FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland Jazz Vocalist and Lyricist, Mitzi Zilka, Launches New CD On July 5th. CD now being played regularly in three countries, U.S., Australia and Thialand.
June 24, 2003 - Portland-based jazz vocalist and lyricist, Mitzi Zilka, releases her first CD entitled
Two Sugars on July 5th at 8:00pm at Vine Leaves Jazz Bar and Restaurant located at 2221 S. E. Hawthorne. A relative newcomer to Portland's vibrant jazz scene, Mitzi has nevertheless made her mark among local jazz audiences at The Sweetbrier Inn, Billy Reeds, Vine Leaves, Wine Down and the Empire Room with her rich soprano voice and talent as a lyricist. The words she has written for jazz instrumental classics including Lament, Monk's Mood, Lady Bird, Pent Up House and Blue Bossa add a fresh dimension to a well-established musical tradition. Nationally-known guitarist, Dan Balmer says this is one of the things that makes her stand out. "Apart from her voice, what I admire and appreciate about Mitzi is that she is bringing something new to the jazz vocabulary."
For her debut recording, Mitzi chose a well-balanced selection of jazz ballads and up-beat numbers, which offers a glimpse at her broad vocal range and feeling for the music. As both a writer and a singer, Mitzi picked jazz songs that reflect her love of good stories, blended with beautiful melodies such as: What's New, I Thought About You, Fine & Mellow, and Don't Explain. The name of the CD,
Two Sugars, which comes from a line she wrote for one of the songs on the recording, also refers to her two sons, to whom the CD is dedicated.
Inspired from the age of 13 by Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn and Peggy Lee, Mitzi says "It takes some courage to sing jazz because you're doing songs that have been done a million times before. You've got to find a way to do something creative with them. That's what jazz is all about." According to renowned pianist Eddie Wied, Mitzi's doing just that, "She's a fine singer with her own style; I think she's great."
To support her creative endeavor, Mitzi has brought together a who's who of local jazz talent including Peter Boe and Eddie Wied on piano, Dan Balmer on guitar, Dan Schulte playing Bass and Tim Rapp on drums. The result is a jazz CD with depth, polish and passion, making Two Sugars a very sweet debut, indeed, for Mitzi Zilka.
Contact Info: Mitzi Zilka
Email: www.mitzizilka.com
"Music in general, but jazz in particular is about feelings and emotions. What appeals to me is there's still a sweetness in jazz that isn't often found in other types of music these days." -- Mitzi Zilka
If jazz is about emotions, Mitzi Zilka has found a way to pack a wallop by combining her talents as both a singer and a lyricist. The words she has penned to a variety of jazz instrumental classics including Monk's Mood, Blue Bossa, Lament, Pent Up House and Lady Bird, have added a fresh new dimension to the jazz tradition, says two-time Grammy winner, Peter Boe. "She not only has a great jazz voice, but also, the words she writes to original instrumental music and existing standards are among the best I've seen."
A Portland native, Mitzi moved to L.A. with her family when she was 12 where she began classical training as a singer. But she says she fell in love with jazz from the moment she heard Billie Holiday at age 13. "What got me about Billie Holiday is that you heard stories in songs about pain and love. It was like getting counseling."
With her three-octave range and rich soprano voice, Mitzi appeared in musical productions throughout her teen years - and even did back-up vocals for the Beach Boys - before college and a young family of her own interrupted her singing career. A lot of living since then has brought her back to jazz, her first love. "People say you can't sing jazz until after age 35, maybe because it's so much about the human condition. The bottom line is you're trying to get people to feel. Singing and writing jazz gives me a way to do that."
Mitzi has appeared at many of Portland's jazz venues including The Sweetbrier Inn, Billy Reed's, Vine Leaves and the Empire Room. She also performs at business and social functions throughout the region. Her debut CD, Two Sugars, offers a heaping spoonful of her magic and passion.
Mitzi Zilka
Email: www.mitzizilka.com
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