s third album with Newmarket Music in 2009 which featured a mix of jazz and latin standards.


2010 – Present

Currently she is involved in a joint original project – “Wild Silk Quintet” and “Wild Silk String Project” with musical colleague Louise Denson (Canadian born/Australian pianist/composer/educator). Ingrid is a member of the Brisbane Contemporary Jazz Orchestra (MD: David Humphreys), she performs regularly with Julian Jones as a duo (James’n’Jones) and has her own quartet – Ingrid James Quartet with John Reeves, Andrew Shaw and Paul Hudson.

Ingrid has recently done 2 CD recording projects with LA based ensemble San Gabriel 7 (bandleader: Jim Lewis/arranger: Dave Cushman) with featured artists Bill Watrous (trombone) on “Lost My Heart” (2012) and Eric Marienthal (sax) “Blue Confluence” (2014).

Her most recent album “Trajectoire” (a French/Australian joint originals project between Ingrid and jazz pianist Alexis Tcholakian, based in Paris) is to be released mid-year 2015. Ingrid continues to perform in Australia and overseas as well as teaching privately while co-ordinating workshops and masterclasses.

Part of Ingrid’s focus as a musical educator is to work with emerging jazz singers and jazz festivals throughout Queensland Australia which allows her to spotlight rising talents of a new generation of jazz singers. She has also been a featured mentor and professional artist and mentor for the winners of Queensland State High School’s Creative Generation from 2008 – 2010.


ACADEMIC & OTHER AWARDS: • [1] • Academic Award Photography (Black and White) QUT (Queensland University of Technology) • Colorama Prize for Photography (Industry Award) Via (Queensland University of Technology)

   .	  [2]

MUSIC AWARDS: • [3][4][5] • Finalist Bell Award for “Essence” 2006 DISCOGRAPHY: [6] Originals and jazz standards. Recorded at ABC, Queensland with Paul Draper

[7] Jazz standards w/Nathan Seiler (pno) & Peter Walters (bass) (“SUNNIE”Award Best Jazz CD)

2002 “Lazy Afternoon” with Passionfruit (Independent) Jazz standards/original w/Nathan Seiler (pno), Peter Walters (bass), Dave Sanders (drums) Recorded @ ABC “JazzTrack” Studios (Producer: Mal Stanley) – “SUNNIE” Award Best Jazz CD

[8]

[9] Recorded w/Helen Russell (bass); Joe Marchisella (drums); Mark Spencer (sax); Carl Harvoe (tpt) “QMUSIC” Award for Best Original Jazz Song “Time to Be” (writers Ingrid James & Louise Denson) – Producer Matt Hitchcock (Griffith Uni, Queensland Conservatorium of Music)

[10] Jazz and latin standards with re-workings of Songs from Beatles, Beach Boys & Cream. Duo CD with John Reeves (pno) (Song “Strange Brew” featured on ABC Music’s compilation national release “Under the Covers” 2011)


DISCOGRAPHY (CONT…)

[11]


[12]

[13]

Recordings on other artists projects: [14]


[15]

       Latin/Jazz/Funk/Originals

Recorded with Eric Marienthal (alto sax); Jim Lewis (trombone); Kye Palmer (tpt/flugel); Glen Berger (sax); Matt Weisberg (pno); Jonathan Pintoff (bass); Randy Drake (drums); Steve Gregory (guitar); Scott Breadman (perc.)

[16]

Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).2008, 2009, 2010.

~ Facilitates jazz workshops with visiting national and international artists (such as: [17], [18], [19] (US), [20] [21], [22], [23] [24], [25], [26], Trudy Kerr (UK), Cathy Segal-Garcia (US), Janet Seidel, Matt Baker, Chris McNulty, Dan Barnett, Nic Jeffries, etc.,

~ Conducts masterclasses and workshops in London [27] - (Toulon, Marseilles, Montbardon), Australia (Devonport, Mackay, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Kiama, Warwick, etc.,)

~ Queensland Eistedfodd Adjudicator

~ Tutored at Queensland University of Technology (Music) on improvisation and at All Hallows’ School including workshops at various schools.


Web page: https://www.ingridjames.com


Memberships:

  • Australian Association of Teachers of Singing (ANATS)
  • Australian Voice Association (AVA)
  • Jazz Queensland (Advisory Board)


Career Highlights:

  • Toured & recorded “Lost My Heart” with [28] in 2012.
  • Support act as part of Allan Brown Big Band for Frank Sinatra at the Kit Kat Club (opening of Sanctuary Cove, Australia)
  • Co-lead with Donald Cant (“Phantom of the Opera) in a tribute to Cole Porter with Maestro Tommy Tycho and

The Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) @ Queensland Performing Arts Theatre (QPAT) as well as Gershwin concerts with QSO and Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) at QPAT and Gold Coast Arts Centre with Tommy Tycho and Conductor Frank Dobbs; “Spirit of Christmas” with Simon Burke & QSO (televised nationally ABC); Schools concerts with the QSO; performed with Tom Burlinson and his All Star Jazz Band @ Jupiters as part of Broadbeach Jazz Festival; re-opening of Brisbane’s Town Hall for the Major’s Gala dinner; appointed Queen of Noosa International Jazz Festival 3 times between 2003 and 2014; performed at many Australian jazz festivals including Melbourne International Women’s Jazz Festival, Kiama, Bellingen, Valley Jazz Festival, Darwin Jazz Festival, Brisbane International Jazz Festival, Spiegeltent as part of the Brisbane Festival, Noosa Jazz Festival, Devonport Jazz Festival, Norfolk Island Jazz Festival, Gold Coast Jazz Festival, Magnetic Island Jazz Festival, Darwin Festival, etc.,

Performed at [30]and Prague…

  1. ^ Academic Award Vocal Pedagogy – Queensland Conservatorium of Music (Griffith University)
  2. ^ Finalist ATOM Awards for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Children’s Education)
  3. ^ Queensland Music Industry “SUNNIE” Award for Best Jazz CD – “Just Visiting”
  4. ^ Queensland Music Industry “SUNNIE” Award for Best Jazz CD – “Lazy Afternoon”
  5. ^ QMusic Award – Best Original Jazz Song for “Time to Be” – co-written with Louise Denson
  6. ^ 1991 “Captured” – Live at Middenbury (ABC Music)
  7. ^ 2001 “Just Visiting” with Passionfruit (Independent)
  8. ^ 2005 “Essence” (Newmarket Music) – Jazz standards w/Matt Baker (pno); Adrian Cunningham (sax); Owen Newcomb (bass); John Parker (drums)
  9. ^ 2006 “Portrait” (Newmarket Music) Originals & bebop Collaboration with Louise Denson (pno).
  10. ^ 2009 “Circumflex” (Newmarket Music)
  11. ^ 2010 “Reunion” (Jazzizit Records/The Planet Company) Classical jazz and modern standards. Collaboration with UK based singer Trudy Kerr. Recorded in London with Geoff Gascoyne (bass); Tom Cawley (pno); Sebastian de Krom (drums)
  12. ^ 2011 “Pangaea” – Ingrid James & The Global Collective (Newmarket Music) Joint collaboration with US Paul Armstrong(tpt) & Todd Harrison (drums) Songs from contemporary 70’s covers with South American rhythms and grooves.
  13. ^ 2015 “Trajectoire” – Ingrid James & Alexis Tcholakian (To be released) Joint project/collaboration of original works by Ingrid and Alexis. Recorded in Paris with Alexis Tcholakian (pno, France); Simon Teboul (bass, France); Thierry Tardieu, (drums, France); Mariane Bitran (flute, France/Denmark); Simon Spang-Hanssen (sax, Denmark); Miroslav Bukovsky (tpt, Australia)
  14. ^ 2012 “Lost My Heart” – Ingrid James & San Gabriel 7 (Independent) – Exec Producer: Jim Lewis Producer: Kye Palmer/Arranger: DavidCushman Jazz/Latin/Funk/Originals Recorded with Bill Watrous (trombone); Jim Lewis (trombone); Kye Palmer (tpt/flugel); Frank Villafranca (sax); Randy Drake (drums); Matt Weisberg (pno); Jonathan Pintoff (bass); Steve Gregory (guitar) – Producer Kye Palmer.
  15. ^ 2014 “Blue Confluence” – Ingrid James & San Gabriel 7 (Independent) – Exec Producer: Jim Lewis Producer: Kye Palmer/Arranger: David Cushman
  16. ^ 2011 “Flame Tree” (Louise Denson Latin Group) Originals by Louise Denson. Ingrid co-wrote “Wild December Wind” with L. Denson
  17. ^ Bill Watrous (US)
  18. ^ Jim Lewis (US)
  19. ^ Dave Cushman
  20. ^ Randy Drake (US)
  21. ^ Aaron Goldberg (US)
  22. ^ Reuben Rogers
  23. ^ Greg Hutchinson,
  24. ^ Eric Harland
  25. ^ Libor Smoldas (Prague)
  26. ^ Pete Churchill
  27. ^ (Guildhall School of Music), France
  28. ^ Bill Watrous (7 time winner for Best Trombonist of the year “Downbeat Magazine”) & San Gabriel 7 (SG7)
  29. ^ Recorded “Blue Confluence” with Eric Marienthal and SG7 (2014)
  30. ^ Ronnie Scotts in London, 606 Club (Soho, London), Spice of Life (London), Jazz Pizza Express (CD launch, “Reunion” with Trudy Kerry, London); opened Blue Note Jazz Club in Monaco Jazz Festival and performed at several other jazz clubs and concerts in France (including Montbardon Jazz Festival)