SIMONE MORRIS “BIRTHDAY” TRIO Live at Jazz Bistro
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SIMONE MORRIS “BIRTHDAY” TRIO: featuring Adrean Farrugia (piano) and Mike Freedman (guitar)
After 10 years playing the jazz circuit, vocalist Simone Morris opted to dig deeper into writing with her long-time guitarist Mike Freedman. Her all-original album “Settling Up” (featuring Canadian treasures Adrean Farrugia on piano, William Sperandei on trumpet and Bill McBirnie on flute) was released November 2018, debuting at #1 on the iTunes Canada Jazz Chart. Since its release it has received extensive airplay, accolades, and in-depth interviews and reviews.
Simone’s innate musicality was evident at an early age beginning in classical piano at age 6. Realizing young that music was an outlet for expression of emotion, it became an integral part of who she was as a person. Mature interpretive and technical abilities caught the attention of her teachers and she was deemed an outstanding natural talent. With an array of performance and musical direction experience under her belt from youth, she went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music from York University, studying contemporary improvisation with Casey Sokol. She discovered her voice as a member of, and soloist in, the University’s Jazz Choir (“Wibijazz’n’”), under the direction of Andrew Craig. For Simone, the sheer joy of singing was so profound that she re-focussed and began a lifelong path as a vocalist.
Known for soulful takes on life and love, she draws on the early influence of Ray Charles, Etta James, Aretha Franklin & Joni Mitchell, alongside her favourite women in jazz – Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. Yet she has carved her own way on the jazz scene with a unique timbre, a natural sultry allure, and an honest raw connection to music evident in her every note. She treats her audience to a refreshingly ‘dig-deep’ kind of conversation, all the while serenading the room in her velvety sweet-vibes.