photo by Shervin Lainez
While some jazz singers make claims by including evergreens from the Great American Songbook in their repertoire, Jane Irving’s “...Lavish talent and striking originality” make her a natural storyteller in the jazz genre.
Vocalist Jane Irving has spent most of her life surrounded by music. Initially a childhood classical piano student, she discovered jazz in her late teens. The combination of studied learning and a natural feel for jazz, helped Irving begin to understand the potential of the voice as an instrument for pure self expression.
Irving was born in Sydney, Australia in 1971. From a young age, she was a dedicated classical piano student which continued throughout her early schooling years to the age of seventeen. “When I was 14 I started going to jazz camps during the school holidays. That’s when I first got into jazz - it felt good to me straight away”.
After leaving school, at 18 Jane had her first gig playing piano and singing in the cocktail bar of a Sydney hotel. Her repertoire was a combination of top forty songs and jazz standards. “I don’t know how I got that gig. I just knew that I could play piano well enough to get by and the singing was just something that seemed to work fairly well alongside it. A white grand piano with a glass top that people would sit around. It was a funny gig but this is where I got my start.” Jane continued to work as a piano player/singer but when she took a jazz vocal workshop at the Conservatorium in Sydney everything changed. A guitar player she had met there offered her a gig... “I turned up and walked out onto the stage, and there was a guitar, bass, drums and just a microphone on a stand waiting for me. No piano. This was my first gig singing with a band and I absolutely loved it.” Irving continued to work as a pianist/vocalist but was fast becoming much more interested in the voice as an instrument. At this time, Jane began studying with Australia's leading jazz vocalist - Kerrie Biddell. ”Kerrie really helped me hone my sound and taught me so much about the voice and being a singer. She had a deep impact on me personally and as a musician.”
Irving started singing in and around the Sydney area, and began featuring at some statewide jazz festivals such as Thredbo Jazz Festival; Manly Jazz Festival; South Coast Jazz Festival and Wangaratta Jazz Festival. She also played regularly at popular Sydney spots such as: The Basement; Soup Plus; The Sound Lounge; and 505. In 2007 Irving released her first recording ‘Beams’ which still receives regular airplay. In 2009 Jane was asked to be the vocal teacher for the Sydney Improvised Music Association’s ‘Young Women In Jazz’ program, which continued for two years. This was a unique course aimed at women interested in pursuing a professional career in jazz and improvised music. At this time Jane was also asked to front ‘The Swinging Blades’, a band of star Sydney musicians. The ‘Blades’ formed a weekly musicians jam where many of Sydney’s best jazz musicians could be heard.
In 2011, Jane moved to New York with husband, bassist Kevin Hailey. Together they reside in Brooklyn. Most recently Irving has been playing with Tadataka Unno, Ron Affif, Mark Ferber, Josh Richman, Ed Cherry and many other local NYC musicians. Jane has played regularly at NYC spots including The 55 Bar, Minton's, Birdland and Mezzrow. Her new recording ‘Don’t Quit Now’ will be released in the Spring of 2023.
Reviews:
“I have been listening to Jane for quite some time and she is the personification of taste.” - Guitarist, Russell Malone.
“Ms. Irving is one badass jazz stylist, the kind that makes audiences say WOW!” - Stephen Mosher, Broadway World.
“Jane Irving's emphasis on originality strikes an eclectic fresh note within a jazz setting.” - Chris Struck for Cabaret Scenes.
“I'm impressed with her ‘feel’ for the tunes – just as people dug Miles Davis because of the way he interpreted his material.” - Don Rader. The ex Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson and Count Basie US trumpeter.
“Her cheery feel-good music making is as uplifting and mellow as it can get. Her scat crooning is alluring and is bound to stay with you for a long time. She has a knack of getting your juices flowing and on ballads she is like fine wine.” -‘Singer’s Singers’ - Dan Singer, New York City
“There are very few anywhere who can make it work today. Very few indeed in Australia. Jane Irving is one of the few.”- Live review by John Clare for the Sydney Improvised Music Association.
“Lavish talent and striking originality.”- John McBeath for The Weekend Australian.