A Singer's Sojourn - Hannah Northedge

Biography

Hannah is a sultry songstress of old fashioned glamour and bandleader of her own ensembles. She is a classically trained singer and is in high demand with her that include some of the most skilled jazz musicians in the UK and holds residencies at Smollensky's restaurants in London and Surrey, Booty's Riverside Jazz Bar in Limehouse, The Sandgate Hotel and Mackenzie's Coffee Bar in Kent. She made a very successful appearance at Greenwich Jazz Festival this year and has been invited back and has also been booked to play at Mill Hill and Harborough Jazz Club. She has received record label interest from The Jazz radio station and she will be releasing an album of uniquely arranged standards and her own original compositions with a country jazz flavour in late 2008. Most recently she sang with Les Paul's pianist John Colianni and his Quintet in New York City and plans to record and tour with him in New York and the UK in 2009. She has just been asked to join jump jive band Slammers Maximum Jazz and has already been booked to sing with them at the legendary 100 Club in London, Bude Jazz Festival and The Chantilly Western Festival in Paris. Hannah's vocal knowledge and control has resulted in her being asked to judge nationwide singing competition Idol 2008 - the biggest talent competition outside ITV's X Factor. She is very much anticipating her position of advising aspiring singers and hearing the UK's new talent. Hannah who grew up In Leicester and Australia started to sing jazz in her mid teens but then considered training as an opera singer and was offered a place at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She considered jazz more seriously when friends commented that she had a definite "jazz sound" to her low set rich voice. She was also drawn to glamorous films from the 1930s and 40s especially Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers movies and others that featured music by Gershwin, Porter and Berlin and these were to provide a lasting impression on her. Ultimately she realised that jazz was her authentic and natural voice. Hannah has been a guest singer with The Rat Pack Trio and Orchestra since early 2006. She continues to tour sold out theatres with them nationwide. Hannah's powerful voice, musicality and talent for jazz repertoire leads to frequent requests to front other well known jazz outfits including 7 piece 1930s and 40s swing band Rockin' in Rhythm, Kind of Jazz function band, The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, 78rpm and The Rob James Orchestra. She works with former BBC Big Band leader, composer & pianist Ronnie Smith, internationally renowned pianist Simon Wallace and Christian Vaughan and guitarists Shane Hill and Alex Steer. Miss Northedge's particular penchant for donning authentic 1920s, 30s and 40s clothing with hairstyles to match when performing is why she is often sought after as a featured act for vintage and World War II events. She was recently booked for popular Fabulous Forties weekend in Eastbourne. Hannah's choir The Hannah Northedge Singers recently recorded the soundtrack to a major feature film called The Oxford Murders at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. The film stars Elijah Wood and John Hurt and the choir also appear in the film in several scenes.