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JT "HALF PINT" Kessler - Vocals.
Recordings include the following musicians:
The Unknown Blues Band,
Charles Eller - Piano,
Paul Asbell - Guitar,
Tony Markellis - Bass,
Luke Adler - Drums.
Alex Toth and The Lazybirds,
Alex Toth - Trumpet.
Pine Street Jazz,
George Voland - Valve Trombone.
Bryan McNamara and Souls' Calling,
Bryan McNamara - Alto Sax.
The Soul V Band,
Chris Diasparra - Baritone Sax.
Michael Zsoldos - Tenor Sax.
John Rivers - Upright Bass.
Harmonica Bob and The Fat Cats,
Bob MacKenzie - Harmonica.
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~A FEW REVIEWS~
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***Jazz In July '07, Performance Reviews,
UMASS-Amherst, Music Department...
"You're very unique. You have a great personality...love working with you! Your rendition of Voodoo Woman was great-you acted out the part! Loved your intro on God Bless The Child...great performance and emotion."
-Sheila Jordan, Jazz Vocalist,
recording atrist, teacher...
"Excellent vocal quality. Wonderful interpretation and phrasing of God Bless The Child...bluesy feel and attitude! Great use of vocal power when needed. Yeah! St. Louis Blues is a perfect tune for you, nice job belting it out! Excellent stage presence and eye contact with the audience. You got it!"
-Bob Ferrier, Freelance Guitarist,
teacher...
"God Bless The Child...this is a wonderful tune for you! Nice use of higher register-saving it for the end. You made us all smile!"
-Bruce Diehl, Saxophonist,
Director of Jazz Studies at
UMASS-Amherst...
"You are a really great blues singer and performer...you execute this style perfectly. You allowed the words to come through...really built the song in Peel Me A Grape. You make songs your own which is great, great, great."
-Catherine Jensen-Hole, Jazz
Vocalist, Assisstant Professor
of Music, UMASS-Amherst...
"You got it! Really great groove- vibe"
-Chip Jackson, Bassist,composer,
arranger, teacher.
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***George Voland JAZZ,
George Voland, Charlotte, VT,
"You're a fine musician and person with whom to play music, and I look forward to sharing the bandstand with you sooner rather than later."
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***Bill Reed Voice Studios,
Bill Reed, Circle In The Square, NYC,
"We've got something very special here."
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***Linda Spevacek Vocal Studio,Tempe, AZ,
Linda Spevacek, Conductor, Composer, Judge, Author, Vocal Coach,
"Incredible (raw) energy...powerful."
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***Radio Play Reviews,
Paul Bondarovski, Paris, France/ DJ Geoff, Helsinki, Finland,
"Hey, you're dangerous when singing...absolutely great! My listeners are doing their 'job', they listen...and vote: yesterday my listeners pushed you to 1.",
Midnight Special Blues Radio-Live 365.com
-Paul Bondarovski...
"I don't just like it, I love your sound...you will start to get airtime",
Helsinki's Blues Cafe-Live365.com
-DJ Geoff
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***Studio Z,
Jimmy Z, Owner, Studio Z/Fortitude,
"Easily the best female vocalsit in the state of Arizona."
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***Surprise Element Blues Band,
Joseph Ridley, Lead Guitarist/Composer,
"She is the crown jewel of my project."
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***Cherri and the Violators,
Johnny Schweitzer, Drummer,
"She lights up the room when she sings."
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***Phoenix Film Institute,
Marla Finn and Peter Stelzer,
"Peter adored you. I adore you. You are a breath of fresh, intelligent, talented air."
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***The Raskin Group,
Ferrel H. Raskin, V.P.,
"The power of her voice is earth shaking, yet she stands about five feet tall and couldn't weigh more than 100lbs."
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Influences
My biggest influences, when it comes to my heart and soul include MACK and SAM, my rocks, my sunshine!! My vocal influences come from anything that makes a sound. As for specific Jazz and Blues artists, that would include Bessie Smith, Big Mama Thornton, KOKO TAYLOR, Etta James, BILLIE HOLIDAY, Dinah Washington, Ruth Brown, JANIS JOPLIN, Nina Simone, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Nancy Wilson, Cassandra Wilson, Odetta, Lizz Wright, Carmen McRae, Betty Carter, Lydia Pense, Diane Reeves, Fontella Bass, Tina Turner (early work), PRINCE, James Brown, SHEILA JORDAN and BILL REED. I'm also influenced by musicians like RHCP, Sublime, Jack Johnson, John Legend, Jason Mraz, Corinne Bailey Rae, Gavin DeGraw, Maceo Parker, Erykah Badu, Roy Ayers, Marvin Gaye, Harry Connick, Jr., Van Morrison, Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Shemekia Copeland, Macy Gray, AMY WINEHOUSE, Lily Allen, Tito Puente, Nora Jones, Ceu, Mahalia Jackson, Beck, Dave Frishberg, Monk, Willie Dixon, Charles Brown, Led Zeppelin, Madeleine Peyroux, Susan Tedeshci, Cold Blood, Chakah and Rufus...........................
WARRIOR IN PINK...Though I have not been personally affected, I am still very affected and look to support which is why you find this image on my space!!****************************************************************
VAGINA WARRIOR...& Supporter of V-DAY...
"Being a Vagina Warrior means developing the spirtual muscle to enter and survive the grief that violence brings (to yourself and /or others) and, in that dangerous space of stunned unknowing, inviting deeper wisdom."
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***MY FIRST RECORDING EXPERIENCE***
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Recently, my friend Howie from EXPOSURE sent me the link (thanks Howie!) to the Beatles "Oh, Darling" and I took off with it and made a playlist of my own. I'm loving this feature. This collection speaks volumes for what I gravitate toward in terms of musical sounds. Needless to say, I can't wait to make another playlist because this doesn't cover enough ground...so much more tasty music to be had!! Enjoy.
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Sounds Like
A little bit of Janis and a little bit of Billie (Holiday, that is) and all of me
Thanks for stopping by! I am JENNIFER TRACY KESSLER, also known as "HALF PINT" and I grew up in Paradise Valley (right next to Scottsdale), Arizona. I am one of five kids-right there in the middle. Though there are several painters in my family, not one person plays an instrument or ever had much passion for music...yet I was magnetized to it...especially musical theater. I loved performing- singing my heart out always felt incredible. I started to perform at 9 and continued up through high school. I studied (sometimes!) creative writing, theater and boys at the University of Arizona with the intention of becoming an entertainment attorney. This was just a disguise in place of what I really dreamed of becoming -can you guess what that might be?! At 25, I married my college neighbor and moved to Rochester, NY to join his family business (restauranteurs). While in Rochester, I taught theater to K-6th graders, became a full-time mom and created my own business, The Royal Rump (custom painted children's stools and other tiny pieces of furniture-a few pics can be found in my photo section). After much perseverance, we packed up and moved to Scottsdale, AZ to open our dream restaurant-Via de France, a European Bakery and Cafe. Frankly, this dream became a nightmare...and a blessing. A year to the day, we closed the doors (just too many zero's to deal with, if you're an entrepreneur you will definitely understand what I mean by that), packed the kids and our dogs in the car and headed to Burlington, Vermont-a place to stop thinking and start living. Being in Vermont made me feel so alive (if you have never been, get here!) and I started to crave performing again. I made a few phone calls and was given the name of Bill Reed (Mr. Magic to me) and started training with Bill, one of the best known Broadway vocal coaches out of NYC (Circle in the Square). How lucky was that?! I eagerly embraced singing knowing that it was my one and only real dream and that I must pursue it (I wrote a song about this-if you have interest, check it out in my blog section). With the backing of Fred Green (myspacefredgreen, super musicians out of Tempe, AZ-go check them out!), I recorded a 3-track demo (Studio Z, Phx., AZ-thanks Jimmy Z) which opened new doors to perform. I have spent the last three years cultivating my craft as a musician (it's been challenging being the "new gal" on the block-it really tests your commitment) as lead vocalist in Surprise Element Blues Band and Psychedelic Mooj, sitting in with other Blues and Jazz bands, studying voice, taking music workshops, writing lyrics and most recently, recording and co-producing my first album at Charles Eller Studios in Charlotte, Vermont with The Unknown Blues Band (known in the Jazz world as Kilimanjaro). I have put myself out there and found several top-notch Vermont musicians (check out "band members" to the left) who have joined me on the recordings for this album, MAKIN' MY MARK, due to be released SOON(@*^!!). Life is good, stop by my page anytime.
XO HALF PINT
***UVM MUSICAL THEATER INTENSIVE~Video of Ain't Nobody's Business***
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Janis Joplin...a powerful mentor of mine. Enjoy the vid...she's all that.
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EXPOSURE...a wonderful place to find top talent and true friends...worth checking out!! Thanks HOWIE for all your time and heart that you endlessy put into the artists at EXPOSURE.
HALF PINT'S Musician Badge...my friends over at EXPOSURE made it for me...thanks for having my tush covered (i.e. taking the time to prepare it for me)!
Stop by www.sentientradio.com Thursday's with Dave at 10pm EST...he showcases up and coming independent artists and keeps it REAL!*****************************************************************************************
Growing up in Arizona...so yeah, we DID fry eggs on the sidewalk!
Dropping by to say hi. Hope your having a relaxing Sunday. The holidays are coming time to spread joy and good will. Happy Holidays to you and yours. Keeping it low, Cole
Even though you've been Bad but Sooooo Good this last year, the Fat Man has a Special Gift for you in his Bag of Boogie this Holiday, so stay in touch and the Mojo will surround your Groove, which is a Blessing to us all!!
jt~~!! Count every blessing and pass the potatoes!. ha Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. :)t btw saw a license plate with "halfnote" on it wow I automatically thought of you..halfpint! much respect ~
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