Featuring UK Jazz Singer and Song Writer, Denise Gordon

It was my good fortune to meet Denise Gordon at Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends’ Christmas Jazz Party. We spoke briefly but having found we have things “New Orleans” in common, we are now exchanging Facebook messages.

Denise’s website introduces her as:

“UK Soulful Jazz and Blues singer-songwriter
Denise Gordon has performed on the
International Jazz scene for over a decade…”

Without steeling her thunder here are just a few snippets from
the website:

“Denise grew up attending church and this is where her natural ability to sing was first encourage by her mother, thus with her style firmly rooted in Gospel, she can express an array of styles; performing anything from Jazz, through Funk, Soul, Rhythm ‘n’ Blues & Spirituals, leaving her audiences in no doubt that they have witnessed something exceptional.”

“Denise has entertained Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Ministers, Presidents’ and sang acappella for the late Pope John Paul II to an audience of quarter of a million.”

In our messages Denise and I discovered that each of us had visited New Orleans in 2010. This was a wonderful opportunity for Denise to further her career. For me The French Quarter Festival was all the inspiration I needed to launch Jazz&Jazz.

Denise’s “soul remains deeply rooted in Gospel” and with her New Orleans-based band she “presents traditional & contemporary flavours of Soul, Funk, Latin and R&B… so that’s all in a days’ work with some unforgettable nights for this International Singer-Songwriter.”

In one of her messages, Denise told me she had sent me her latest CD “Just One Of Those Things”. I was delighted and asked her if she would like me to feature it on Jazz&Jazz.

She replied, “It would be great if you could promote it on Jazz&Jazz. It was released Oct 2012 but only became available on iTunes in November 2013. Of course I’d rather sell it at live gigs where I meet the Jazzers …. but much thanks for your help. I’m especially happy with this record as it was recorded in 10 hours in George Buck’s Jazzology Studio, so most of it is one or two takes. Recorded in two 5 hour sessions 6 months apart; started October 2011 and a completed in April 2012. Without a doubt one of the most pleasurable 10 hours of making music for me EVER… a lot of fun with these New Orleans virtuosos, including Wendell Brunious (trumpet and flugelhorn); Gerald French (drums, percussion); Jesse Boyd (bass); and Thaddeus Richard on piano and Hammond organ. Thaddeus was musical director for Paul McCartney for 25 years. He is an awesomely multi-instrumentalist and I toured with him in 2008 on a Lillian Boutte tour in Germany. Wendell Brunious, a regular performer at Preservation Hall, has starred with Kid Thomas Valentine, Sammy Rimington, Barry Martyn, Dr Michael White and Chris Barber. Gerald French, is leader of The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band and Jesse Boyd plays classical music as well as jazz and is a professor at Loyola University, New Orleans.”