FREDDIE KING - radio vinilemania web-radio Latin - Jazz

FREDDIE KING (VOCALS)

Freddie’s past history before he made the switch to jazz includes being co-founder of and vocalist in The Monos, a leading Scottish band signed to EMI Records. The Monos supported some of the world’s top bands, e.g. The Clash, The Tourists, and Iron Maiden. Freddie then became vocalist for top Scottish Reggae Band Skanga and signed to leading Reggae Label CSA Records. Skanga supported Yellowman, Aswad, and Culture, among others. Since becoming a jazz singer, Freddie has attended Jamey Aebersold’s jazz summer camp where his vocal tutor was jazz singer Louise Gibbs, originally from New Zealand. Freddie has also attended the Fionna Duncan Vocal Jazz Workshops, and studied under both American jazz singer Madeline Eastman and Scottish diva Fionna Duncan herself. In addition, he has studied in New York with Mark Soskin (pianist), who has played with Sonny Rollins. When in New York, Freddie met saxophonist Frank Perowsky at a jam session on 8th avenue in NYC. Frank appears on the album "Diggin' Deep": see below. Freddie has appeared as a jazz singer at most of London’s top jazz clubs e.g. Ronnie Scott’s, Vortex, 606 club. Freddie was also invited by Paul Flush (Hammond organ/pianist), who is part of the leading Belgian Trio Demagogue Reacts, to appear as a guest vocalist in Brussels and Munich. He has appeared at Edinburgh, Nairn, Dundee and Brecon Jazz Festivals and has become one of the artists in the forefront of jazz vocals in Scotland with his originality and approach to singing. Although self-taught, Freddie’s influences range from Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, and Eddie Jefferson to Johnny Hartman, Joe Williams, and Nat King Cole. He has toured with Brian Kellock, the world-renowned pianist, who has been BBC Jazz Musician of the Year. Brian asked Freddie to sing in his band “A handful of keys”, playing the music of Fats Waller, and they played sell-out concerts finishing at the Brecon Jazz Festival. Freddie has become one of Scotland’s premier jazz singers. Although often described as unpredictable, he can sing anything from Bebop and Swing/Latin to beautiful ballads. After his appearance in Scarborough he headlined in London at the famous Vortex jazz club. He also headlined in 2004 at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival with his band. 2005/6 sees Freddie with his own project and his own new band playing the music of Johnny Hartman and Billy Eckstine, and singing some of the great classic standards and ballads. It shows another side of Freddie’s voice. He has now released his album "Diggin' Deep" on Kandé Records.

Freddie at Birland Jazz Club in New York

FREDDIE KING - DIGGIN DEEP (2006)

Vocalist Freddie King is an innovator, rather than an imitator. He is a musician’s singer. Someone who can bend the bars with accomplished ease. A man whose timing is impeccable. A jazzman through and through. [...] But while Freddie has a reputation for being somewhat off-the-wall, this new CD shows another side of the singer. There is no scat singing, no boplicity and none of the vocal mayhem for which he is so well known. In essence, you get ten timeless ballads to which he brings his quintessentially rich timbre, astonishing range and masterly control. This is a very different King - a sensitive and vulnerable King. And he has chosen his sidemen with care. Pianist Paul Harrison, for instance, who is one of the jazz giants in this city, gives a quite understated performance; and it is what he doesn’t do that makes it all work. Likewise, the emotive playing of Lachlan McColl on guitar and Jimmy Wood on alto sax, brings real lyrical quality to this album. You will also hear the great New York tenorman Frank Perowsky, flautist Dave Heath, plus some of the finest brushwork in the business from drummer Dave Swanson. To have all of these superb musicians on one disc would be a record producer’s dream, but when you add the voice of Freddie King, you’ve got yourself a winner. Numbers include: Lush Life, Solitude, and Over the Rainbow. However, Freddie’s rendering of the poignant Jimmy van Heusen number But Beautiful is precisely that. He doesn’t just sing the lyrics, you feel that he actually believes every word. He puts his soul into each line; and he does exactly what it says on the sleeve. If there is any justice in this world, the album should position King firmly on the international stage. And not a moment before time. PAT QUINN