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Zara McFarlane

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Zara McFarlane
BornLondon, England
GenresJazz, Soul, Reggae, Dance, House, Experimental
Occupation(s)Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Vocal Coach
InstrumentVocal
LabelsBrownswood Recordings
!K7 Music/Eternal Source of Light
Websitezaramcfarlane.com

Zara McFarlane (born 1983) is a British music artist, singer, songwriter, composer, vocal coach and playwright based in East London, England. The critically acclaimed singer has released five albums under her own name. Jazzwise Magazine wrote that McFarlane, "is one of the UK’s pre-eminent jazz vocalists and composers".[1] She is a multi - award winner, including a MOBO Awards.,[2] two Jazz FM awards and an Urban Music award.

Early life

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Zara McFarlane was born in London, England in 1983 and grew up on the borders of East London and Essex. She was born to parents of Jamaican heritage, which has had a big influence on her musical tastes.[3] At the age of 14 she performed on the national TV show Stars In Their Eyes performing as Lauryn Hill.

At age 16 McFarlane studied Musical theatre at the BRIT School. She went on to the study at Vocaltech, achieving a First Class Honors BMUS in Popular Music Performance. In 2022 after completing a Masters degree in jazz studies at Guildhall School of Music and Drama she was awarded a Fellowship.[4]

In addition, McFarlane developed her skills in jazz through Tomorrow's Warriors,[5] where she met many of the musicians she performs and collaborates with today.[6][7]

Career

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McFarlane's self released her debut album, Until Tomorrow in 2011. It garnered the attention of British DJ and producer Gilles Peterson who released it on his label Brownswood Recordings in 2011.[8] Music critics Daniel Garrett hailed McFarlane's, "bell-like voice"[9] and Bruce Lindsay at All About Jazz wrote, "Until Tomorrow is filled with musical treasures, waiting to be discovered".[10]

Her second album, If You Knew Her, was released in 2014.[11] Ben Ratliff at The New York Times commented that, "its identity derives from Ms. McFarlane's clear, elegant voice, and the musicians' training and influences".[12] While touring in support of the album, music critic John Fordham described her, "magnetic eloquence".[13]

McFarlane's third release, 2017's Arise was produced by British drummer Moses Boyd. It received a 4 star review from The Guardian.[14]

Her 2020 album ‘Songs of An Unknown Tongue’ was born out of her extended trip to Jamaica in 2018 to research the early folk rhythms unique to the island. A culmination of this research and a subversion of the colonial legacy of slavery, McFarlane teamed up with London producers Kwake Bass and Wu-Lu to explore a meeting point between current electronic sounds and the historic traditional rhythms of Jamaica.[15]

In 2021, McFarlane was commissioned by LA based experimental dance company Jacob Jonas The Company to compose, produce and perform the music for the short dance film DisInteGrated. Choreographed and directed by Wade Robson and Tony Testa the piece won a Los Angeles Movie Award for Best Experimental Short in 2022.[16]

McFarlane's 2024 release Sweet Whispers: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan is a homage to one of her idols on her centenary year. It marks her first release on !K7 Music/Eternal Source of Light. The album was developed in collaboration with producer, clarinetist and saxophonist, Giacomo Smith. The Guardian's John Fordham listed it as Album of the Month and gave it a 4 star review in which he wrote, "The British jazz singer pays homage to Vaughan with earthiness and spontaneity: an animated reinvention of these classics".[17] In 2024 she celebrated Vaughan's centenary year in concert with Gast Waltzing and the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra.[18]  

In 2024 McFarlane performed the National Anthem at the FA Cup Final in Wembley Stadium.[19]

McFarlane has collaborated with a wide range of artists across various genres including DJ's Nicola Conte, Little Louie Vega and Nicola Conte, electronica musician Manu Delago, dub producer Dennis Bovell, British musicians Gary Crosby’s Jazz Jamaica, Ezra Collective, Soweto Kinch, Shabaka Hutchings and American trumpeter Leron Thomas.[20]

Zara McFarlane's tracks have been remixed and reworked by British producer Swindle, Viennese Techno Duo Ogris Debris, Ninja Tune’s Floating Points, Afro-Funker Osunlade and Space-Jazzers Emanative. McFarlane paid tribute to Tammi Terrell with Norwegian Dj/Producer Dalminjo. She has also been a supporting act for South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela and vocalists Gregory Porter, Dianne Reeves and Gwen McCrae.

Theatre

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In 2018 McFarlane was a featured singer in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Anthony and Cleopatra and Swingin' a Dream.[21] The same year she was featured at Glyndebourne Festival Opera in a new piece by Howard Moody entitled Agreed.

Television and radio

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In 2014 McFarlane was the solo voice of Skyscanner’s 1st TV ad campaign.

Representing Jamaica, McFarlane performed at the Barbican Centre in 2014 as part of the Commonwealth Week celebrating South African musician Hugh Masekela.

In 2015 she performed on a episode of the BBC TV Drama The Outcast.

McFarlane has made television appearances on Later... with Jools Holland (BBC Two),[22] Un Lugar Llamado Mundo[23] and the live broadcast of Victoires du Jazz.[24] She has also made radio appearances worldwide, with performances on Jamie Cullum's show on BBC Radio 2,[25] NTS Radio[26] and TSF Jazz.[27]

Vocal coaching

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McFarlane has her own company called Singtivate where as a vocal coach she teaches privately, in education establishments and with businesses for professional development.

Awards

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  • 2012 MOBO Award, Best Jazz Act, Nominee
  • 2014 MOBO Award, Best Jazz Act, Winner[28]
  • 2014 Parliamentary Jazz Award, Vocalist of the Year, Nominee
  • 2015 Urban Music Award, Best Jazz, Winner[29]
  • 2015 Jazz FM Award, Vocalist of the Year, Winner[30]
  • 2015 Worldwide Awards, Album of the Year, Nominee
  • 2015 Parliamentary Jazz Award, Vocalist of the Year, Nominee
  • 2018 Jazz FM Award, Vocalist of the Year, Winner[31]
  • 2018 Worldwide Awards, Session of the Year, Winner[32]
  • 2018 Parliamentary Jazz Award, Vocalist of the Year, Nominee
  • 2020 Best Art Vinyl, Best Art Vinyl 2020, Nominee

Discography

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As leader

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  • 2011, Until Tomorrow (Brownswood)
  • 2014, If You Knew Her (Brownswood)
  • 2017, Arise (Brownswood)
  • 2020, Songs of an Unknown Tongue (Brownswood)
  • 2024, Sweet Whispers: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan (!K7 Music/Eternal Source of Light)

Singles & EP's

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  • 2011, Chiaroscuro (Brownswood)
  • 2012, More Than Mine (Brownswood)
  • 2013, Angie La La (Brownswood)
  • 2014, Lazy Afternoon (Brownswood)
  • 2014, Move (Brownswood)
  • 2017, All Africa (Brownswood)
  • 2019, East of the River Nile (Brownswood)
  • 2020, Black Treasure (Brownswood)
  • 2020, Future Echoes (Brownswood)
  • 2020, Everything Is Connected (Brownswood)
  • 2020, Native Nomad (Brownswood)
  • 2020 State of Mind (Brownswood)
  • 2022 DisInteGrated
  • 2024 The Mystery of Man (!K7 Music/Eternal Source of Light)
  • 2024 If You Could See Me Now (!K7 Music/Eternal Source of Light)

As guest

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  • 2011, Brownswood Bubblers Seven, Gilles Peterson (Brownswood)
  • 2015, Christmas Soul, Barbara Dennerlein and Magnus Lindgren (MPS

References

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  1. ^ Quinn, Peter (11 July 2024). "Zara McFarlane on Sarah Vaughan's legacy". Jazzwise.
  2. ^ "Zara McFarlane bags award at MOBO 2014", 23 October 2014.
  3. ^ Jane Cornwell, "Zara McFarlane: a bit of Billie, a touch of Ella and some big beats", Evening Standard, 24 October 2014.
  4. ^ Scotney, Sebastian (22 June 2024). "Album: Zara McFarlane - Sweet Whispers: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan". The Arts Desk. theartsdesk.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Zara McFarlane… Until Tomorrow", Tomorrow’s Warriors, 22 October 2011.
  6. ^ "Tomorrow's Warriors celebrates 30th anniversary with release of live recordings of specially commissioned work". The Independent Music Insider. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  7. ^ Jones, Peter (6 February 2019). "How did they do that? The extraordinary story of Tomorrow's Warriors". Jazz in Europe. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  8. ^ Dood, The. "Zara McFarlane (2011)". UKvibe.org. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  9. ^ Garrett, Daniel (17 January 2012). "Emotion and Style, Jazz and Soul: Until Tomorrow by Zara McFarlane". compulsivereader.com. Compulsive Reader. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  10. ^ Lindsay, Bruce (10 October 2011). "Zara McFarlane: Until Tomorrow". allaboutjazz.com. All About Jazz. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  11. ^ Brian Mansfield's review of You'll Get Me In Trouble video, USA Today, 30 December 2013.
  12. ^ Ben Ratliff's playlist featuring George Cables and Zara McFarlane, The New York Times, 24 January 2014.
  13. ^ John Fordham, "Zara McFarlane – review" (Zara McFarlane at XOYO), The Guardian, 13 February 2014.
  14. ^ Fordham, John (5 October 2017). "Zara McFarlane: Arise review – jazz sensibilities highlight a class act". The Guardian.
  15. ^ Murray, Robin (20 July 2020). "Zara McFarlane – Songs Of An Unknown Tongue". Clash.
  16. ^ "LAMA Winter 2022 Winners & Selections". thelamovieawards.com. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  17. ^ Fordham, John (7 June 2024). "Zara McFarlane: Sweet Whispers: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan review – terrific tribute to a jazz legend". The Guardian.
  18. ^ Steffen, Allain. "Sarah Vaughn and Brahms in the Philharmonie – and the applause question". www.tageblatt.lu. Tageblatt Letzbeurg. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  19. ^ Scotney, Sebastian (22 June 2024). "Album: Zara McFarlane - Sweet Whispers: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan". www.theartsdesk.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  20. ^ "Zara McFarlane (2022)". ukvibe.org. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  21. ^ "Swingin' the Dream – Royal Shakespeare Company". musicaltheatrereview.com. Musical Theatre Review. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  22. ^ Later... With Jools Holland, BBC Two, 22 April 2014.
  23. ^ Un Lugar Llamado Mundo, 16 July 2014.
  24. ^ Les Victoires du Jazz, France 3, 13 June 2014.
  25. ^ Zara McFarlane session on the Jamie Cullum Show, BBC Radio 2, 11 February 2014.
  26. ^ NTS Radio Morning Marauders Archived October 24, 2014, at the Wayback Machine 25 January 2014.
  27. ^ TSF Jazz's Disc of the Day, 29 January 2014.
  28. ^ "Zara McFarlane wins MOBO Award". efglondonjazzfestival.org. London Jazz Festival. 23 October 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  29. ^ "UMA Winners 2015". urbanmusicawards.co. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  30. ^ Quinn, Peter (12 June 2015). "Jazz FM Awards 2015". theartsdesk.com. The Arts Desk. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  31. ^ "2018 Awards". jazzfmawards.com. Jazz FM Awards. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  32. ^ Campbell, Joel (27 May 2020). "Zara McFarlane is a special kind of jewel". voice-online.co. Voice Online. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
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