Stacey Kent

Stacey Kent
Background information
Born (1965-03-27) March 27, 1965 (age 59)
South Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresJazz, vocal jazz
OccupationSinger
Years active1996–present
LabelsCandid, Blue Note, Warner, Sony, Naïve
Websitestaceykent.com

Stacey Kent (born March 27, 1965) is an American jazz singer from South Orange, New Jersey.[1]

Kent was nominated for a Grammy Award[2] and was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) by the French Minister of Culture in 2009.[3] She is married to saxophonist and composer Jim Tomlinson,[4] who produces Kent's albums and writes songs for her with his lyricist partner, novelist Kazuo Ishiguro.[5]

Early life and education

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Kent was born in South Orange, New Jersey.[6] Her paternal grandfather was Russian and grew up in France.[7] After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College, she traveled to England to study music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where she met saxophonist Jim Tomlinson, whom she married on August 9, 1991.[2][8] Kent also attended Middlebury College Language Schools in Middlebury, VT for 8 summers, enrolled in the Italian, German, Portuguese and French programs.

Career

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Kent began her professional career in the 1990s, singing at Café Bohème in London's Soho.[9] After two or three years, she began opening for established acts at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London.[10] In 1995, she appeared in Richard Loncraine's film Richard III (starring Ian McKellen), singing "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" (Come Live with Me and Be My Love) with lyrics by Christopher Marlowe and composed by Trevor Jones, at the Grand Ball celebrating the Yorkist triumph in the Wars of the Roses.[11] Her first album, Close Your Eyes, was released in 1997.[12][13]

Novelist Kazuo Ishiguro wrote the liner notes to Kent's 2002 album, In Love Again.[5] Ishiguro met Kent after he chose her recording of "They Can't Take That Away from Me" as one of his Desert Island Discs in 2002.[5] In 2006, Tomlinson and Ishiguro began to write songs for her.[5] Ishiguro has said of his lyric writing that "with an intimate, confiding, first-person song, the meaning must not be self-sufficient on the page. It has to be oblique, sometimes you have to read between the lines" and that this realization has had an "enormous influence" on his fiction writing.[14][5] In March, 2024, Ishiguro published a book entitled The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain: lyrics for Stacey Kent, containing 16 of his lyrics for Kent, with illustrations by Italian-French artist, Bianca Bagnarelli, (Faber & Faber).

Tomlinson and Ishiguro co-wrote four songs on the album Breakfast on the Morning Tram.[15] The first of their songs, "The Ice Hotel", won first prize in the International Songwriting Competition in April 2008. Kent recorded several more Tomlinson/Ishiguro songs on Dreamer In Concert, The Changing Lights, and I Know I Dream: The Orchestral Sessions.[16][5]

Tomlinson and Ishiguro subsequently wrote songs for her albums Dreamer, The Changing Lights and I Know I Dream, and continue to write for her.[5][17]

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Stacey Kent onstage in 2016

Kent's album The Boy Next Door achieved Gold album status in France in September 2006. Breakfast on the Morning Tram (2007) achieved Platinum album status in France in November 2007 and Double Gold status in Germany in February 2008. Raconte-moi... was recorded in French and achieved Gold status in both France and Germany and became the second best selling French-language album worldwide in 2010.[18][19][20]

Dreamer In Concert (2011) was recorded in May, 2011 at La Cigale in Paris. It includes three songs previously unrecorded by Kent: "Waters of March" by Antônio Carlos Jobim, "Postcard Lovers" by Jim Tomlinson with lyrics by Kazuo Ishiguro, and "O Comboio" by Portuguese poet António Ladeira.[21][22]

In 2013, Kent released The Changing Lights, a Brazilian-tinged album, covering bossa nova classics such as Jobim's "How Insensitive" and again collaborating with Tomlinson and Ishiguro. In 2014, she left Warner Bros. and signed with Sony. Sony released Tenderly, an album of standards with Roberto Menescal, one of the founders of bossa nova. She met Menescal in Brazil in 2011 at the 80th birthday celebration of the Christ the Redeemer statue. They discovered they were fans of each other's work and collaborated on an album of standards inspired by Menescal's admiration for the duo of Julie London and Barney Kessel.[23][24]

In 2014, Marcos Valle invited her to tour in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his career. They recorded the album Ao Vivo and a DVD that was recorded live at the Birdland club in New York City and the Blue Note in Tokyo.[25][26]

In 2017, Kent recorded her next album for Sony, I Know I Dream: The Orchestral Sessions, her first album with an orchestra, comprising 58 musicians with arrangements by Tommy Laurence, with music from the Great American Songbook, French chansons, songs by Edu Lobo, Jobim, Tomlinson, Ishiguro, Ladeira and his songwriting partner, Cliff Goldmacher from Nashville. Tomlinson and Goldmacher wrote the title song.[27][28]

In 2020, Kent released a series of singles and EPs, including "Christmas in the Rockies", "Three Little Birds", "Lovely Day", "Landslide", "I Wish I Could Go Travelling Again", "Bonita" and "Craigie Burn" as a duet with her longtime pianist Art Hirahara. Several of these singles become part of an album released in October 2021, "Songs From Other Places", for which Kent won Best Vocal Performance at the Jazz Music Awards in Atlanta, Georgia in October 2022.[29][30]

Kent has sold more than 2 million albums worldwide, with more than a half billion streams.[31]

Awards and honors

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Discography

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Singles

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  • Three Little Birds (Single, Exceleration/Token 2020)[50]
  • Lovely Day (Single, Exceleration/Token 2021)[50]
  • I Wish I Could Go Travelling Again (Single, from "Songs From Other Places" series. Exceleration/Token 2021)[51]
  • Landslide (Single, from "Songs From Other Places" series. Exceleration/Token 2021)[51]
  • Bonita (Single, from "Songs From Other Places" series. Exceleration/Token 2021)[51]
  • Craigie Burn (Single, from "Songs From Other Places" series. Exceleration/Token 2021)[51]
  • American Tune (Single, from "Songs From Other Places" series. Exceleration/Token 2021)[52]
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References

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  1. ^ "Stacey Kent Sings the Language of Romance". South Orange, NJ Patch. June 6, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Collar, Matt. "Stacey Kent". AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  3. ^ "US jazz singer Stacey Kent - "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres" - ,..." Getty Images. March 31, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  4. ^ Murdock, Meghann (February 3, 2022). "A house for two jazz musicians where even the window blinds hum". Evening Standard. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "How we met: Stacey Kent & Kazuo Ishiguro". The Independent. September 22, 2013. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  6. ^ Kaiser, Robert G. "Stacey Kent: A Name, And a Voice, That Lingers", The Washington Post, April 18, 2004.
  7. ^ "koda Jazz Festival 2010: A sweet finale with Stacey Kent..."
  8. ^ Board, Sound (January 5, 2023). "GPAC Welcomes Acclaimed Jazz Vocalist Stacey Kent to the Main Stage". StoryBoard Memphis. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  9. ^ "An Introduction to…Stacey Kent – Sussex Jazz Magazine". Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  10. ^ "Stacey Kent - Ronnie Scott's". www.ronniescotts.co.uk. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  11. ^ "Richard III". December 29, 1995 – via IMDb.
  12. ^ Ansell, Derek (November 3, 2019). "Stacey Kent: Close Your Eyes". Jazz Journal. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  13. ^ Zych, David (April 25, 2019). "Stacey Kent". JazzTimes. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  14. ^ Kellaway, Kate (March 15, 2015). "Kazuo Ishiguro: I used to see myself as a musician. But really, I'm one of those people with corduroy jackets and elbow patches". The Guardian. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  15. ^ a b c Fordham, John (October 4, 2007). "Stacey Kent, Breakfast On the Morning Tram". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  16. ^ "How we met: Stacey Kent & Kazuo Ishiguro". The Independent. September 22, 2013. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  17. ^ "Stacey Kent, Jim Tomlinson, and Kazuo Ishiguro "Wish They Could Go Travelling Again" - JAZZIZ Magazine". April 1, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Jazz, All About (October 12, 2003). "Stacey Kent: The Boy Next Door album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  19. ^ "Stacey Kent: Breakfast on the Morning Tram, PopMatters". PopMatters. January 14, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  20. ^ a b Fordham, John (June 17, 2010). "Stacey Kent: Raconte-Moi". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Fordham, John (November 10, 2011). "Stacey Kent: Dreamer in Concert – review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  22. ^ "In Conversation With . . . Stacey Kent, Part III". The Voice. February 25, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  23. ^ "Stacey Kent: The Changing Lights, PopMatters". PopMatters. April 10, 2014. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  24. ^ Quinn, Peter. "Album Interview: Stacey Kent: Tenderly". Jazzwise. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  25. ^ a b Jazz, All About (December 20, 2014). "Marcos Valle and Stacey Kent at Birdland article @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  26. ^ a b "Interview: Marcos Valle - JazzWax". www.jazzwax.com. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  27. ^ a b ljazzn (November 24, 2017). "CD REVIEW: Stacey Kent – I Know I Dream: The Orchestral Sessions". London Jazz News. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  28. ^ "Stacey Kent Marks Her Return With A Splendid Orchestral Album I KNOW I DREAM - JAZZIZ Magazine". October 16, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  29. ^ Micallef, Ken (November 2021). "Stacey Kent/Art Hirahara: Songs from Other Places (Candid)". JazzTimes. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  30. ^ Kirsch, Matthias (January 18, 2022). "Stacey Kent, Art Hirahara - Songs From Other Places". ginalovesjazz.com - the jazz magazine by matthias kirsch. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  31. ^ "Stacey Kent Trio". Gold Coast Jazz Society. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  32. ^ "BBC - Press Office - BBC Radio Jazz Awards". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  33. ^ "Jazz News: Winners of the BBC Radio Jazz Awards 2002". February 13, 2008. Archived from the original on February 13, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  34. ^ "2004 Back Stage Bistro Awards Announced; Lemper, Rudetsky and Marcovicci Among Winners".
  35. ^ Jury, Louise (July 13, 2006). "A thriller for Quincy Jones as jazz awards honour giant of 20th". The Independent. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  36. ^ "Nomination ou promotion dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres juillet 2009". www.culture.gouv.fr (in French). April 12, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  37. ^ TKA (February 21, 2018). "KUDOS: Stacey Kent wins vocal 'Album of the Year' for I Know I Dream at the JAZZ JAPAN AWARDS". The Kurland Agency. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  38. ^ dG (November 15, 2022). "2022 JAZZ MUSIC AWARDS: Stacey Kent Wins Best Vocal Performance > Music Works International". Music Works International. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  39. ^ Library (PDF), Sheet Music (May 14, 2022). "Stacey Kent - A Jazz Singer , Sheet Music Library (PDF)". sheetmusiclibrary.website. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  40. ^ Audition, Audiophile (August 15, 2019). "Stacey Kent - Close Your Eyes - Pure Pleasure Records". Audiophile Audition. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  41. ^ Graybow, Steve (30 January 1999). "Vocalist Stacey Kent Hopes to Make Grade in U.S." Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 38. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 17 January 2023
  42. ^ "Let Yourself Go: Celebrating Fred Astaire". Candid Records. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  43. ^ "Dreamsville". Jazz Messengers. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  44. ^ "In Love Again: The Music Of Richard Rodgers(LP/180g)/STACEY KENT/ステイシー・ケント｜JAZZ｜ディスクユニオン･オンラインショップ｜diskunion.net". ディスクユニオン通販サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  45. ^ Fordham, John (March 17, 2006). "Jim Tomlinson/Stacey Kent, The Lyric". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  46. ^ "Grammy Nominated Stacey Kent to Release the Changing Lights, September 17, 2013". Warner Music Canada. Archived from the original on August 7, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  47. ^ Gelly, Dave (January 10, 2016). "Stacey Kent: Tenderly review – classic American songs, immaculately presented". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  48. ^ "Less than 4 weeks until Christmas – Need another Christmas Jazz recommendation?". musicophilesblog - From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms. November 29, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  49. ^ Rogerson, Karis. "Review: Stacey Kent is Transportive in SONGS FROM OTHER PLACES at Birdland Jazz Club". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  50. ^ a b "STACEY KENT: Songs From Other Places (Candid) – Soul and Jazz and Funk". www.soulandjazzandfunk.com. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  51. ^ a b c d Quinn, Peter. "Stacey Kent: Songs From Other Places". Jazzwise. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  52. ^ Stacey Kent - American Tune de Paul Simon (live dans Boomerang), October 23, 2021, retrieved February 20, 2023
  53. ^ "Enzo-Enzo - Eau-Calme". www.muziekwereld.com. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  54. ^ Pinte, Alex (June 22, 2020). "Thomas Dutronc | New album 'Frenchy'". What The France. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  55. ^ Danilo Caymmi Canta Tom Jobim, January 13, 2017, retrieved February 20, 2023
  56. ^ "Quatuor Ebène; Stacey Kent; Bernard Lavilliers, Brazil in High-Resolution Audio". Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  57. ^ Miller, Brian (September 30, 2017). "Essentials: The Ebene Quartet 'Fiction' Album Review". Vivascene. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  58. ^ "Jan Lundgren Trio Plays the Music of Victor Young". YouTube. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
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