Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
With distant echoes of Annie Lennox, Kate Fenner and Jann Arden, Australian adult rocker, Uka, demonstrates adult contemporary pop with a light and winged soul and spirit. Weaving in some threads of jazz, a little blues (hear that crying guitar in the background?) and mellow rock within her consistently-stable sound, she maintains edge and originality to perk up the ears while laying down a common groove that the heart can respond to. - CD BABY - Derek Sivers
Discography
Purchase o listen to "Bermagui" at www.cdbaby.com/uka, www.panartists.com or www.freshtracksmusic.com
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Naomi Louise Warne
Formed in New Orleans; U-Ka is a unique Band conceived by Australian Singer/Songwriter Naomi Louise Warne and Saxophone Legend Charles Neville of the "Neville Brothers". Many seasoned players, including Bones Hillman- Midnight Oil and Christian Scott have contributed to the diverse musical flavors of U-Ka. The fan base of U-Ka includes some of the best known musicians of our time ranging from Jazz to Rock & Roll.
Naomi Louise Warne - Born in Australia to a musical family, growing up on Sydney's beautiful Northern Beaches. Her father, a gifted Composer introduced her to music at an early age. Besides being a wonderful songwriter, she is blessed with a gorgeous voice and the dexterity to play numerous instruments, piano being her most notable.
Spending the last five years studying under Herb Mickman, Jazz Heavyweight and Mentor. Their musical relationship pushed Naomi artistically. Over the years Naomi has developed her own unique style, in both singing and songwriting. She wrote or co-wrote all the songs on "Bermagui". Naomi also developed her skills by performing live. As an emerging talent she fronted Australia's Northside Big Band at the Monterey Jazz Festival. Sharing the stage with such Legendary Jazz names as Stan Getz, Woody Herman, Joe Williams, and Buddy Rich. JohnLewis of the "Modern Jazz Quartet" was so taken by her voice thathe compared her to the late great " Julie London".
Add a couple of years and she is back in the United States performing with Charles Neville at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, packing them in. These extraordinary experiences have truly honed her live chops in the Jazz genre. Though Jazz is her first love it didn't stop her from working with rock Bands in Australia and Europe. Her songwriting skills have also produced a song for one of the most popular TV shows in Australia and Most Notably The Sydney 2000 Olympics. Her song, "Shine on Me", was chosen over thousands of entries and gave her the opportunity to work with Rob Hirst, drummer from the rock Band, "Midnight Oil". Rob is a big a fan of Naomi, mentioning her in his latest book, " Willies Bar and Grill", as one of Australia's most gifted Blues Singers. Future projects pending for sure!!!
While working on "Bermagui", Naomi met some more interesting Musicians, most notably Gregory Slay, drummer "Remy Zero". Their new collaboration produced great results on the CD . She also was given the opportunity to work with producer, Craig Adams (X, Remy Zero), in his legendary studio, Winslow Court (The original RCA Studio), Hollywood, CA. The mind boggles thinking of the talent that recorded there. More to come!!
Charles Neville ~ Neville Brothers saxophonist www.nevillebrothers.com
Charles Neville has always added an indefinable something to the family ensemble that no one else can provide: not just his intense spiritual vibe and stunning instrumental virtuosity, but even more a level of musical intelligence which both reflects and expands upon his experience as a skilled player in several musical idioms.
Charles has been making his living playing the saxophone ever since he began his professional career in New Orleans almost 50 years ago with a group called the Turquoise. By 1954 he had been called out on the road as a member of bands backing up touring R&B stars like Big Maybelle, Jimmy Reed, Big Joe Turner and Piney Brown. During breaks from the road he worked around the Crescent City with local hitmakers like Huey "Piano" Smith, Ernie K-Doe, Allen Toussaint and James Booker.
Charles settled in New York City for several years, investigating the modern jazz scene and sharpening his chops in the company of leading players like Barry Harris, George Coleman, Billy Higgins, and veteran guitarist Tiny Grimes. And he kept up with contemporary developments in R&B by touring with soul singers Johnnie Taylor, Clarence Carter and O.V. Wright when funds got tight.
By this time Charles had assimilated the styles of jazz giants Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins into an approach to the saxophone originally inspired by Louis Jordan. He was now a fully accomplished instrumentalist and improviser with a whole world of ideas to express through his horn, and he brought this musical universe with him when he came home in 1977 to join siblings Art, Aaron and Cyril to form the Neville Brothers.
For the past twenty years Charles has continued to explore his jazz side through a continuing series of performances and recordings with his "outside project," a creative ensemble which varies in size and attack from an imaginative nine-piece outfit called Charles Neville & Diversity to a straight jazz quartet oróas on Safe in Buddha's Palmóa unique quintet featuring the leader's saxophones and flute and James Lassen's soulful bassoon.
Charles Neville & Diversity (LaserLight CD15 331, 1990) has become somewhat of a New Orleans modern jazz classic with its wildly diverse repertoire of origina
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