A JAZZY BRITISH INVASION.Byline: Fred Shuster Daily News Music Writer British jazz Jazz in Britain has been performed in the country since shortly after the music's first appearance on record in 1917. A number of British musicians have gained international reputations, although adherents of this music have often felt embattled within the UK itself. crooner Ian Shaw Ian Shaw may refer to:
The 33-year-old Shaw believes his repertoire, a mix of standards and carefully chosen obscurities, appeals to the young because the lyrics speak plainly about universal concerns. ``I like singing real songs above all,'' Shaw said. ``There's a kind of rawness about some of the '30s lyrics. Young people pick up on that raw nerve rather than believing the words are sterile or meaningless. The challenge is to perform a song written 60 years ago and make it relevant today.'' Shaw - who makes his local debut Monday through Wednesday with the Cecilia Coleman Trio at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel's Cinegrill - was born and raised in North Wales North Wales (known in some archaic texts as Northgalis) is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales and to the east by England. , but moved to London to study music at King's College King's College, former name of Columbia Univ. . Encounters with singers Mel Torme and Madeleine Bell persuaded him to pursue a career as an entertainer. Early gigs included stints in the chorus of the long-running West End productions of ``Cats'' and ``Chess.'' Shaw's vocal style is both flamboyant and soulful. He often interprets songs usually associated with jazz divas, such as Billie Holiday's ``Lover Man'' and ``Don't Explain.'' He has also been known to launch into a Rogers and Hart medley, a wild version of ``Cabaret,'' Aretha Franklin's bluesy ``Dr. Feelgood'' and a selection of Joni Mitchell material. In the seven years he has been a headliner in Britain, Shaw has become perhaps the top male jazz singer in the country. A friend of late club owner Ronnie Scott Ronnie Scott (January 28 1927 – December 23 1996) was a British jazz tenor saxophonist and jazz-club owner. Life and career Born Ronald Schatt in East London, Scott began playing in small jazz clubs at the age of sixteen. , Shaw performed at Scott's famed London jazz room at least 40 times and recorded four albums for the club's Jazz House record label. His latest CD, ``Taking It to Hart,'' is a tribute to composer Lorenz Hart Noun 1. Lorenz Hart - United States lyricist who collaborated with Richard Rodgers (1895-1943) Lorenz Milton Hart, Hart . ``Ronnie was like my dad,'' Shaw explained. ``He used to stick me on stage whenever he had an opening. He will be very much missed.'' THE FACTS Who: Ian Shaw with the Cecilia Coleman Trio. Where: The Cinegrill, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
When: 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Tickets: $12. Information: (213) 466-7000. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Ian Shaw, one of the top jazz singers in Britain, makes his local debut Monday at the Cinegrill. |
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