The core of my band (when all of our schedules mesh) is Sam Steffke ..boards, Hal Miller on bass and Jim Ryan on drums. I have also been blessed with the opportunity to have a semi-steady gig on Fridays with Milwaukee jazz piano legend Frank DeMiles.
On my latest project: "Secret of Life," I was joined by some of the areas best musicians including: the aforementioned trio of Sam, Hal and Jim - my dream trio!; Scotty Van Domelen (currently on tour with Glenn Miller Orchestra) and Streetlife's Warren Wiegratz on saxophones; Steve Lewandowski, Jack Grassel and Peter Mac on guitar; and vocalists Alaria Taylor, Barb Stephan and Chris Cole.
Influences
Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Mel Torme, Janis Siegel, Stan Getz, Errol Garner & Miles Davis.
Sounds Like
"Ellen Winters is one of the area's most respected jazz vocalists. [In her sophomore effort, Secret of Life,] Winters' voice caresses proven songs like 'Celebrate Me Home' and 'Wings to Fly,' giving them life and dimension." --Brian Barney, The Shepherd Express
Thanks for involving me in your sophomore cd which is a MASTERPIECE!!! Oh my GOD!!!! This thing is just going to totally blow up, and if you don't win a bunch of WAMIs this year (and a few retroactive ones as well), I'm giving mine back !! -- Sam Steffke, jazz pianist/multi-year award winner for Wisconsin Area Music Industry Pianist of the Year
An award-winning jazz singer, Ellen is devoted to keeping her music fresh while still paying tribute to the great jazz artists of the past. A student of trad-jazz, Ellen has studied with some of the best vocal jazz educators/arrangers in the country including Phil Mattson, Steve Zegree, Ron McCurdy, Steve Tyler and Chip McNeill. Ellen’s current project, Secret of Life, is a unique blend of popular and original tunes re-arranged to fit the jazz idiom.
“Beautifully done and so sweetly sung!” – Peter Eldridge, singer/songwriter & member of the Grammy award winning group New York Voices
Ellen has sung in award winning vocal jazz groups VoicesIowa and Gold Company and has performed at the Montreux and North Seas Jazz Festivals in Europe, the Rocky Mountain Jazz Festival in Banff and the Monterey Jazz Festival Sea Cruise. As a soloist, Ellen has performed jazz and cabaret all over the country. She has been featured at wonderful venues like Danny’s Skylight Cabaret and Rose’s Turn in New York City and the Third Ward Summer Sizzle, Bastille Days and Summerfest stages in Milwaukee.
“If you think NY and LA are the only places to be, have I got news for you. Ellen Winters breezed through town for an intimate CD release party at Upstairs at Rose’s Turn and turned it upside down with her rocking jazz/pop stylings. Ellen is a gifted songwriter as well. I’m listening to her fabulous 2nd CD, Secret of Life, as I write this.” — Kevin Scott Hall - Upstairs at Rose’s Turn
Ellen continues to be sought after as a jazz and cabaret singer throughout Milwaukee and the Midwest, while working as a clinician, adjudicator, and arranger. Ellen is also on staff as a voice teacher/coach at the Waukesha Conservatory of Music as well as several locations/schools in Southeastern Wisconsin. She is also on the Private Voice Faculty at Columbia College in Chicago. Both of Ellen’s CD’s are available on Amazon and CD Baby, as well as Ellen’s live performances. Ellen is signed to 251 Records, a Chicago-based independent label.
Hi Ellen, I trust that your holiday season was as wonderful as mine!!! I hope all is well and you are living your dreams! Give me an update when you get a minute!! HUGS
Hello Ellen! Thanks for the friendship Wonderful voice & singing !!! MERRY CHRISTMAS my dear friend! Hugs, all the best to you and yours Love from St.Petersburg,Russia Vera :)
I was just thinking about you. I have a girl sax player who is moving to the area and really want to sing jazz music. she is very much into women in jazz. The student who was supposed to come, never did. I will look on your page to see when you have a gig near here so we can see you together. if not she may have to catch you in MLK solo.
My t-shirt says woo-hoo! Yours says giddyup. Both say "SHINY!" on the back. It's a project. How about the rest of our friends? Hi. When are you free? xoxo
Thanks. Ah, yes. The "snug". She actually lets me call her that right in front of everybody now. In her ealier years, she wouldn't allow it. She's kickin' ass in the program this year.
hi miss E!!!! I miss seeing your fun lovingself. things are pretty boring but trying to work something out, trying fing a producer so I could try to put together a demo, I'll just use the people in the R&B Ensemble probably. I'll work out something. How r things with you? Plenty of gigs I see. that is great. hope to see you soon. call if you can. Love Ya
Hey girl!! I am so sorry I have not been in touch! I have been so crazy busy with everything going on! I am still working on getting up to see one of your shows again soon. I hope your holidays were wonderful. I will talk to you soon!
