Claudia Acuña News

Filling zapatos gigantes; Claudia Acuña's En Este Momento

Ad Hoc Tributes to Departed Masters always raise questions of motive. Typically the rearview mirror is not where resourceful jazz artists look for inspiration. However, a quartet of current releases illustrate why and how retrospective projects can successfully navigate inherent pitfalls and attain authenticity. Read more »

Submitted by crwadmin on September 25th, 2009 — 12:00am

Jazz singer makes varied song set her own; Claudia Acuña at The Jazz Kitchen

All together now: I’d like to teach the world to sing — like Claudia Acuña.

Well, no, not really. Individuality counts for a lot, especially in the wide world of jazz singing. So finding a personal style is almost a duty.

The Chilean-born singer has such a style. It involves a broad reach of repertoire, songs that don’t necessarily emerge from the jazz bag, songs that don’t seem to be pulled from any particular pigeonholes. Read more »

Submitted by crwadmin on September 24th, 2009 — 12:00am

Claudia Acuña brings serene sounds to Jazz Showcase

In the music business, five years without a new CD is practically an eternity.

But radiant jazz singer Claudia Acuña has come back strong, with a startling release that — typically, for her — cuts against convention.

For starters, she sings almost entirely in Spanish on her superb new recording, “En Este Momento” (Marsalis Music), which translates to “At This Moment.” That’s clearly not a quick-and-easy way to re-establish yourself in the marketplace, concedes Acuña, who opens Thursday night at the Jazz Showcase. Read more »

Submitted by crwadmin on September 22nd, 2009 — 12:00am

Claudia Acuña Quintet at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, 9/24-27

Born in Santiago and raised in Concepcion, Chile, Acuña began singing Chilean folk/pop, rock, fusion and opera, drawing inspiration from Chilean music pioneers Violeta Parra and Victor Jara. At the age of 15 she discovered her first “outside” musical model: Frank Sinatra. Acuña finally “felt at home” when she heard the voices of Sinatra, Erroll Garner and Sarah Vaughan. Read more »

Submitted by crwadmin on September 21st, 2009 — 12:00am

Here's what one fan had to say…Newport Jazz Festival 2009 review

The Newport Jazz Festival founded by George Wein, 55 years ago holds a legendary place in the history of Jazz. This years festival was important for bringing such a diverse array of artists from old legends, to modern straight ahead hard-boppers, to bright young artists stretching the boundries of the jazz art form. The show is held at Fort Adams Park right on the New England shoreline. Its fairgrounds have three stages; the main Fort Stage, and two smaller stages, the Water Side and the Harbour Side. For two days, each stage hosts five performances. Read more »

Submitted by crwadmin on August 11th, 2009 — 12:00am