If I Had My Way by Carrie Jackson

She combines jazz originals, standards, pop/blues tunes, and open improvisation in an adventurous, genre-bending style that’s inspirational and original; a singer with a Sound! Carrie Jackson & Her Jazzin' All Star Ensemble swing and performs the music of "Duke" Ellington, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, and musical selections songs from the Great American Song Book.

Carrie is a native Newarker’ who nurtured and honed her talents in Newark, the Jazz Mecca of New Jersey. She has acquired a vast amount of experience in a wide variety of musical genres. She began her musical career when she was 6 years old singing in the children’s choir at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Newark, NJ. Carrie is a product of the Newark Public School system; attended Peshine Avenue Elementary School, and Weequahic H.S.

Carrie studied piano and voice with Howard “Duke” Anderson, teacher, composer and arranger. She is a protégé of Duke's artistry and learned the music business from him. Under "Duke's tutelage she became an accomplished seasoned singer as well as band leader. As a young adult Carrie worked as a featured vocalist with Duke Anderson's Big Band. She also studied voice with Inez Mc Clendon, Nadine Herman and Winston Hughes at NCSA in Newark, NJ. Her voice training and natural talents are evident providing for classical performance in jazz favorites, soulful sultry pop, blues, and poignant, mellow gospel.

Carrie rekindles thoughts of America's great jazz history, and attributes her vocal style of singing to her mentors, the Great Ladies of Jazz, Sarah “Sassy” Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, and Carmen Mc Rae. Carrie honed her talents in Newark, the jazz Mecca of New Jersey , and Newark’s own musicians, Wayne Shorter, Woody Shaw, James Moody, Ike Quebec, just to name a few. She has taken all of her mentors and made them a part of her, and brings new horizons to America’s classical art form “Jazz”, the truth is, she has a bit of all them and more that is uniquely her own. She maintains a uniqueness that is her own and proudly carries the jazz banner.

Ms. Jackson, jazz song stylist, has been hailed a “Diva” for her featured artist performance concert in “ Women in Jazz” Newark Jazz Festival, Newark, NJ. She was a principal performer in “Ain’t Misbehavin'”, Thomas “Fats” Waller’s musical at the Villagers Theater, New Brunswick, NJ. This show was a huge success and had a 6 week run. She was a principal artist in “ 49th Street Jazz”a musical review and tribute to Eubie Blake, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Alberta Hunter, which featured selections from Eubie, Sophisticated Ladies, Black & Blue, Porgy & Bess, and Ain’t Misbehavin', by Thomas Fat's Waller, Spectrum (Play) The Life of Christ, lead role, Elizabeth, Director/Writer: Henry Bobbitt, Montclair, NJ.

Ms. Jackson is President/CEO of C-Jay Records and C-Jay Recording & Productions, Inc., established in 1996. She has produced several CD’s including her critically-acclaimed debut compact disc, entitled “THE NEARNESS OF YOU” (C-Jay Records), a collaboration with co-producer, Cecil Brooks III, drms, Howard “Duke” Anderson, pn/ arrangements, Michael Logan, bs, Bruce Williams, sax, and most recent CD “ IF I HAD MY WAY” co-produced by Lennie Argese, gtr. This latest CD put Ms. Jackson in the Critic’s Poll list of “Talent Deserving Wider Recognition. Carrie is accompanied by Tomoko Ohno, pn, Steve Freeman, bs, Dr. Yusef Ali, drms, Bob Braye, percussions, Joe Ford, alto/sax, and Herbie Morgan, ten/sax. Her radio appearances include “Singer’s Unlimited” WBGO Jazz Radio FM 88.3, Newark, NJ, live interview with on-air host , Michael Bourne, and with on-air host, Mark Blaustein, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ.

Carrie's travels have taken her to Europe, and touring in the U.S. She has performed with a variety of groups such as “Duke” Anderson Orchestra, Stanley Jordan & Trio, Norman Simmons, Earl May, Lis; Lisle Atkinson, Virginia Mayhew, Dr. Yusef Ali, “Sweet” Sue Terry, James Dean Orchestra, Edward Ellington, The Ellington Legacy Band, Chris White, Buddy Terry, Calvin Hughes, Lafayette Harris, Radam Schwartz, Corky Caldwell, Bradford Hayes, Saul Fischer, James Stewart, Willie Williams, Andy Mc Cloud, Rudy Walker, and others. The spontaneous interplay with her long time band mates, Tomoko Ohno, Lou Rainone, Steve Freeman, and Gordon Lane, creates a unique and captivating ensemble...........

PRESS...... REVIEWS.....CRITICS.....NEWS

"Carrie is an advocate of the Great American Popular Songbook: a timeless wealth of material; and presents it with spirit and feeling, her renditions have a personal, not derivative, ring.

Ms. Jackson delivers these in just the right volume and vigor to reach all listeners; she digs into her comely lower ranges, mixed with her own jazz smarts, and sings in a no-nonsense manner, and makes the numbers breathe. Carrie Jackson is a rich-voiced blues, ballads and jazz standards singer who knows how to put a song across!"

......Zan Stewart, Star Ledger Critic

"Carrie's latest CD entitled "IF I HAD MY WAY" truly swings, she has a great choice of tunes, interpretation of material, and quality of accompaniment giving it sass; still bringing out all of it's nuances"

.....Stan Myers, Jazz Historian-New Jersey Jazz Society

"Ms. Jackson is one of the most sought after vocalist's in the metropolitan area, her resume looks like a Who's, Who of Jazz..........Extraordinary! She Electrifies her audiences with her dynamic music and take the audience by storm with her charm and temperament"........ Jerome Wilson, Cadence Jazz Magazine

"Carrie's wonderful low range, total command and interpretation of lyrics and an amazingly quick ability to run beautiful variations on a theme are gifts that have been possessed by only one or two artist's that I can think of-certainly Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan".....John Hoglund, Back Stage

"Ms. Jackson's CD "THE NEARNESS OF YOU" was well received by critics and jazz radio stations throughout the country. Ms. Jackson is pure jazz with strong tunes, plenty of great phrasing and challenging singing, she is truly an exciting, and consummate jazz vocalist"

.....Jerome Wilson, Cadence Jazz Magazine

"Ms. Jackson's first CD 'THE NEARNESS OF YOU" was well received by critics and jazz radio stations throughout the country. Carrie makes the songs her own and gives them her own sultry feeling, mixing classics and original sounds. Carrie is a creative jazz singer with an abundance of character....a relaxing, yet highly inspired interludes that are straightforward, soul-baring and perfect"...... Ben Green, WBGO FM 88.3 NJ

Carrie’s Highlight Performances Include:

New Jersey Performing Arts Center, (NAPA), Newark, NJ, Caveat De La Hachette, Paris, France, Espace’s Jazz Club, Paris, France, Iridium Jazz Club, NY, NY, Cleopatra’s Needle, NY, NY, Lenox Lounge, NY, NY, Metronome, NY, NY, Garage Jazz Cub, NY, NY,Schomburg Cultural Center, NY, NY, Pier 59, NY, NY, Zanzibar Blue, Phil, Pa,Shanghai Jazz, Madison, NJ, Trumpet’s Jazz Club & Restaurant, Montclair, NJ, Union County Arts Center, Rahway, NJ, New Jersey Historical Society, Newark, NJ, Newark Museum, Newark, NJ, Puffin Cultural Art Forum, Teaneck, NJ, Hillside Inn Resorts Pocono's, East Stroudsburg, Pa, Trump Taj Mahal Casino & Resort Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ, ClairRidge Resorts & Casinos, Atlantic City, NJ Morris County College, Randolph, NJ, Union County College, Union, NJ, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, Seton Hall University, So. Orange, NJ, Drew University, NJ, Madison, NJ, Watchung Art Center, Watchung, NJ, Hillside Inn Resorts-Poconos, East Stroudsburg, Pa, Zanzibar Blue, Philadelphia, Pa, Metronome, NY, NY, Danny’s Sky Light Room, NY, NY, Savannah Jazz & Blues Bistro, (Grand Opening Featured Artist) Bluffton, So. Carolina, The Jazz Corner, Hilton Head Island, So. Carolina..

DISCOGRAPHY:

Ms. Jackson's critically-acclaimed, Debut "CD THE NEARNESS OF YOU" (C-Jay Records) Carrie Jackson, vocals, Howard "Duke" Anderson, piano/arrangements, Michael Logan, bassist, Cecil Brooks III, Co-Producer/drummer, and Bruce Williams, alto/sax.

Latest CD release "IF I HAD MY WAY" (C-Jay Records) Carrie Jackson, vocals/Executive Producer, Lennie Argese, guitarist/Co-Producer, Tomoko Ohno, piano/arrangements, Steve Freeman, bassist, Dr. Yusef Ali, drummer/original music, Bob Braye,percussions, Joe Ford, alto/sax, and Herbie Morgan, ten/sax.

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