Every Wednesday at Bar 3 at the Casino from 7.30pm, live 6 piece jazz! Almost every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday night – live trio and duo jazz with Auckland’s premiere jazz musicians at CAC, 26 Normanby Road, Mt Eden. AK07 Festival, AKL central – March 19th, Annie Crummer’s return gig (first gig in years back on home soil – don’t miss this one!).… Read the rest

Here are some of the concepts and disciplines I cover with my teaching work:

1. Physiology – how the voice works, vocal apparatus, connection with breathing, dispelling common myths, posture and alignment, smoothing over the ‘break’ to unite vocal registers
2. Psychology of voice – what blocks it, teaching yourself by becoming ‘aware’ in your practice regime, journal, positive voice-quality goal setting, what don’t you want in your voice, cultures of silencing, combating nerves
3. Breath control – eradicating breathiness and push
4. The open throat – giggle release
5. Onsets – onset practice within daily warm-ups, using the ‘Ng’ to put the sound in the head (placement).

… Read the rest

Imagine you’ve just been born and you don’t know how anything works or what anything means or is supposed to feel and sound like. You’re just experimenting with new toy (like a baby does with their voice!). Experiment with the sound as it sits in your body, the room, the feel of the vibrations, the breath, the air around you.… Read the rest

There are certain techniques and traits that differentiate ‘jazz’ singers from the rest of the flock.  They do not just sing the given melody – they play with it.  You must also have a grasp of the musical principles underpinning jazz.… Read the rest

Relaxation: Postural alignment, stretches to loosen and open Anchoring: Motorbikes / Point-downs / Backs of Knees / Squats / Bursting balloons under armpits / Reaching for imaginary branch Breathing:

1. Slow release ‘sssssss’ as quietly, evenly and as long as possible. Then release this onto a ‘ng’ and then a very soft ‘eeeee’
2. Panting very loudly on “Sh!!”,

… Read the rest