About me: Born into a family of musicians from Upstate, New York, Calabria Foti
(Cah-LAH-bree-ah FOE-tee) was completely immersed in music from the very
beginning. Says Ms. Foti, "As a kid I was always around some kind of
music. On any given day, I could hear my mother playing Chopin Etudes in one
room, while in another room my father would be playing Bach Partitas on
trombone, and on another day they would be playing American Songbook standards together, like Gershwin, or Porter or Berlin, or sometimes a song they wrote. It was a great way to grow up!"
Highly trained and gifted musicians, her parents passed on amazing intrinsic musical skills to their daughter (including an incredible memory and understanding of music after only one hearing) and their deep love for music and education. "We were always going to classical concerts and jazz clubs, so consequently, I got a great deal of exposure to both sides of the "musical tracks". I have been in love with all genres of music ever since."
Calabria's first instruments were jazz guitar and bass. And because of her
love for classical music, she also took up the violin and became very
successful, including holding positions of concertmaster and associate
concertmaster in several orchestras.
By age 12, in addition to playing several instruments and seriously studying the
violin, Calabria was singing and performing in nightclubs and hotels with her
musician parents and their colleagues. Her parents introduced her to the music
of the vocalists who would become her biggest influences: Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr, and Judy Garland. Says Ms. Foti, "I absolutely loved those singers, and the songs they performed are just so well-crafted and wonderful, and those artists made those songs their own. When I sing, I want to connect with my audience on that same emotional level, as well as on many musical levels. The artists that
we remember most were not only great singers, but great performers, and great entertainers because they made that connection with the audience and made them feel good."
Apparently, she learned her lessons well, as today’s music industry giants have praised Ms. Foti’s amazing vocal talent, and her unique way of making a connection with her audience. Legendary songwriter Johnny Mandel says, "Calabria is truly a marvelous singer in every way. She has all the technique and musicality you could want, and has the ability to tell a story and touch your heart." Sarah Vaughn's arranger, Sammy Nestico says, "Calabria is the complete artist - totally lyrical, adding her own fresh approach to every song." Over and over, critics remark how she draws out the “bare essence” of a lyric, just by singing the notes with unadorned sincerity, making her songs fresh and full-faced, as if each were important news. She brings emotion, intelligence and ultra-high standards to the music, and has that rare quality of “letting you in on the little secret she seems to be keeping.”
Calabria Foti is almost a kind of musical Renaissance Woman. In addition to her
talents as a performer, she is also a gifted songwriter and vocal arranger. Her passion for music education has led her to coaching and conducting vocal and string ensembles of all performance levels in both jazz and classical music. Having a natural ability for teaching and a thoroughly engaging manner, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of both vocal and instrumental music into every educational setting. She is welcomed as a beloved guest artist to colleges and music camps across the US. Early in her career, Calabria gravitated to Los Angeles, becoming an in-demand violinist and vocalist in the recording studios. Her voice has been featured in motion pictures, including the recent, “Guess Who?” and her solo violin can be heard on the theme to the long-running PBS show, Great Performances.
Her latest CD, "A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening" released in October (2007), has received rave industry reviews. Says Ms, Foti, “I wanted to make a romantic jazz album that people could put on when they cuddled up with someone special, a record that would “put them in the mood!” The CD is a rich collection of lush ballads, edgy jazz and Broadway show tunes. Says Ms. Foti, "I love doing themes, and the theme of this record is a long evening of romance, from beginning to end." Legendary singer Johnny Mathis, The King of Romance Himself, says, "One of my greatest pleasures in life is listening to a beautiful voice. This recording of Calabria Foti's voice is some of the most beautiful and artistic music I have ever heard. Her heart and mind are on display in every well-chosen song. It is a treasure . . . what a joy." Saxophonist Dave Koz says, "Calabria's voice is gorgeous, the tracks with orchestra are stunning and the feel of the record is fantastic!” Trumpeter Chris Botti says, "Calabria is a gifted artist who puts her unique signature on each of these great standards", and producer/arranger Jorge Calandrelli says, "When I first heard Calabria, I felt I had discovered a hidden treasure."
Calabria, reflective of all the attention, adds, "I just feel so lucky to be
able to sing and express my emotions through these wonderful songs. I'm so
grateful that people still want to hear this great music and I love being able to
perform it for them. There is nothing more I could ask for."
Beaches MySpace Layouts Gallery! Create Your Own Layout Here!
Ciao! Guarda il mio secondo cortometraggio, "La Mostra", realizzato tra il 2007 e il 2008 a Milano. Finora è stato proiettato allo Spazio Anteprima (Dicembre 2008, Torino), al Piemonte Movie (Marzo 2009, Torino), e all'interno della rassegna "La Mostra", a Bisignano (Gennaio 2009).
A breve vi aggiornerò sulle riprese del mio terzo lavoro, "Abitudini"...
A presto Gregory
La Mostra scritto e diretto da Gregory Fusaro con David Zampieri, Enea Montini, Gregory Fusaro, Luigi Marelli
Musiche di Alberto La Riccia
Trama: Due ragazzi, un pittore e uno scrittore, organizzano una piccola mostra di scrittura/pittura. All’inaugurazione però non c’è nessuno. I due artisti sono piuttosto delusi, sia i conoscenti che gli estranei li snobbano e li aggrediscono, considerandoli dei perditempo. I due ragazzi non nascondono le loro difficoltà artistiche, ma perseverano, cercando di studiare per migliorare, con la speranza di essere capiti da qualcuno. L’obiettivo da raggiungere è quello di imporre la loro arte. Anche se le persone intorno mostrano scetticismo, il loro desiderio di emergere inizia a essere più forte di tutto.
Have fun at that upcoming gig with Cathy S-G (I got an email from her about it). Wish I could come - I have an out-of-town gig that weekend - but please let me know about other upcoming shows as I definitely want to come see you!
In 2009, the Hollywood F.A.M.E. Awards will present ONLY four awards in the following categories for motion picture achievement to INDEPENDENT film makers and actors. The remainder of the awards will be presented to celebrity recipients.
OUTSTANDING MOTION PICTURE FEATURE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR OUTSTANDING PRODUCER
Click on this photo link to learn more about Grammy award winner and 2008 Hollywood F.A.M.E. Award celebrity recipient David Kershenbaum.
In 2009, the Hollywood F.A.M.E. Awards will present ONLY four awards in the following categories for motion picture achievement to INDEPENDENT film makers and actors. The remainder of the awards will be presented to celebrity recipients.
OUTSTANDING MOTION PICTURE FEATURE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR OUTSTANDING PRODUCER
Click on this photo link to learn more about Grammy award winner and 2008 Hollywood F.A.M.E. Award celebrity recipient David Kershenbaum.
It's our exclusive jazz promotion site. We know how important it is to get your name and your music out everywhere. We have placed over 1,500 musicians into over 250 jazz playlists. Each day hundreds of jazz fans come to this site to listen to our playlists. These people are music buyers. If you have a CD to sell or just want more people to visit your MySpace page, get your spot on this site ... today!
OK… I’ll admit it. It was your MySpace picture that caused me to click the “add to friends” button. You see; I have been playing in Big Bands since before puberty. It was right after the voice change – and all other associated changes - that I started playing with several professional Big Bands… bands in which the girl singer was a main attraction.
So there I was, peaked you might say, sitting in the trombone section within the soft sounds of a jazzy ballad, the bright stage light in my face, watching the gently curved silhouette of the girl singer plying her craft and mesmerizing the dancers in the darkness of the dance floor. Oh, and the whole while trying to read the music without missing any notes.
Good times I have to say… and your picture brought that all back to me. Thanks for the rekindling those memories and for being my MySpace friend. Jim
