Diane Shuur :: Red Entertainment Booking Agency

Diane Schuur
A SCHUUR BET – THE GRAMMY-WINNING
VOICE OF JAZZ
Diane Schuur has inspired raves from around the world as “the new first lady of jazz.” She has been awarded two Grammies as the best jazz vocalist, twice played the White House, and her recordings have been topping the charts.

Acclaimed worldwide for her vocal versatility and incredible 3-1/2 octave range, Schuur was “discovered” by Dizzy Gillespie who brought her on stage at the 1979 Monterey Jazz Festival. She wowed the audience and jazz saxophonist Stan Getz. “I couldn’t believe what I heard. This girl had the makings of somebody with depth and staying power. She takes from the tradition of an Ella (Fitzgerald) and Sarah (Vaughan) and what comes out is her own advancement of that tradition.” Getz became her mentor, introducing her during a televised performance at the White House. Record producer Larry Rosen of GRP saw the show. “I was blown away,” he said. The next day he called Getz to get in touch with her and she began recording hits under the GRP label.

It is no surprise that Schuur is regularly compared to jazz greats Sarah and Ella since she began singing to their records from the age of two. She was an extremely shy child, having been blind since birth when excessive oxygen in her incubator damaged the optic nerve. She soon found her voice a bridge to the world and Schuur’s first gig at the Tacoma Hilton started the nine-year old on her meteoric career.

Schuur’s career has been a whirlwind schedule of festivals around the world and recording sessions. Since her first GRP release, “Deedles,” (her childhood nickname) has recorded more than a dozen albums including “In Tribute.” It is an affectionate salute to the influences in her life, especially Dinah Washington whom she idolizes since her earliest jazz “sing-alongs.” She was nominated for her fifth Grammy as “best vocalist-traditional pop category for her album “Love Songs.” Her recording with B.B. King, “Heart to Heart,” shows the breadth of her brilliant talent. “Love Walked In”, is a salute to Dinah Washington. 

In 1997, she received The Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs Award for major female jazz / R&B engagement, for her work at The Blue Note in New York. In 1999 Diane received the first annual Ella Fitzgerald Award from the prestigious Montreal International Jazz Festival for outstanding vocal performance in the tradition of Ella Fitzgerald.

Her recording, “Swingin’ For Schuur”, with Maynard Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau Band, was released September 25, 2001 on the Concord label. On August 12 2003, Diane released “Midnight”, co-produced by Barry Manilow and Eddie Arkin, with the material being written by Barry and his co-writers. Diane’s release, Schuur Fire, was recorded with Dave Samuels and The Caribbean Jazz Project. Diane’s newest release, “Some Other Time” is a tribute to her late mother, and a celebration of the music of her parent’s generation.

This Schuur-fire singer says, “Nothing’s going to stop me because the only thing that limits you is your own mind, if you let it. I feel very blessed when I’m on stage… I want to go out and hug everybody.” And that’s exactly what her voice does.
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