About
With the release of her 2010 debut record, Unveiled, Natalie John transcends the role of jazz vocalist and presents a collection of music stemming from diverse traditions which exemplify her own wide palette of musical taste. “This is what exciting music is: challenging and eye-opening”, says C. Michael Bailey of All About Jazz. A challenge to the listener may not be her intention, but nonetheless she heeds no caution when exploring her own artistic voice. Her music applies the passionate voice of a jazz singer at heart to the tensions of jagged rhythms and complex, lush harmonies. The compositions are highly personal and speak through subtle poetry of loves lost, love in bloom, the downfalls of a modern age, and overcoming self-doubt. In addition to her collection of original songs, Natalie interprets the music of Rodgers and Hart, as well as the music of her dearest inspiration, Joni Mitchell. The production of Unveiled was widely supported and guided by her co-producer Dominic Fallacaro, who played the role as pianist, keyboardist, arranger and co-composer on several tracks on the album. Rounding out the band is a strong group of musicians: Travis Reuter on guitar, Aidan Carroll on bass, and Stuart Bidwell on drums.
Natalie has been a member of the New York City music scene since 2006, but her musical journey started at childhood in Northern California. At age 7, she began singing in girl’s choir. At age 13, she picked up the trumpet. At age 16, she delved into the world of jazz records, and soon after started her love affair with performing jazz and improvised music.
Upon entering college at University of Southern California in Los Angeles, she studied with a formidable jazz faculty which included Alan Pasqua, Shelly Berg and Tierney Sutton. There, she earned the 2005 John Coltrane Foundation Scholarship and the 2006 Downbeat Award for Best College Vocalist. Natalie completed her undergraduate degree at the New School University in the fall of 2007, where she studied with Reggie Workman, Junior Mance, Rachel Z, Jane Ira Bloom, Kate McGarry and many other inspiring artists in New York City. She participated in the prestigious Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead artist residency at the Kennedy Center in the spring of 2008. In the same year, she was selected from an international draw of musicians to participate in the Banff Centre’s 3-week International Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music in Alberta, Canada, under the direction of world-renowned trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas.
Natalie has performed in Los Angeles at the Blue Whale, Tangier, the Lighthouse, the Hotel Cafe, and the Mint. She has performed in the San Francisco Bay Area at Yoshi’s Lounge, the Panama Hotel, and the legendary no name bar. With various ensembles, Natalie has performed in New York City at Carnegie Hall, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, 55 Bar, Zinc Bar, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Sweet Rhythm, Rose Live Music, Cornelia St. Cafe and more. Internationally, the Natalie John Quartet was featured at the 2005 Lima Jazz Festival in Peru, where she shared the bill with Maria Schneider, and other international jazz greats. In 2011, the Natalie John Group toured Mexico, performing to a full house at the country’s top jazz venue, Zinco Jazz Club. During the fall of 2010 and the spring of 2011, she toured India with the Ed Degenaro Band, presenting clinics and performing in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai.
Natalie recently shared her talents on South Indian guitarist Prasanna’s upcoming album (release info. TBA). She has also performed with Ingrid Jensen’s quintet, Rachel Z’s Department of Good and Evil, Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra, Gabriel Alegria’s Afro-Peruvian Sextet, and groups led by Vardan Ovsepian, Curtis MacDonald, Adam Klipple, and more. She has recently explored the role of multi-instrumentalist as trumpeter and keyboardist with the Ed Degenaro Band.
She has taught vocals, trumpet, composition, and music theory at the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music in Chennai, India, USC’s Jazz Reach program in Los Angeles, CA, Own the Mic Workshop in Novato, California, and guest clinics at Marymount High School in Cuernavaca, Mexico and at the Calcutta Classical Guitar Society in Calcutta, India.
