Featured on "You Stepped Out of a Dream" Joe Davidian (piano), John Rivers (bass), Geza Carr (drums), Nicholas Cassarino (guitar), John McKenna (saxophone)
“More than just another pretty voice, Paradise has a stunning presence, and is an important addition to the Vermont musical landscape. Paradise is a special, rare musician. The sound is beautiful, the message is clear and that voice is radiant.”
Mike Shaefer/The Stowe Reporter/Stowe, Vermont******************
“Kate Paradise's debut, You Stepped Out of a Dream, is the real thing - a CD full of memorable, old-school jazz standards straight out of the Great American songbook."
Ken Wibecan/Seven Days/Burlington, Vermont*********************
“Her voice is sultry but classy; she doesn't feel the need to belt out a jazz standard just to get your attention. She understands the power of subtlety.”
Brent Hallenbeck/Burlington Free Press/Burlington, Vermont
Kate Paradise was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1981, but spent a majority of her childhood in southern New Hampshire, about an hour outside of Boston. Kate’s interest in music began at an early age, singing with her mom in church and taking piano lessons from her pastor. In school, Kate excelled in small but supportive music programs, taking on leadership roles in the choirs and singing in the high school big band. Kate also auditioned and participated in numerous NHMEA All-State and Jazz All-State choirs. During the summer of 1998 Kate attended the Berklee College of Music Summer Performance Program in Boston, Massachusetts. There she received her first formal voice training and was encouraged to further pursue her interest in jazz.
A year later, in the fall of 1999, Kate enrolled in one of the top jazz performance programs in the country at the University of Miami School of Music in Coral Gables, Florida. She spent six years at UM, earning her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Studio Music and Jazz Vocal Performance. While in Miami, Kate received Downbeat Magazine’s student award for Outstanding Solo Jazz Vocal Performance as well as numerous student Downbeat awards for her work Jazz Vocal I, University of Miami’s top jazz choir. Kate taught singing as a graduate assistant and began an active performing career as a jazz singer, including appearances with Kurt Elling, Kevin Mahogany, Elaine Elias, Carmen Lundy, Claudia Acuna and Will Lee.
In the summer of 2005 Kate and her future husband, pianist, Joe Davidian, moved to central Vermont. While in Vermont Kate worked as a jazz vocal educator at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Johnson State College and Saint Michael’s College. Kate continued her active jazz performance career in Vermont, quickly becoming a local favorite. Early in 2006 Kate released her debut CD, You Stepped Out of a Dream, on Vermont label Sonic Mirage. The recording features Joseph Davidian (piano), John Rivers (bass), Geza Carr (drums), Nicholas Cassarino (guitar) and John McKenna (tenor saxophone.) Partial proceeds from the sales of You Stepped Out of a Dream will be donated to the Melissa Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to violence prevention and treatment. The album, like most of Kate’s repertoire, includes some of the genre’s best-loved songs and features a variety of instrumentation: intimate duo performances, a Nat “King” Cole-style swing tune and quartet arrangements, concluding with a live track from her Master’s recital in Miami.
Kate and her husband Joe currently reside in Nashville, TN. While continuing to perform nationally, Kate is also a full time instructor of commercial voice and director of jazz vocal group, Jazzmin, at Belmont University.
hi kate, i just wanted to let you know i planned my 40th (!) bday around you being at langdon st on dec 28 (my bday being the 29th). we were the large-ish merry group in the back with a bell...i hope you know how appreciated you are here in vt :) it was the best birthday ever! xo ~karin
hi kate! we got your christmas card in the mail earlier this week...and were so happy! you both look so happy and your house looks cozy and perfect. i'm so happy things are going so well for you. we'll be sending you lots of love over the holidays. :)
wonderful to listen to you. You are a special young lady. To sing & hang out w/Kurt Elling, Kevin M., Carmen Lundy, etc. You deserve it. Would love to catch you in Vt. sometime. tg
hey kate! i got your sweet card in the mail. look at you guys and your cute, yellow house! you look so happy...i'm so glad things are going well for you both. much love and peace to you in '09! hug.
Hi Kate! Thanks for the add --- I'm so glad that "Brazasia" is fun for your students (I love it, too!)! You sound beautiful -- love how you own that bridge to "It Never Entered" (what a bear that is!). Just lovely! Cheers, Jennifer
missing you sweet mama. we had a great din at anthony's the other night.. so exciting about pj and willa. wish you were here to share love. school is probably starting soon. i've got a moderately full plate with some travel time squeezed in round november..per usual. hit me up soon. come visit. xoxo
Hey Kate!, I got your e-mail about your gigs.. I'm playing on the 5th and 6th as well..the 6th is at metronome until 10:30, when are you done?....I think Rob and I will stay in town that night. I really hope I get to see you... it would be great to hang with you ladies into the wee hrs of morn. see you soon?.. miriam
woot woot!!! for realz? i think you'd dig the midwest...is it something they (at nashville) want you to do? let me know if you want to come over and check it all out! :)
Thanks Kate. Boston's nice (except for all those angry massholes everywhere). Haven't been here long so I feel like I'm still getting settled in. All in all a nice place to live, though
