Music
Press
All her life, Caroll Vanwelden has been intensely fascinated by American popular music from the 1930’s. The particular sound of this period reflects the cultural and social conditions that shaped the American identity of that time. The sound of the thirties – and that jazzy touch in particular - reflects the state of mind of American people during a decade marked by the Great Depression. It can be considered as the mirror of a nation that saw its musical tastes change radically from the soft and tender sound of Guy Lombardo and the Jazz Age Dance Bands to the horn arrangements of the Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, and Glenn Miller big bands. Jazz and blues turned into swing, a genre that took off with Louis Armstrong and Fletcher Henderson. Later on this evolved in more modern forms of American popular music, in the fine-tuned rhythm and blues of Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald, itself preceding the swing era of the popular Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Artie Shaw orchestras.
As jazz has always been her first love, Caroll Vanwelden recorded at her home studio a collection of exquisite standards for an easy listening compilation of her all-time favorites, which resulted in the new swing jazz album ‘Cheek to Cheek’. No horns, no violins, just that sober sound that reminds of the real cozy jazz clubs.
With some of her friends and top musicians – Dirk Van Der Linden on guitar, Janos Bruneel on double bass, and Stijn Wauters on the piano – vocalist Caroll Vanwelden succeeded in recreating that lovely 1930’s sound with just the right retro touch and lots of great swinging moments. As a vocalist Caroll was really made to bring that good old jazzy style.
- Albert Haelemeersch
Discography
Colours' : sept 2008
Cheek to Cheek : dec 2009
Photos
Bio
As a 7-year old Caroll started her music career with classical piano. After reaching the excellence grade she stops for a few years to concentrate on her studies of engineering, in which she graduates in 1994 at the VUB university in Brussels. As there was no piano during her studies in Brussels, she tries to stay in contact with the music by organizing Scouts and Student venues. She was the musical producer of 2 venues at the University in 1992 and 1994.
It is also in this period that she concentrates on singing. She follows singing and diction lessons and was a private student of David Linx.
In 1992, she worked together with the great Peter Girth at the Stadtstheater of Darmstadt in Germany.
After her studies in 1995 at the Brussels university, she started at the Music conservatory of Ghent, where she finishes her bachelor degree Jazz and Studio music and prepares her entry-examination for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where, after a severe selection process, she was accepted together with 2 other students. She finishes her post graduation in London at the Guildhall with excellence in 1998.
Meanwhile, in 1996, while studying at the conservatory, she sang the role of Lauretta for the CD-release of the musical EXTASY which was written and produced by Alexander Rahbari, who was during 11 years the conductor of Philharmonic Orchestra of the Belgian national television broadcasting network. This CD was released in 1999 under the "Discover of Koch International" label.
In 1997 Caroll participates at a TV music contest where she reached the finals with the song Calling You from the beautiful movie Bagdad Cafe.
From September 1998 till September 1999, she worked for the Panasonic Technics, where she does the singing on all keyboard demonstrations together with pianist Piet Meersschaut.
Furthermore, she's lead singer on jazz and pop gigs in Belgium and abroad on brunches (in Hilton and Arenberg Hotel in Antwerp and Brussels), big bands, gigs for service clubs like Lions and Rotary, Christmas- and musical concerts, weddings and receptions, backing vocals, fancy fairs, etc... and she teaches singing and music in some private schools (Clavissimo and Ozma).
In January 1999 she creates the cover-group "O-position" with 7 professional jazz musicians, where she's the lead voice and plays the backing-vocals herself with a vocalist (on keyboard). Together with this band, she performed on several music festivals and private parties.
In September 1999 a first single is released : a cover of the TLC song No Scrubs edited by North West featuring Caroll.
In February 2000 she participates again at a TV music contest where she reaches the finals with a reggae version of the song Memory from the musical Cats.
In 2001-2002 as being a member of the group Mezcal with band leader Luiz Marquez, she experiments with ethnical music with a lot of influences from the jazz.
As Caroll gave birth to a little boy and a little girl during 2002 - 2005, she decides to take a rest for a while and starts writing her own songs and lyrics.
In 2006 she started to write songs for her new album Colours and wanted to mix all the influences she had into one CD. There are some fantastic musicians playing on " colours' " like Mike Roelofs, Ron van Stratum, Frank Peeters, Sam Vloemans en Henk de Laat and it has been produced by Salamontes. The cd colours' was released in 2008.
While she was working at her new album colours' she did the vocals on Luiz Marquez’s new album and some backing vocals on Enrique Tarde’s new album and started a creative jazz duo project with the great piano player Tars Lootens. In 2006 she also participated at the project LaFrench a project with 6 singers together.
In 2007 she went on a 10-day tour to China (Beijing) with fantastic musicians! They played in great places as the Beijing Jazz Club, the Conservatory of Beijing, the Embassy of the Netherlands and many other places.
2008: Release of debut solo full album, Colours’.In her debut solo album singer-songwriter Caroll Vanwelden brings mix of all influences she encountered in her career as a singer. You strongly feel her passion for Jazz, Latin and Soul, melted with a dash of pop. Some songs are easy listening; others bring you to the dance floor. Her very distinctive style and her perfectionism made it long to go for a solo album. Now the time is ready to release 12 tracks on an album which will make you regret not buying it!
Critic Albert Healemeersch: "Colours’ is a powerful debut of a great singer-composer. A must in your collection!"
dec 2009:Release solo album 'Cheek to Cheek'. As jazz has always been her first love, Caroll Vanwelden recorded at her home studio a collection of exquisite standards for an easy listening compilation of her all-time favourites, which resulted in the new swing jazz album ‘Cheek to Cheek’. No horns, no violins, just that sober sound that reminds of the real cosy jazz clubs.
With some of her
Links
