Band - Natalie Williams (voc) & Band

Natalie Williams & Band
Sängerin Natalie Williams geht im November und Dezember mit ihrem 4. Album „My Oh My“ auf große Europa-Tournee. Ihr Konzert im Schlot am 26.09.2010 wird ein einmaliger Auftakt.
Natalie ist in Berlin geboren und aufgewachsen und hat in London Gesang studiert. Dort gehört sie mittlerweile zu den bekanntesten Sängerinnen und spielt reihenweise ausverkaufte Konzerte. Sie hat bereits mit Jamie Cullum (auf dessen aktuellen Album sie ebenfalls zu hören ist), Amy Winehouse, Shlomo, John Legend, US R&B star Joe, Lemar and Alison Moyet auf der Bühne gestanden.
Natalies Musik ist beeinflusst von Größen wie Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Prince, D’Angelo, Michael Jackson, Jill Scott und Erykah Badu. Wenn man nun Jazz, Pop und Drum'n'Bass einwirft, erhält man einen Mix, der alle Zuhören in seinen Bann zieht.
www.myspace.com/natwilliams
http://cuesic.wordpress.com/artists/natalie-williams/

“The moment she starts to sing she becomes a commanding, strutting presence, scatting with an infectious relish.” Telegraph
NATALIE REHEARSING WITH GUY BARKER'S JAZZ VOICE AT LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL 2009

London-based singer Natalie Williams isn't only the resident singer at London's most famous jazz venue, has toured extensively with her jazz trio and released 3 albums with a fourth one out this September! She also leads her very own monthly night at Ronnie Scotts: a sell-out success for 3 years running!
www.myspace.com/nataliewilliamsjazz

Biography – From Berlin to London
Some people may know Natalie from her self penned solo albums, some might be more familiar with the more jazzy side of things like her standards album? The die-hard D&B lovers may know her soaring vocals on underground drum and bass hits from other various collaborations and others might remember her from a gig they may have seen anywhere around the world… either way…

…"People can't help but go away with a bit of Williams' natural sparkle having attached itself to
them" (Deuce)

Born and raised in Berlin to a Hungarian mother and British father, Natalie Williams discovered her passion for music, in particular ‘Jazz’ at the age of 15 in her German-American High School, whilst listening to her poet father’s immense record collection and taking singing lessons from a blues and soul singer on the side.
She moved to London in 1997, graduating in 2001 from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music & Drama, having been the first person to study both classical and jazz singing on the undergraduate course.
In concert she has appeared at many festivals around the world, including the Abu Dhabi Jazz Festival, Kaunas Jazz Festival in Lithuania, Montreux Jazz Festival, Kathmandu Jazz Festival ‘Jazzmandu’, the London Jazz Festival and Glastonbury Festival. She has performed alongside other luminaries Jamie Cullum (on whose current album she can also be heard), Amy Winehouse, Shlomo, John Legend, Lemar and Alison Moyet.
She has toured extensively in Europe, Japan and Malaysia and in September 2006, she fulfilled a dream of becoming the resident singer at the world renowned Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club. There, she also runs and hosts what has become the legendary monthly jam night, Soul Family Sundays.
In 2007, she was nominated for a Ronnie’s award for best jazz singer, as well as winning best
video at the 2007 Urban Music Awards.
In 2009, Natalie was chosen to be one of the participants on the ‘Serious’ Take Five Initiative, which led to her being invited to be a featured soloist with Guy Barker’s ‘Jazz Voice’ - Celebrating a Century of Song, the opening celebration of the London Jazz Festival alongside Kurt Elling.
Natalie signed to the Independent label ‘Eastside Records’ in 2003 and has since become an essential fixture as a singer/songwriter on the UK soul and jazz scene. So far, she has 3 critically acclaimed albums under belt. This September will see the release of her new album “My Oh My” (which has already wowed critics at its press release party in June) followed by an extensive European tour.

What do other people say? - A few press quotes

Blues and Soul
“Some of you may remember a few months ago we reviewed Natalie Williams’ “debut” album. We recommended its pleasing blend of pop, soul and jazz and one of the tracks (private party) even made it onto our esteemed hip list. Now, surprise, surprise Natalie’s “real” debut album crops up and it confirms what we said in our last review – that the young German born singer has a fine and pure jazz voice. This “ new” LP was cut over a couple of days in February of this year (2003) and it’s essentially a collection of standards – old and new. More of and ensemble piece than her “first” album it features a talented young quintet – Gwilym Simcock (piano), Robin Mullarkey (bass) Martyn Kaine (drums) Mark Brown (saxophones) and Joe Auckland (trumpet). Simcock’s piano is particularly strong and it’s he who takes responsibility for some interesting arrangements on songs like “Skylark” and “Never Will I Marry”. He also offers an intriguing solo on Sting’s “Fragile”. Here his playing echoes the questions and doubt inherent in the lyric. Other featured songs include “Cry Me A River”, “Lucky Old Sun” and “I Loves You Porgy” on which Natalie displays a maturity way beyond her years. My favourite is Pat Metheny’s enigmatic “James” where you can maybe detect hints of Joni Mitchell, while on “Mackie Messer” we‘re treated to the original German lyrics. So this second debut set is very different to the first debut set – but no less interesting….”(BB)

Evening Standard
“Natalie was all dazzling smiles and high-kneed strut as she belted out numbers from the album, swooping high a la Aretha….”
“This was hard-hitting Earth, Wind and Fire stuff, full of funky momentum.”

From Blues & Soul Oct
“Natalie Williams has unleashed what quite possibly could be the finest project to have ever come out of the U.K. soul scene.’
‘Her crystal clear vocals contained on the record also lead you to believe that you’re actually in the room with her. Not only does she have a monster of a single in the form of “This Girl”, but she also has a host of cuts so good that they’d have you crying out for more at the album’s close.”

From Mail On Sunday
Night & Day Feature
“…She’s Joss Stone and Erykah Badu times 20….
…I saw her play recently and it was just incredible. She’s a truly real, beautiful star, worthy of everyone’s attention.”
Jamie Cullum