Nu Jazz with ISQ
CANCELLED
Ticket holders will be contacted regarding refunds.
Ticket holders will be contacted regarding refunds.
Currently, UK jazz-soul singers aren't particularly abundant, despite the success here of Gregory Porter. Like the aforesaid Mr Porter, acclaimed vocalist Irene applies a jazz technique to what are, in essence, pop songs - just like a century of jazz singers who've preceded her.
Citing Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, Jon Hendricks, Ennio Morricone, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Michael Jackson and Bjork among her influences, Irene's songs combine a distinctive and eclectic mix of jazz, pop, rock, bossa and R&B.
Born in Milan, from a very young age Irene developed her love for singing whilst performing in choirs, musicals and churches. Aged 16, she studied jazz with the renowned Italian jazz singer Tiziana Ghiglioni at the Academy of Music in Milan.
Irene moved to London in 1999 to continue her music studies at the University Of Surrey and then Goldsmith's College.
Irene has performed various styles of music at venues in and around London, such as the Barbican Centre, Ronnie Scott's, Pizza Express, Union Chapel and 606 Club, is a member of gypsy jazz group La Bouche Manouche and last year premiered a Duets project with Anita Wardell.
One of the semi-finalists in The Brussels International Young Jazz Singer contest in 2008, Irene was the only European finalist in the Shure Jazz Voice Competition at the 2009 Montreux Jazz Festival.
In Naadia Sheriff, Richard Sadler and Chris Nickolls, Irene has a bunch of top-drawer players, who between them have worked with Yazz Ahmed, Ray Davies, Paul Weller, Tom Jones, Andy Sheppard, Gilad Atzmon, Laurence Cottle and Jean Toussaint.
Irene Serra (Vocals/Electronics), Naadia Sheriff (Piano/Synth), Richard Sadler (Double Bass/Electronics), Chris Nickolls (Drums /Electronics).
“. . . she sang her confessional lyrics with a jazz musicality and a kind of rock attitude and intensity, which drew you into the complex songs. if Norah Jones had sung with EST, it might have sounded like this.” - London Jazz
“. . . Serra’s voice is graceful and sensual, an occasional added vibrato giving it a hint of the chanteuse. The sound is beautiful but melancholy, a match for her lyrics.” - All About Jazz
“. . . there’s a real intelligence and poetic sense and a highly personalised world vision." - The JazzMann
WATCH
Tickets £16 / £14 Concessions. Students £6
Jazz Express Offer: Book for any three gigs and get tickets for just £10 each!
Doors open 7.00pm, starts 7.30pm
