Lizzy Parks - Watching Space [CD]

Lizzy's musical style blends the female singer-songwriter tradition going back to Carole King and Joni Mitchell, with influences from the cutting edge sensibility of Björk to the soaring jazz melodies of Ella Fitzgerald. She mixes old with new. Serving her musical apprenticeship gigging around the Midlands flitting between the alter egos of traditional jazz singer and hot new vocalist, her journey in the post-conservatoire world explored the dilemma as to how these co-existing paths could be reconciled. Her mission of taking the role of a modern day jazz singer into the 21st century effortlessly evolved. This merging of musical styles with the evolution of the "nu jazz singer" is truly evident in the beautifully crafted melodies and authentic improvisation on this debut album. The songs are lyrical observations of the human condition, articulating the perplexities of everyday life. The album flows with the haunting effect of both darkness and light. Lizzy has to date featured on several critically acclaimed releases including Chris Bowden's 'Slightly Askew' (Ninja Tune), Perry Hemus' 'Rhodesmode' (Woodland Records), Will Saul's 'Space Between' (Simple) and Nostalgia 77's 'Hope Suite' (Tru Thoughts) which was nominated for Gilles Peterson's Radio 1 urban Track of the Year 2005. Gigging nationwide with DJs, various Jazz groups and Big Bands as well as with her own band, Lizzy has appeared at prestigious venues including Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club, The Glee Club, The Symphony Hall (Birmingham); The Royal Festival Hall, The Jazz Cafe, Cargo, The Troubadour, The Bedford (London), and The Hi-Fi Club (Leeds) to name just a few.