Prakash Wright, Piano--Yuka Tadano, Acoustic Bass--Ahmad (Benny) Medina, Jaelun Washington, Drums
------Personnel on CD, Hello, I Remember: Arlington Jones (Straight No Chaser/Get It Straight and Willow Weep For Me/My Prayer Is Already Answered) and Gregory Slavin, Piano, James Gilyard, Acoustic Bass, Shelley Carrol, Tenor Sax and Andrew Griffith, Drums.
Alternates: Chris Villanueva, Roger Boykin-piano; Cedric Israel, Buddy Muhammad Contra Bass; Joseph Goff, Electric Bass; Andrew Griffith, Daniel Tchenko-Drums
Influences
LIFE and....My Mother Bettye, my admiration Betty Carter, my Sister Sandra, my Dad Eddie, my scattin' Uncle Gene, Tommy Hopkins Jr., John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Ella of course, Nancy, Marlena Shaw, Shirley Caesar, all the GREAT Tenor Players, Stevie Wonder, Thelonious, Billie on a special day, Eric Dolphy in a special mood, Hugh Masakela, Marchel Ivery, Gerald Wilson, Buddy Miles, Jimmy Hendrix, Sade in the pocet, Pops, Elvin Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Miriam Makeba, Tania Marie, Sweet Honey in the Rock, old movie musicals; the harmonies of African singers, the soul of down home Blues singers. Those of whom I am not physically aware. Those who can make beautiful music when their hands and feet are tied.
Sounds Like
Available for purchase online at Amazon, CDBaby, and by contacting my website.
Available locally in Dallas at the South Dallas Cultural Center, CD Source, and Sandaga Market
Jazz Vocalist Carla Norris grew up banging out blues riffs on the piano when she could hardly walk. Her mother's love of all musical genres was her early childhood education. Later the sensitivity of Coltrane sparked a desire in Jazz's direction.
Funk, RnB, Top 40 and various Pop bands later she settled into the music of the Jazz masters. Invited to open for Bobby Blue Bland in Chicago and another invitation to sing in Paris sealed the deal, but only after having quit the music scene for over 13 years.
Now, making up for time away, each note is precious, each emotion genuine, each song, personal. From Bop to Swingin' Pop, "Jazz with training wheels", Standards or the Funky, jazzy stuff, Carla does it.
Carla's style is reminiscent of the traditional Jazz singers' on-the-spot, improvised riffs interplaying with those on stage with her and the audience. She especially likes the style of Betty Carter and Ella Fitzgerald and feels that affinity with their spirt> Carla also loves the great Tenors - especially the git down Texas Tenors. She is a musicians' singer. Listen and feel closely.
"...for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." Isaiah 12:2b
"Live to Live" Carla
