Barbara Morrison

Barbara Morrison
Photo by Sarah Diaz
Background information
Born	September 10, 1949 (1949-09-10) (age 75) Ypsilanti, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Jazz
Occupation	Vocalist
Website	www.barbaramorrison.com

Barbara Morrison (born September 10, 1949) is an American singer of jazz music.

Biography

Born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and raised in Romulus, Michigan, Barbara Morrison recorded her first appearance for radio in Detroit at the age of 10. She moved to Los Angeles in 1973, at the age of 23. Well known in the Los Angeles area for her duo and trio dates Ms. Morrison also tours extensively, blazing a trail as a Jazz and Blues legend in her own right across the Continental United States, Western Europe the Far East and "Down Under", wowing audiences with her band. In 1986, touring with the Philip Morris Superband, a 14 city one month tour of Canada, Australia, Japan and the Philippines, starting on September 3, 1986, Barbara did vocal honors with jazz organist, Jimmy Smith, backed by Saxophonist, James Moody, Guitarist, Kenny Burrell, t Trumpeter, Jon Faddis with Grady Tate on drums.

Morrison completed a 33-city tour in the US, co-headlining in an all-star tribute to composer Harold Arlen (most recognizable for his genius behind the music for the classic film, The Wizard of Oz). Over the years she has performed with a virtual "who's who" of the Jazz and the Blues worlds. That list includes legends such as Gerald Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, James Moody, Ron Carter, Etta James, Esther Phillips, David T. Walker, Jimmy Smith, Johnny Otis, Dr. John, Kenny Burrell, Terence Blanchard, Joe Sample, Cedar Walton, Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams, Tony Bennett, and Keb' Mo. Morrison has also guest-starred with the Count Basie Orchestra, the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra and Doc Severinsen's Big Band.

In 1995, Morrison was on a televised Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, with Mel Torme, Diane Reeves, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Tony Bennett, Dionne Warwick, and Lou Rawls,

Barbara Morrison, Performance Arts Center supports the Harmony Project. The children practice during the week after school. Pop. Her melodic voice, with its three-and-a-half-octave range, is known worldwide, as are her rich, unique, soulful and highly spirited interpretations of both, familiar Jazz and Blues classics and original contemporary tunes.

"I Wanna Be Loved" written by Barbara Morrison and Michael Cormier is a musical theatre production about the life and times of Dinah Washington, Queens of the Blues, In addition to her gigs with other jazz and blues groups and legends, Barbara Morrison also performs at the more renown blues and jazz festivals around the world. Her appearances include Montreux, Nice, Pori, Carnegie Hall, North Sea, Darling Harbour, Sydney Opera House, Australia, Monterey, Long Beach, as well as salutes to Dizzy Gillespie and her tribute to Benny Golson.

More recently beginning in 2011, Morrison has been performing with Jack Hale, a popular So. Cal master guitarist/ arranger/ band leader of cool and hot vintage jazz and swing styles from the 1920s through 1950s.

Discography

• Doing All Right, Aris/Mons, 1993
• Blues For Ella: Live (with the Thilo Berg Big Band), Mons, 1995
• I'm Gettin' 'Long All Right, Chartmaker, 1997
• I Know How To Do It, Chartmaker, 1998
• Visit Me, Chartmaker, 1999
• Ooh-Shoobie-Doo! (with Johnny Otis & his band), J & T, 2000
• Live Down Under, Blue Lady, 2000
• Thinking Of You, Joe, Blue Lady, 2002 -note: this is Barbara's special tribute to the great jazz vocalist, Joe Williams-
• Live At The 9:20 Special (with Danny Caron, Ruth Davies, Charles McNeal, John Haynes, Steve Campos, John R. Burr), Springboard Productions, 2002
• Barbara Morrison, Arietta Discs, 2003
• Live At The Dakota (with Junior Mance, Earl May, Jackie Williams, Houston Person), Dakota Live, 2005 -note: includes Barbara's signature song, "They Call Me Sundown"-
• Double Standards, Blue Lady, 2006
• Los Angeles, Los Angeles, The City By The Sea (2-track CD single), Garrison, 2008
• Mark Winkler: Sweet Spot, Cafe Pacific, 2011 -note: Barbara sings a duet with Mark on the title track.
• By Request: Volume One, Fertility, 2011
• By Request: Volume Two, Fertility, 2011
• A Sunday Kind Of Love, Savant, 2013
• I Love You, Yes I Do, Savant, 2014
• The L.A. Treasures Project: Live At Alvas Showroom (with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra), Capri, 2014
• The Road To Love (with Kenny Burrell's quintet), High Note, 2015

External links

• Official Barbara Morrison website
• Kirk Silsbee, "This time, it's Barbara Morrison's turn for a favor – Musicians will hold a benefit to help the jazz singer with medical bills", Los Angeles Times, September 10, 2011.