The Lady: Crowned “Little Ella” by legendary tromobonist Curtis Fuller, award winning vocalist/composer/lyricist Mavis ‘SWAN’ Poole is generating quite a buzz on the music scene. Swan is graced with an unrivaled brilliance of shattering barriers with her rich and smoky sound, and effortlessly amalgamates jazz, R&B, soul, funk and hip-hop. This sassy, soulful, fiery SongBird is often compared to vocalists like Erykah Badu, Ella Fitzgerald, Jill Scott, Dinah Washington, and Abbey Lincoln.
Swan displays her versatility as a musician by working amongst the greats in a variety of genres. The songstress was praised as “Indy’s 2007 Jazz Vocalist to watch”, yet flexible enough to record with world renown Grammy Award winning producer 9th Wonder and Hip Hop guru Buckshot on their most recent collaboration, and has graced the stage with soul singer N’Dambi.
HER story: “Bull City’s” finest is the “knee-baby” of five siblings, born and raised in Durham, North Carolina to musically inclined parents. Swan was a natural, raw talent, only working, touring, and competing in gospel groups “God’s Voices”, the “Chosen Few” and the “Spiritualettes”, where she taught intricate vocal parts by ear. A product of a church filled upbringing, she worked and/or recorded with Gospel greats like Luther Barnes, Byron Cage, Ron Bigelow, and in 1999, sang in a hand picked group that performed in the Special Olympics with gospel diva, Shirley Caesar, and Dr. Bobby Jones.
After 22 years of never receiving vocal training, our Songbird decided to attend the very prestigious North Carolina Central University. While there, she was in the “Sound Machine” marching band (alto saxophone), the Jazz Vocal, Big Band, and Combo Ensembles (vocal arranger/section leader/soloist), as well as the Touring & University Choirs (Ms. Choir /secretary /section leader). Swan was a Spring 2002 Epsilon Lambda chapter rose of Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary Band Sorority, Inc. She also was an active part of the Theatre Dept, participating in plays like “Mama, I Want to Sing”. While a student, she was the Vocal Director as well as a Principle role in productions like “Crowns” and “EUBIE!”, where she received praise from press, critics, and a nomination from a visiting critic to compete for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. Recording artist Lenora Zenzalai Helm, and jazz icons Ira Wiggins and Arnold George were just a few of her most impacting mentors as an undergraduate student. Swan is the recipient of many noteworthy awards, including Port Townsend Centrum Jazz Festival participant, Betty Carter Jazz Ahead,Sister’s In Jazz (IAJE), and was honored as “Indy’s 2007 Jazz Vocalist to watch”.
From there, she went on to jam, work, study, and/or record with such Jazz greats as Kurt Elling, Roy Hargrove, Dr. Billy Taylor, Fred Wesley, Nathan Davis, Hubert Laws, Bill Lee, Winard Harper, Jeff Tain Watts, Dee Daniels, John & Jeff Clayton, Curtis Fuller, Chip Jackson, Branford Marsalis, Nancy King, Joey Calderazzo, Carmen Lundy, newcomer Esparanza Spalding, Branford Marsalis, George Cables, and a host of other trendsetting musicians that helped her solidify her unique sound and style.
A magna cum laude graduate earning a BA in Music Ed. as well as a BM in Jazz Vocal Studies, Swan is completing her MA at Queens College, where she studies with Antonio Hart, David Berkman, Howard Brofsky, Michael Mossman, and Miles Griffith.
The Music: ”Mavis, you knocked me out with your soul, sound, voice, and direct honesty, plus great musicianship. The record is a total bomb. I LOVE the CD. You're a wonderful singer, and the band is smoking. Its quite moving. It swings, and has got all the stuff that I like! "
-ANDY BEY, Grammy-nominated vocalist/pianist
Need we say more? After almost 2 years of listening, writing, erasing, and crying with co-producer/ band leader Jeremy “BEAN” Clemons, this body of music has been referred to as an instant classic. Well worth the hard work, Swan’s highly anticipated debut CD “Soul Tree” (sultry) was officially birthed to two well-packed performances at the world famous Blue Note NYC on July 27, 2009. Purchase your copy and decide for yourself. “Soul Tree” is now available @ CD Baby, iTunes, Last FM, and Amazon.
You are warmly invited to enjoy the ride with a trailblazing and truly remarkable swan of vocalists, Ms. Mavis SWAN Poole.
For booking and other info, check out her official website: WWW.SWANVOCALS.COM
COMMENTS:
"Sorry Jill Scott, not so fast Angie Stone, not that we don't love you ladies, but Mavis SWAN Poole is the clear choice for Midpoint. This street wise, world traveled, diva in the making, can sing anything she wants. Smoky jazz club ballad, neo soul funk fest, low rider speaker shaker, Mavis attacks and conquers any style that comes her way. I wonder if Mavis is the reason Lauryn Hill has gone into hiding."MIDPOINT MUSIC FESTIVAL 2009, Cincinnati
”Mavis, you knocked me out with your soul, sound, voice, and direct honesty, plus great musicianship. The record is a total bomb. I LOVE the CD. You're a wonderful singer, and the band is smoking. Its quite moving. It swings, and has got all the stuff that I like! "
-ANDY BEY, Grammy-nominated vocalist/pianist
"Mavis can sing almost anything and has a huge vocal range, both high and low. When I asked her to do "Fly Me To The Moon," she flawlessly skipped up a whole octave at one point, becoming a soprano. She trained her radiant smile on me for the whole tune. I was in love."-LOUIS MARTIN, Editor @ CoastNews.com, San Francisco
"And of what she sang I know not, but her voice touched every chord of my being; something hand alone cannot make. A voice that takes on many shades and colors, and out pours many musical instruments that all come alive from one being ethereal."
-ULYSSES SLAUGHTER, Vocal stylist, technician, teacher
Get Your Own! | View Slideshow
SWAN on BUCKSHOT'S "THE FORMULA" album (produced by 9TH WONDER)
(www.swanvocals.com)
