World jazz vocalist Allison Adams Tucker returns for her second concert at Hawaii Public Radio’s intimate Atherton Studio. Jazz Voice of the 1960s: The Bossa Nova Boom, Betty Carter, Brubeck, and Beyond features her favorite songs of the era and a peek at what’s to come on her next album. She brings a modern perspective to her examination of this period of significant change, a time when Brazilian and Latin rhythms flooded the global music scene and the Big Band Era came to an end. Accompanying her are pianist Tommy James, music director for the Duke Ellington Orchestra and local drummer/percussionist Von Baron.
Tickets for Tucker’s one-night only appearance are $30 general, $25 for HPR members, and $15 for students with ID. Purchase may be completed online at brownpapertickets.org or by calling the station (955-8821) during regular business hours. The Atherton Studio is located at Hawaii Public Radio, 738 Kaheka Street.
Born in San Diego, California, multi-lingual jazz vocalist Tucker began singing before she could speak. She was raised by classically trained musical parents, and began performing in front of audiences at age five. She studied piano, flute, violin, dance and voice from elementary school and holds a BA in Linguistics / Music Vocal Performance and an AA in Italian. Allison’s vocal palette has been colored by her experience in a variety of musical genres throughout her life, from punk rock to Elizabethan acappella. These experiences led her to the world of jazz. Allison’s love for languages and world cultures also began at a young age, and she has studied and sings in six languages besides English. She has lived in Japan and Spain, and traveled to over 15 countries. Her passion for world cultures is reflected in the music she chooses today: the rhythms, melodies, and lyrics of Brazil, Italy, France, Latin America, Japan, and the US.
Tucker’s debut CD “Come With Me” (Allegato Music, July 2008), co-produced by jazz guitarist Peter Sprague (who recorded with Dianne Reeves, David Benoit, Chick Corea, Sergio Mendes) and arranged by Kamau Kenyatta (Gregory Porter, Hubert Laws, Earl Klugh, Patti Austin), received international acclaim and was nominated for Best Jazz Album 2009 by the San Diego Music Awards. It continues to receive airplay on radio stations in 18 countries. Her sophomore CD “April in Paris,” celebrating songs of springtime from around the world, was recorded in Paris on UNESCO's 1st Annual International Jazz Day at the end of a nine-concert tour through Italy and France. Arrangers for this album include Kamau Kenyatta, Danny Green, Emmanuel Massarotti, and Jovino Santos Neto. “April in Paris” is scheduled for release in 2013.
As a session vocalist, Tucker’s voice can be heard in the video game “The Saboteur” soundtrack singing French jazz in the company of Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Madeleine Peyroux, and others. This has resulted in a cult following by gamers, a non-traditional jazz-listening audience. As an international artist, Allison has entertained audiences in Japan, Europe, Mexico, and the US, including performances on local and national television, on radio stations, and in festivals and jazz clubs. Allison has shared festival billing and musical collaborations with jazz greats such as Kenny Burrell, Poncho Sanchez, Ivan Lins, Mindy Abair, Pete Escoveda, Sheila E, Tommy Campbell, Gene Jackson, Mirko Guerrini, Toku (Japan Sony Music) and Ken Ota (Japan Universal Jazz), among others.