Nora McCarthy: Home
Photos Above by: Manny Hui Photography
Photos Below: Angela Bruno
Lyrics to Quiet Now (1987); Akara Moi Moi (2001) written by Nora McCarthy
Bedroom Eyes (1996), Life Is A Song To Sing (1998): Original compositions by Nora McCarthy from CDs red&blue and Circle Completing
For High Resolution Publicity: The following is from the show "A Tribute To Irene Kral", May 28, 2010 at NYC's Finest Cabaret Club...THE METROPOLITAN ROOM..... Duo performance featuring: Nora McCarthy, voice and Joshua Wolff, piano
A HIGHLY ORIGINAL AND ORGANIC JAZZ VOCAL ARTIST, COMPOSER AND POET. Original Music Contemporary Jazz Classic Jazz Blues Free Music Art Forms Improvisation THE EARTHINESS OF AN EARLY BLUES SINGER INTREPID AND EXPERIMENTAL NEW YORK & INTERNATIONAL
Recent Release: CIRCLE COMPLETING A set of lyrical duets of original music and beautiful jazz standards featuring John diMartino, piano “...The ballad ‘Too Late Now’ (Lerner/Lane) from her CD, Circle Completing, is a charmer. Reminding me very much of the late lamented Irene Kral. Nora provocatively sings this melancholy ballad in full throttle.” -Dan Singer, In-Tune, International Magazine - UK -Bill Donaldson for Jazz Improv NY, 2008 "...A striking woman of unusually elastic voice, McCarthy infuses her music with poetry and theatricality that’s both stark and sensual." -Carlo Wolff, Cleveland Scene, April, 2010 All About Jazz Tri-C Jazz Festival By: Matt Marshall April 18: Nora McCarthy The return of this Cleveland-native singer (and former stalwart of the city's jazz scene) from New York for a performance at Nighttown fit in well with the hometown spirit the festival always exudes. Featuring several songs from her latest release, Circle Completing (2008), McCarthy's vocals often recalled the soft, strained desperation of another Cleveland vocalist, the great Jimmy Scott. The album is, in fact, something of an homage to Scott, ending with the McCarthy original, "Faith in Time (Jimmy's Song)." But McCarthy skipped that one on this night. Instead, Scott's influence shown through on another original composition, the one she calls her theme song, "Life Is a Song to Sing," and on "April in Paris," her vocals fluttering with an acceptance of loss and regret, yet insisting that the road stay open before her; she the more able of treasuring it for her backlog of experiences. Elsewhere, she swung through Van Heusen's "Come Fly With Me" and the original "Into the Middle of Something" with a relaxed cabaret swagger, and pounded out piano-like scatting on other standards. She was backed by the fine local trio of pianist Dan Maier, bassist Marty Block and drummer Roy King. Block, in particular, added a deep, invigorating second voice that countered McCarthy's vocals with slippery yet punching solos on nearly every number. The singer closed with a barn-burning version of Willie Dixon's "Little Red Rooster" that left the crowd crowing for more and nicely "upset, in every way." ACCUJAZZ RADIO - CHICAGO'S FINEST CLEVELAND JAZZ RADIO RECENT RADIO INTERVIEW WITH DAN POLETTA ON 90.3 WCPN ideastream "WHAT'S NEW WITH NORA?" - CHECK IT OUT! UPCOMING ........
THE ARTICULATION, PHRASING AND TIMBRE OF A JAZZ TRUMPET
“…McCarthy is a fearless singer who deftly refuses to be categorized as she explores personalized means for expressing ideas. She travels infrequently heard avenues for exploring thought and adapts vocal technique to fit the circumstances of her message."
CURRENT NEWS:
Nora has two new recordings as a sideman coming out soon, Toward The Hill Of Joy with trombonist, composer George Brandon's Septet, tentative release date January, 2010 and one that she just completed a live recording with legendary avant garde multi-instrumentalist and founder of Birth Records, Gunter Hampel and his European Trio on October 5, 2009 in NYC. Also, a duo CD with bassist Dominic Duval is projected for 2010.
http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/jazztracks/15279
UPCOMING: TOUR AND RECORDING IN AUSTRIA AND EUROPE WITH JORGE SYLVESTER AND THE ACE COLLECTIVE SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER, 2010
