Dianne Reeves

Dianne Reeves

Dianne Reeves with the Boston Pops
on June 1, 2007
Background information
Born (1956-10-23) October 23, 1956
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Occupation(s) Jazz singer
Years active 1983–present
Labels Blue Note/EMI
Website diannereeves.com

Dianne Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer who has been one of the leading exponents of the genre since the 1980s and has won five Grammy awards. Commentator Scott Yanow said of her, "A logical successor to Dinah Washington and Carmen McRae (although even she cannot reach the impossible heights of Ella and Sarah Vaughan), Reeves is a superior interpreter of lyrics and a skilled scat singer."[1]

Biography

Early life

Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan, to a musical family. Her father, who died when she was two years old, was also a singer. Her mother, Vada Swanson, played trumpet. Her cousin was George Duke, the well-known piano and keyboard player and record producer. Dianne and her sister Sharon were raised by their mother in Denver, Colorado. As a child, Dianne took piano lessons and sang at every opportunity. When she was eleven years old, her interest in music was enhanced by an inspiring teacher who thought that music was the best way to bring students together. Dianne discovered a love of music and that she wanted to be a singer.

Her uncle, Charles Burrell, a bass player with the Denver Symphony Orchestra, introduced her to the music of jazz singers, from Ella Fitzgerald to Billie Holiday. She was especially impressed by Sarah Vaughan.

Career

Reeves in April 2011

At the age of 16, Reeves was singing in her high school big-band at the George Washington High School in Denver. That same year, the band played at a music festival (Convention of the National Association of Jazz Educators). Her band won first place, and it was there she met the trumpeter Clark Terry, who became her mentor.

A year later, Reeves began studying music at the University of Colorado before she moved in 1976 to Los Angeles. While there, her interest in Latin American music grew. She began experimenting with different kinds of vocal music, and finally decided to pursue a career as a singer. She met Eduardo del Barrio, toured with his group Caldera, and sang in Billy Childs' jazz band, Night Flight. Later, she toured with Sérgio Mendes.

From 1983 until 1986, Reeves toured with Harry Belafonte as a lead singer. This period saw her first experiences with world music. In 1987, Reeves was the first vocalist signed to the re-activated Blue Note/EMI label.[2]

In 1992, Reeves moved from Los Angeles back to Denver, where she still lives. She sang at the closing ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

Reeves' musical director and arranger, Peter Martin, regularly tours with her.

On May 22, 2015, Reeves received an honorary doctorate[3] from The Juilliard School in New York City.

Grammy Awards

She has to date won five Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for her albums

She is the only singer to have won this Grammy in three consecutive albums.

Discography

Studio albums

Vocal appearances

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ Scott Yanow (1956-10-23). "Dianne Reeves | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
  2. ↑ Archived November 24, 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Juilliard press release, Feb. 26, 2015
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External links

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