(Vocal Jazz) Emilie-Claire Barlow - Live in Tokyo - 2014, MP3, 320

Because Emilie-Claire Barlow is a female jazz singer from Canada, some American jazz enthusiasts have inevitably compared her to Canada's most famous jazz export: Diana Krall. But truth be told, Barlow doesn't sound anything like Krall. While Krall's performances have a sultry, dusky, very nocturnal quality, Barlow's singing has favored a youthful, girlish sweetness. That isn't to say that Barlow's bop-oriented work is unswinging — in fact, she has no problem tackling complex arrangements, high-speed scat singing, and vocalese. Besides, Barlow is from Toronto, not western Canada (where Krall grew up). Barlow has spent her entire life in Toronto, where she was born on June 6, 1976. Her father is jazz drummer Brian Barlow, who has also gone by Brian Leonard and is best-known for his work with the Boss Brass (a Canadian big band led by trombonist Rob McConnell). Not surprisingly, the drummer instilled an appreciation of jazz in his daughter and encouraged her to sing. Brian Barlow also encouraged her to study several instruments, including piano, violin, cello, and clarinet. By the time she was seven, Emilie-Claire Barlow was singing for television and radio commercials. She went on to become quite active on Toronto's jazz scene, and in 1997, Emilie-Claire Barlow and her father formed the Barlow Group — an acoustic-oriented octet whose soloists have included trombonist Russ Little and saxman John Johnson. The singer co-produced her first album, Emilie-Claire Barlow Sings, with her father in 1998 before recording Tribute (also co-produced with Brian Barlow) in 2000 (when she turned 24). Both albums were released independently in Canada on the Rhythm Tracks label.

#777Dubbed "Canada's incomparable vocal-jazz jewel," Emilie-Claire Barlow has thrilled fans from Tokyo to London (Ontario) with her exquisite recordings and effervescent live performances in the company of la crème de la crème of Toronto-area musicians.
Wherever she appears, Emilie-Claire endears herself to critics, peers and audiences alike with her polished yet relaxed demeanor, her charming humor, and a voice of unforgettable beauty.
Born in Toronto to parents who were both professional musicians, Emilie-Claire was encouraged to sing and study several instruments, including piano, cello, clarinet and violin. Emilie-Claire names Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder amongst her greatest musical influences.
Since 1998 Emilie-Claire has released nine discs. Known for her masterful interpretations of 1930s and ‘40s gems from the Great American Songbook, as well as a jazzy take on 1960s pop with the release of her 2010 CD The Beat Goes On, Emilie-Claire won a 2013 JUNO in the Vocal Jazz category for Seul ce soir (Alone Tonight). Her ninth album – the first one solely ‘en français’– contains new arrangements of songs she's recorded previously, and six completely new covers, including "Petit matin" by Sylvain Lelièvre, "Croissants de soleil" by Ginette Reno and "La belle dame sans regret" by Sting. Emilie-Claire says that an all-French album gave her “an opportunity to immerse myself a little deeper in the music and the [beauty of the] language…regardless of the language, the tone of many of these songs really reflected where I am in my life right now, so it seemed very natural” (CBC Music blog post).
ECB’s tenth album, “Live in Tokyo,” will be available this April. It was recorded at the elegant Cotton Club in the city’s Marunouchi business district.