Whispers the Heart: Produced by Chris McNulty & Paul Bollenback - featuring: Frank Wess, Ingrid Jenson, Dave Pietro, Tineke Postma, Gary Versace, Paul Bollenback, Ed Howard, Mat Wilson, Montez Coleman, Rogerio Boccato
Dance Delicioso: Produced by Chris McNulty & Paul Bollenback - featuring: Gary Bartz, Mulgrew Miller, Billy Hart, Gary Thomas, Dave Pietro, Paul Bollenback, Ugonna Okegwo, David Budway, John Di Martino, Sonny Barbato, Eric Freidlander, Cafe de Silva
I Remember You: Produced by Chris McNulty - featuring: Paul Bollenback, Joe Locke, Joel Frahm, Ugonna Okegwo, David Budway,Michael Kanan, Adam Cruz
Influences
Early influences: Sarah Vaughn, early Carmen McRae, early Nancy Wilson, early Billie Holiday, early Frank Sinatra. Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, The Isley Bros., Tower of Power, James Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Patti Austin, Yes, The Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans , Antonio Carlos Jobim, Wayne Shorter, all the Eastern Rebellion Recordings, Cedar Walton, Bob Berg, Joe Henderson, Wes Montgomery, Burt Bacharach, Michel Legrand
Chris McNulty is currently presenting several workshops -
1) A "How To Guide" for Creating, Releasing and Presenting your Music in the Global Market Place
2) Vocal/Instrumentalist workshop - The Art of Making it Work Together! Addresses Vocalist/Soloist - Instrumentalists/comping in ensemble and duet settings.
This workshop is presented in collaboration with guitarist Paul Bollenback.
The presentation varies in length and content based on the number of students and the ratio of instrumentalists to vocalists, however it's a fairly intensive 3 hour or full day workshop which covers several other components including but not limited to:
Getting arrangements together - on the spot re-arranging. The Art of the Duet - Correct/Incorrect voicings to support vocalist and soloists. How to articulate difficult arrangements to the rest of your band members - vocalists/instrumentalists. Out on the Road (with pick up bands - guest clinician article appeared in Jazz Ed January 2007 Issue). The topic outlines are followed by a demonstration of what roles are required by each musician depending on who is soloing as well as what pitfalls to look out for from both the instrumentalists and the vocalists perspective. Students participate in all aspects of this workshop.
Chris is also available to students for one on one sessions:
3) Vocalist Only Workshop -
A program developed with a special emphasis on preparing students for college level jazz programs and beyond... Topics covered touch on: finding our own voice, ear training, breathing, pitch, improvisation, band leading, arranging, composing, repertoire building as well as focusing on creating a positive framework for embarking on a successful career in jazz.
Sounds Like
Liquid, luminous, a voice of serene beauty and striking veracity (Jazz Wise UK Jan 2007). Expressive, passionate ... with a soulful, soaring, sensuous quality and natural sense of swing (Bill Milkowski).
Her liquid phrasing and luminous tone underscoring a voice of serene beauty and striking veracity...One of the foremost singer-composers on the scene today **** 4 Stars, Peter Quinn Jazz Wise Mag, UK, Jan 2007
"Her intonation and articulation are commanding whether she is singing the lyrics or improvising, McNulty demonstrates a commanding sense of rhythm... Clive Griffin, Jazz Improv Mag, Oct 2006
"If McNulty's vocalizing is fearless, then her writing is peerless....her explorations seem to transcend to a free zone between jazz and modern symphonic....versatile, soothing, swimming....there is so much to commend about the album." Harvey Siders, Jazz Times, Jan 2006
An immense talent ***** 5 Stars, Dick Bogle, The Scanner, Nov 2006
She whispers dynamically.McNulty possesses great taste, shes got it allcontrol, vocalese, vibrato, et al.nothing routine & unimaginative hererather sexy, definitive, and alive!" George Carroll, The Musicians Ombudsman, Aug 2006
Pin-drop-perfect singer and guitarist duet. Andrew Velez, Oct 2006
www.chrismcnulty.com www.elefantdreams.com
McNulty first visited New York City in 1985 and settled there in 1988 after being awarded an International Study Grant from the Australia Council. Since then Chris has garnered further accolades from critics, jazz musicians and fans alike. She has collaborated and performed with some of the finest musicians on the jazz scene today including: Gary Bartz, Paul Bollenback, Gary Thomas, Mulgrew Miller, Ugonna Okegwo, John Hicks, Frank Wess, Ingrid Jensen, Terri-Lyne Carrington, Tim Garland, Tom Lellis, Billy Hart, Ed Howard, Jeff Ballard, Dave Pietro, Joe Locke, Peter Leitch, Tineke Postma, James Genus, , Matt Wilson, Jeff Tain Watts, David Fathead Newman, George Mraz, Kenny Washington, Steve Wilson, Joel Frahm, Gary Versace, David Budway, Harvey S and Tony Reedus
In 1990, Chris's debut recording in the States, Waltz For Debby (Discovery 1990), received outstanding reviews in several publications and features the official published lyric by Chris of the great Miles Davis classic, Blue in Green. In 1994 Chris was also honored to be selected as one of the six exceptional new jazz singers on the New York scene to be featured on the Venus recording, Big Apple Voices. Chris has gone on to record several CDs since then, A Time for Love (Amosaya 1996), I Remember You (Mop Top 2004- re-released on Elefant Dreams 2006), Dance Delicioso (Elefant Dreams 2005) and her most recent and highly acclaimed Whispers the Heart (Elefant Dreams 2006) which has been included on the Jazz Journalist Assocation's (JJA) list of Top 10 recordings of 2006. Her development over this period of time from lyricist to full fledged composer has been duly noted in major press reviews and articles.
Chris has maintained an active profile and presence on the international scene as both performer and recording artist since 1991. Her magnetic performances have led to ever increasing festival dates around the world with a touring schedule that includes festival appearances in the UK (Brecon, Wales 2005) Ireland (Kilkenny 2005), Russia, Australia and Belize. In 2002 Chris toured Russia with Paul Bollenback and appeared in the very first St Petersburg Jazz Festival. They have since returned to Russia for several concert and club engagements. McNulty's recently completed 2007 global tour featured engagements at The Melbourne Jazz Festival with her ensemble (Australia 2007), Dundee (Scotland 2007), Adelaide, Australia with her Trio Delux project featuring her long time bassist, Ugonna Okego and collaborator/accompanist, Paul Bollenback), as well as the Kaluga Guitar Festival in Kaluga, Russia with Paul Bollenback and Andrei Kondokov, once again in Trio Delux format. The tour also included a weekend engagement at London's Pizza on the Park, culminating in a 5 night engagement at Dizzy's Coca Cola Club at the Lincoln Center (NYC) (June 2007)
Her music has received major recognition on national radio throughout the States, UK, Australia, Ireland, Canada and Europe. Recent major features include Michael Jacobi's "Raising the Standards" at KRML Jazz Radio as well as Doug Spence's nationally syndicated program, The Nightly Planet from ABC Australia.
Chris McNulty appears as a guest soloist on Paul Bollenback’s Brightness of Being as well as his most recent release Invocation, releasing October 2007. McNulty's 6th release in the States, Whispers the Heart, features several new outstanding original works and arrangements including a string quartet written by Chris, along with featured guests including jazz great Frank Wess, Ingrid Jensen, Paul Bollenback (Paul also shares executive and co-producing credits), Ed Howard, Dave Pietro, Tineke Postma, Gary Versace, Matt Wilson, Rogerio Boccato and Montez Coleman.
Chris is currently co-producing a Hip-Hop meets Jazz project with Paul Bollenback and Chapter One.
Chris is available for students in either one-on-one or workshop setting and teaches all styles, with a special emphasis on preparing jazz vocalists for college entrance or career goal challenges. Her teaching curriculum for vocalists focuses on: finding your own voice, ear training, breathing, pitch, improvisation, band leading, arranging, repertoire building including creating a positive framework for embarking on a successful career in jazz.
Interviews with Chris appear in the 2006 Fall issue of Jazz Improv Magazine, which can be read on line at www.elefantdreams.com A Guest Clinician article "On the Road" is featured in Jazz Ed Magazine in their January 2007 issue. Chris also makes regular appearances at Mikes Master Classes on-line at www.mikesmasterclasses.com
Hi Chris, Thanks for the cd's, over 20 hours on the road for 4th of July holiday, your voice and music made the driving an absolute pleasure...peace for you n Paul, be well... Jun
