EFG London Jazz Festival 2018

Julia Biel: Celebrating Billie Holiday

Event Has Passed

Last Show: Friday 23 rd November 2018

The Pheasantry (Chelsea)

With an instantly recognizable voice that evokes the greats of the golden era of American vocal jazz, her conversational delivery and her distinctive melodic flair, JULIA BIEL’s original music for which she is known and internationally celebrated has always displayed the hallmarks of an artist fully versed in the jazz tradition. On this one-off special date the award-winning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist goes back to the source to honour one of her great idols by performing a full concert of interpretations of Billie Holiday classics such as ‘The Very Thought of You’, ‘I Hear Music’, ‘What a Little Moonlight Can Do, ‘Night and Day’ alongside lesser known gems from Billie’s repertoire. Prepare to be mesmerized as Julia sings Billie with Ben Hazleton on double bass and Laurence Corns on guitar.

 

“When I first heard Julia perform I was entranced. Here was someone who captured the essence of the singer who changed the art of American pop vocals forever. The best tribute to Billie I’ve ever heard.”

Richard Pite, Jazz Repertory Company

A former Perrier Jazz Vocalist of the Year winner, her credits also include a MOBO nomination, an Urban Music Award nomination and featured guest vocals with the Mercury Prize nominated act Polar Bear on two out of their four albums released to date, a feature with Hidden Orchestra (Tru Thoughts) and featured lead vocals on underground house hits written in collaboration with Ben Watt of Everything But The Girl. Alongside her own projects she is a core member f the afrobeat/reggae/dub group Soothsayers, as part of a tight-knit 3-part vocal harmony which fronts the band.

www.juliabiel.com