"Right Where I Belong"
LAUREN HOOKER on vocals, ALLEN FARNHAM on Piano, RUFUS REID on Bass, TIM HORNER on Drums.
Co-produced by Rufus Reid and Allen Farnham.
Lauren's original lyrics set to Monk, Mingus, Fats Waller, Wayne Shorter and Mal Waldron. Orignal Compositions and arrangements of jazz standards by Lauren Hooker.
In the first year 10% of the proceeds benefitted the Children's Defense Fund earmarked for the children of Katrina. www.cdbaby.com/cd/laurenhooker
Influences
Bill Evans, Jon Hendricks, Sheila Jordan, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Miles Davis, Bobby McFerrin, Stevie Wonder, Shirley Horn, Peggy Lee, John Coltrane, Mal Waldron, Dianne Reeves, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, Eddie Jefferson, Duke Ellington, Bach, and my father, Conductor: Louis Hooker
Sounds Like
Here's what the press is saying...
CHRISTOPHER LOUDON, JAZZ TIMES: "Hooker’s vocal stylizing, with its clarion tone, crisp phrasing (reminiscent of both Nancy Wilson and Shirley Horn), can hold her own against pretty much any singer-songwriter in the business… ability to add lyrics to instrumental classics… is flat-out masterful...blues-accented undercurrent, is undeniably impressive, certainly imaginative…"
MARCIA HILLMAN, ALL ABOUT JAZZ NY: "Lauren Hooker shows off her multi-faceted talent... plays with time the way Monk did and would have made (Fats) Waller chuckle with delight...reminiscent of Sarah Vaughan’s bottom range...hint of Dinah Washington’s energy. But her sound and style are unique."
SCOTT YANOW, JAZZ IMPROV NY: "A skilled scatter, talented lyricist and songwriter… intriguing… impressive, a fine starting point for Hooker’s recording career"
LAURENCE DONOHUE-GREENE, ALL ABOUT JAZZ NY: "Lauren Hooker's CD “Right Where I Belong” is one of the standout vocal releases of this year thus far without a doubt, not to mention a candidate as one of 2007's strongest debut releases"
KARL STROBER, JAZZ REVIEW: "Powerful in vocals, a positioned flow of acute arrangements, and a vast array of fine selections sets the stage for a highly seasoned musical performance… a sultry soul… Her soul is her sound! That, my fellow jazz enthusiast, is the main ingredient to the craft itself"
SHARIF ABDUS-SALAAM, HOST: JAZZ ALTERNATIVES:WKCR 89.9FM: "Jazz Vocalist, composer, and lyricist Lauren Hooker has a great CD...a fine release...definitely not to be her last CD...we'll be looking for the next one!"
GEORGE HARRIS, ALL ABOUT JAZZ LA: "Here’s a vocalist that is going to knock you off your chair... hits a double off the wall on this gratifyingly creative disc. Her voice-rich, confident and assured - is like Dianne Reeves, pitch perfect… her timing, sense of swing is absolutely impeccable, can take a lyric and mold it like clay…"
GRADY HARP, AMAZON: "A consummate Artist, innovator, a force to contend with…"
KEN DRYDEN, ALL MUSIC GUIDE: "Right Where I Belong is the rare vocal jazz CD that really stands out from the pack. All jazz vocalists should strive to the reach the heights that Lauren Hooker achieves on her very first CD."
JOE LANG, NJ JAZZ SOCIETY: "Hooker is an adventurous singer… a mature and talented performer…her lyrics borrow from the best of both worlds, and are carefully written with a fine voice of producing finely shaded readings of her material…"
AWARDED HONORABLE MENTION AS ONE OF
AllAboutJazz-New York's
SELECTED BEST CDs IN '07.
Lauren Hooker helps to continue the tradition of great jazz singing. Critics from across the nation have compared her sound and style to that of Dianne Reeves, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Shirley Horn and Sheila Jordan; her lyric writing to Jon Hendricks' and her songwriting as some of the best in the business.
She is not just a singer, she is a consummate musician, known throughout the NY metropolitan area as a sophisticated vocalist, instrumentalist, composer, lyricist, educator, producer and storyteller.
Her critically acclaimed CD produced by Rufus Reid and Allen Farnham entitled "Right Where I Belong",with Rufus Reid on bass, Allen Farnham on piano and Tim Horner on drums, features jazz standards, her original compositions, and credits that include lyrics written to Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, Fats Waller and Mal Waldron.
Within the third week of radio airplay, Lauren was at the top of the “chartbound” list of jazz CD’s played across the nation and in Canada according to jazzweek.com. A featured guest on WKCR's "Jazz Alternatives" 89.9 FM with Host Sharif Abdus Salaam, and WRSU 88.7 FM out of Rutgers University, Lauren's CD continues to receive heavy airplay on both radio and internet stations here and abroad.
She came onto the jazz scene with a degree in Music Education from Fairleigh Dickinson University and continued post-graduate work in jazz theory with pianist Kenny Barron at Rutgers University, voice with Sheila Jordan at Manhattan School of Music and most recently, a vocal workshop with Bobby McFerrin.
Lauren is featured in many major venues in the New York metropolitan area including Smoke Jazz and Supper Club, Enzo’s Jazz Room at the Jolly Madison Hotel and The International Women in Jazz Festival in New York City, and in New Jersey at the Barron Art Center, Trumpets and The Summer Jazz Café Series at The Two Rivers Theater. She has performed and/or recorded with some of the best in the business including Vic Juris, Steve Nelson, Bucky Pizzarelli and Reggie Workman to name a few and recorded with legendary pianist Mal Waldron (Billie Holiday's former pianist), singing her original lyrics set to one of Mal's compositions. She has appeared on a variety of television shows including "Broadway to Business", "For Arts Sake", "Life of the Music" and “Night Owls” and most recently on Verizon 44 NYC on “Brooklyn Community Access Television” (BCAT) filmed live at the Brooklyn Sings, Brooklyn Swings series.
Lauren also performs regularly in her Arts in Education Company: Musical Legends, turning kids onto jazz and African and Native American cultures with her shows "Jazz 4 Kids", "Rainbow Crow" and "The Fire Children". (www.musicallegends.biz) She is in the process of developing a television show: "You Can Do it Too" Empowering Children and Adults to Participate in the Arts.
"I was born into music ... as early as in the womb (kicking to the beat - my mother tells me)... hearing my dad jam with his fellow musicians in the basement ... starting piano lessons at age four ... meeting Bill Evans at the Vanguard whom my father recorded with in college ... being exposed to and singing most of the major classical oratorios with full orchestra ...shaking hands with Duke Ellington and Dave Brubeck whose sacred works the New Jersey Schola Cantorum, (my dad's chorus) performed...reaching for Sarah Vaughan's range, Ella's scat, Miles Davis' tone and Coltrane's intention. I was not only encouraged, but expected to be a musician, and a well-rounded one at that ... one who could play, sing, compose, arrange and educate."
PERFORMED AND/OR RECORDED WITH:
John Bianculli, Ted Branchato, Belden Bullock, Rahn Burton, Michael Cochrane, Roy Cumming, Loren Daniels, Glenn Davis, Santi Debriano, Dena DeRose, Bob Devos, John DiMartino, Leon Dorsey, Vince Ector, Allen Farnham, Pat Firth, Mac Goldsberry, John Hart, Freddie Hendrix, Calvin Hill, Tim Horner, Bertha Hope, Chip Jackson, Vic Juris, Dave Kikoski, Andy McCloud, Cecil McBee, Chuck McPherson, Maryanne McSweeney, Gary Mazaroppi, Paul Meyers, Allison Miller, Bill Moring, Steve Nelson, Tomoko Ohno, Rufus Reid, Jim Ridl, Ed Schuller, Warren Smith, Christopher Dean Sullivan, Frederick Waites, Mal Waldron, Bobby Watson, Martin Wind and Reggie Workman.
For Bookings contact: Musical Legends (201) 801-0527
For more information: www.laurenhooker.com
National Press Campaign: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services (845) 986-1677
Distributed by: North Country Distributors (315) 287-2852
www.cdbaby.com/cd/laurenhooker
www.amazon.com
Hey, I wanted to thank you for adding me! If you ever want to check out my guitar straps, they're at www.coolstraps.artfire.com. Have a great week and thanks again, Terri
Thank you for your friendship. Please check out the my flyer for the great lineup of musicians I’m going to be working with at the Iridium Jazz Club on June 16th. I am so excited! Peace and love, Pat Holley
Please take a look at the eCard below and check out the lineup of great musicians who will be performing with me on June 16th at the Iridium. I am very excited!
Hello Lauren, I enjoyed your song samples. I can understand why you are getting such fantastic feedback on your lyrics and voice from so many professional reviewers. It was exciting to read about your credits and history. I look forward to hearing you perform live. Be well, John
hi Lauren beuatiful music here... welcome! & when you have a good time please enjoy listen to my piano solo improvisations... musical greetings lovely Pampa
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