Dazzling singing style | Sunday Observer

Dazzling singing style

10 December, 2017
 Kathryn Farmer, Shobi Perera – double bass, Revel Crake – guitar and Royle de Andrews – drums.  Pic: Saliya Rupasinghe
Kathryn Farmer, Shobi Perera – double bass, Revel Crake – guitar and Royle de Andrews – drums. Pic: Saliya Rupasinghe

It was an evening of interesting and unusual surprises at the opening of the Capital Bar & Grill at the Shangri-La Hotel two weeks ago. We were pleasantly surprised to enjoy the internationally acclaimed singer Kathryn Farmer who sailed through many sets of the songs of Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole with musical backing from the popular and well recognized Revel Crake – guitar, Shobi Perera – bass guitar and Royle de Andrews – drums.

Meeting up with her later, we learnt that she was here in Sri Lanka after performing at the Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong on a six month engagement. Described as “a musician’s musician with a 4 octave range and a mesmerizing electrifying stage presence”, Kathryn Farmer’s performances have captivated audiences in more than 16 countries, including appearances at the San Sebastian Jazz Festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Music and jazz all started for Kathryn in New York City where her parents owned a soul-food restaurant/bar and live music was a feature during the weekends. Credit goes to her father who introduced her to the love of jazz and blues, and through him met recording artiste Laverne Baker. These were memorable moments for Kathryn. She got the opportunity to go backstage at the Apollo Theatre. “I saw so many shows there, from James Brown, The O’Jays, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Jackson 5, the list goes on. Jazz was just ‘smacking me in the face’, since I was a kid. It was my backyard music. It was in my bones. I didn’t have to find it”. She is not only a jazz and soul vocalist, she is also an arranger, lyricist and pianist.

Her first CD ‘Moondance’ which she released in 2013 won her considerable airplay. On that CD the music was by Melvin Sparks – guitar, Steve Kroon - percussion, Frank Lacy - trombone, Brian Lynch - trumpet, David Gibson - drums, also sax/arranger Amanda Sedgwick. The music director was John DiMartino.

Last year as lead vocalist she toured with the Artie Shaw Orchestra and is the vocalist for the Valery Ponomarev’s Thon Who Art Blakey Big Band.

So if you are a Nat King Cole fan, a Natalie Cole fan or even a Nancy Wilson fan, then catch Kathryn Farmer’s performance at the Capital Bar, Shangri-La Hotel. It’s a new experience for her singing in Sri Lanka. 

 

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