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Lauren Hooker's Page
Profile Information
- What is your profession?
- Musician, Songwriter, Singer, Producer, Composer, Actor, Educator
- What Instrument Do you Play?
- Piano/Percussion/Native Wooden Flute
- Where Are you located?
- Teaneck, NJ
- How did you find out about TGJN?
- Invited by TGJN to join!
- About Me:
- 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. Lauren is not just another singer, she is a consummate musician, known throughout the NY metropolitan area as a multi-talented vocalist, instrumentalist, composer, lyricist, educator, producer and storyteller.
Out of a flood of rave reviews, JAZZ TIMES writes, ... undeniably impressive… certainly imaginative… can hold her own against pretty much any singer-songwriter in the business… ability to add lyrics to instrumental classics… is flat-out masterful… ; JAZZ IMPROV NY says … a skilled scatter, talented lyricist and songwriter…intriguing, impressive…; ALL ABOUT JAZZ LA states, Here's a vocalist that is going to knock you off your chair… hits a double off the wall… her voice - rich, confident and assured - like Dianne Reeves, pitch perfect and ALL ABOUT JAZZ NY writes, "Hooker shows off her multi-faceted talent.. plays with time the way Monk did, would have made (Fats) Waller chuckle with delight...reminiscent of Sarah Vaughan’s bottom range...hint of Dinah Washington’s energy… but sound and style are unique.
Her critically acclaimed CD (Awarded Honorable Mention as one of AllAboutJazz-New York's selected Best CDs in ‘07) was 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. It 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, WRSU 88.7 FM out of Rutgers University, as well as WMSU at Montclair Sate 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 where he father served as Professor of Music and Fine Arts Chairman and continued post-graduate work in jazz theory with pianist Kenny Barron at Rutgers University, jazz voice with Sheila Jordan at Manhattan School of Music and Bobby McFerrin at The Omega Institute.
Lauren is featured in many venues in New York City including Enzo’s Jazz Room at the Jolly Madison Hotel, Smoke Jazz and Supper Club, and The International Women in Jazz Festival, and in New Jersey at the Puffin Cultural Forum, 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", “Night Owls” and most recently on Brooklyn Community Access Television (BCAT) filmed live at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Brooklyn Sings, Brooklyn Swings series.
A former music teacher at the acclaimed Bank Street School in NYC, Lauren is dedicated to the education of young and old alike, performing regularly in her Arts in Education Company, Musical Legends – including an interactive exploration called “Jazz for Kids”, conducts jazz vocal workshops, teaches music in the schools and piano pirivately in her home studio.
www.myspace.com/laurenhookerjazz
www.cdbaby.com/laurenhooker
- Website:
- http://www.laurenhooker.com
Lauren Hooker's Photos
About
Member Quotes About TGJN
I was just saying that you knocked this out of the park with TGJN. We have needed something like this for so long and I am telling my friends about this. I said that it is sort of like a myspace for jazz but it is actually so much more. This is real. The people here truly love jazz and we know people like that are not your average people.
I have felt for a long time that straight-ahead jazz has been slipping away from us. I have hope now that there will be a resurgence (or shall I say an insurgency:-) to bring this baby back full force!
You just knocked it out of the park. Thanks again.
xoxo,
Janie
Events
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Mel Brown Quartet
March 25, 2009 at 8pm to March 27, 2013 at 11pm – Jimmy Mak's
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Saturday JAZZ Nights at Chelsea Wine Bar
November 14, 2009 at 8:30pm to November 15, 2009 at 12:30am – Chelsea Wine Bar
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Orjazz presenta - "La tragica notte del dott. Hives"
November 14, 2009 from 9pm to 11pm – Crevacuore
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Jazz & Art Extravaganza!
November 15, 2009 from 3pm to 8pm – Emmy Lu Gallery
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Lee Summer's "Just Piano Series" presents...
November 19, 2009 from 7pm to 8pm – Triad Theatre
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Workout
December 3, 2009 from 9pm to 11pm – Casale Monferrato
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“Grazie”
December 17, 2009 from 6pm to 9pm – Ivrea
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Welcome Lauren,
Thank you for joining the Global Jazz Network!
Feel free to check out my New Album!
Enjoy the ride! Luiz
Nice to see you here.
Please let all your Jazz lovin', Jazz playin'
colleagues and friends know about the
movement @ the destination where
great Jazz minds meet.
Many in Mind & Body
ONE in JAZZ!
Tamm E Hunt
publisher/founder
TGJN