 |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 I sing because it is the most joyful expression of my soul. Jazz singer Amanda Wood will headline a gala fundraising dinner at Illuminate Restorante in Tsawwassen this Saturday. Wood, born and raised in Victoria, has performed in Shanghai, Orlando, Las Vegas and Nuremberg and has released three albums. "She's quite prominent in the jazz world," says Joeqyna Bolirinno, who owns Illuminate with her husband, chef Roland Smith. "Amanda Wood Swings into Vancouver" Add the name of Amanda Wood to the growing list of quality jazz singer / songwriters and musicians who come from Canada’s Vancouver Island, as she follows in the footsteps of Diana Krall, trumpet virtuoso Ingrid Jensen, and her sister jazz saxophonist Christine Jensen. On April 30th at the Cellar Restaurant / Jazz Club in Vancouver’s west end, Amanda Wood put on a spectacular two set concert that was frequently punctuated by her audience’s spontaneous applause. Her repertoire consisted of a good mix of jazz and pop tunes, which included covers of standards and original compositions. Accompanied by the superbly talented pianist / electric keyboardist Diane Lines, the understated Steve Dick on drums and Adam Rohrlick who doubled on tenor saxophone and electric guitar, Wood opened with a high powered cover of the sultry, “Funky Fever,” before slipping into Sting’s, tender “Fields Of Gold,” on which Wood demonstrated sensitive phrasing. The song was previously recorded by one of Wood’s personal favorite singers, Eva Cassidy. Wood offered up a good rendition of Norah Jones’ “I Don’t Know Why,” but it was Diane Lines who stole the spotlight with her outstanding piano playing and Rohrlick who delivered an emotive sax bridge that was just a foretaste of what he would treat the audience to later in the set. Not to be outdone by her trio of musicians, Wood put on an incredible vocal performance with her breathtaking and elegant interpretation of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “The Look Of Love,” which was originally recorded by Dusty Springfield in 1967 and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Song, as it appeared on the soundtrack for the James Bond spoof Casino Royale. Wood captured the longing of a woman who wants to be in the arms of her lover again. Wood’s passionate vocals were further enhanced by Rohrlick’s elegant styling on his guitar. Wood’s versatility came into play once more as she easily slipped into “Crazy Love,” the first of two Van Morrison songs that she selected for this evening’s concert, the second being, “Moondance,” which she sang during the second set. Lines supported Wood with her strong background vocals. During our soon to be published interview with Amanda Wood, she confessed a fondness for songs that are usually associated with male vocalists, and she took poetic license with Antonio Carlos Jobim’s bossa nova “The Girl From Ipanema,” renaming it “The Boy From Ipanema, after all, why shouldn’t a girl be able to enjoy singing about a tall, handsome, virile young man on a beach? Wood who is also an accomplished actress was convincingly ‘in the moment,’ and painted vivid word pictures of a tropical beach and a young woman who is hoping to catch the eye of a young man. During her first set, Amanda Wood put her audience under a romantic spell as the tall, long blonde haired singer in heels and short red dress performed two original songs, “I’m Yours,” and “Butterflies,” both of which were written for her husband. As good as Wood is at covering standards, she would do well to continue developing her original repertoire, as she is a very strong songwriter and the deep connection with her own lyrics is obvious, which in turn evokes an even stronger emotional response from the listener. “Butterflies,” is a confession of love, and it is about being grateful for knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that the other person loves you. Witnessing Amanda Wood’s stage persona it is easy to detect that performing before live audiences is far from routine for the talented vocalist, and her love for her craft was clearly evident as she served up the swinging tunes, “Fly Me To The Moon,” and “Route 66.” Wood’s rendition of “Fly Me To The Moon,” captures the spirit of the Frank Sinatra and Count Basie version of the song. On this evening, Rohrlick served up a spectacular sax solo, and once again Lines was strong on the keys. Drummer Steve Dick did a splendid job of setting the tempo for both songs, but he did so without overpowering the other musicians or Wood’s vocals. Wood delivered a high energy and powerful performance of “Route 66,” as her trio set a blistering pace. Amanda Wood closed out the evening with a soulful interpretation of Hogay Carmichael’s “Georgia On My Mind.” Amanda Wood has a great future ahead of her, because she writes quality original compositions and she possesses the rare ability to easily segue between swinging jazz, standards, love ballads and pop tunes, all within the same set. Not only does she demonstrate diversity, but she does so without ever compromising the quality of her performance.
"She's quite prominent in the jazz world," Listening to Amanda Wood sing brings to mind the subtle whispers of Norah Jones and the soulful range of Joss Stone. Her music is a beautiful balance of power and emotion coming together in an Adult Contemporary/Jazz style, perfect for a ‘cross over’ market. Her music appeals to a CD buying demographic aged 25+. One of the purest jazz voices I've heard in a long time. Born and raised in the beautiful city of Victoria, British Columbia, Amanda’s music reflects the many influences of her childhood in her simple but relevant song writing. Amanda is always striving for a real emotional connection with her audience and often prefers a simple approach to production in the studio. "To me, Amanda Wood is the complete musical 'package'. She sings divinely, writes beautifully, and carries herself with the grace and charm of a true professional. Big things we will be hearing about Amanda Wood and her music. Of that I have no doubt". Some of her greatest musical influences include; Barbara Streisand, Bonnie Rait, Eva Cassidy, Diana Krall, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Gershwin, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Norah Jones. Her tastes in music are as diverse as the changing seasons in beautiful BC and she prefers it that way.
Singer Amanda Wood, 24, performs somewhat in the Diana Krall-Eva Cassidy manner. Methinks we'll hear more of Ms. Wood. She has been writing her own lyrics as well as working with professional writers and producers to create her own original sound. She is excited about all the future has to offer and looks forward to the challenges along the way. Her main objective at this point is to continue to work with the people she admires. Securing a record deal or distribution would be ideal for the next steps in this exciting career. Her ambition, dreams and hard work will take her far and will contribute to the solid character of this young woman. Amanda Wood brings a fresh new style to classic songs and is a pleasure to behold. Amanda loves good old fashioned entertainment. She loves acting, singing and dancing and continues to study in all of these areas. She enjoyed being involved in music and dance at a young age, taking piano lessons, dance (tap, ballet, jazz) and voice. The stage called to Amanda from the very beginning. Whether it was organizing plays with the neighborhood children, playing in the church musical, or performing in recitals for piano and dance, she always found herself most comfortable on the stage. She was surrounded by loving parents, mentors and teachers that always instilled in her the confidence that she could accomplish anything. Amanda is a powerhouse singer with a huge emotional and dynamic range. She is a joy to perform with, and draws her listeners in with her captivating stage presence and flawless vocals. Michael Creber - Pianist, Composer, Producer While attending high school, she focused on the performing arts and thrived in an environment that encouraged her. She was the Valedictorian of her graduating class and received many awards and scholarships. She used those scholarships to attend the University of Victoria's Theatre Department, training in the discipline of acting. Amanda won roles in main stage productions as well as independent shows through the Student Alternative Theatre Company. At this point she was branching out to film and television. Moving to Vancouver was the next step she needed to take in her career. Amanda Wood sings with the naturalness and ease of all the truly great performers that have taken a lifetime to establish, combined with her warm and magnetic personality she has proven herself to be the best of her generation. Once in Vancouver she soon signed with the powerful Pacific Artists Management Company. The door to "voice over" work also opened to her and she has been booking jobs steadily through different studios and animation companies. Her "voice over" demo reel is receiving a lot of attention and she wants to continue to improve her talents as an artist in this field. This lady has 'got the goods’!
Supple, velvety, tantalizing... Amanda Wood's music will take you away, but her performance will keep you present. Amanda Wood is the epitome of an individual who strives for perfection as an artist and has attained this in a short period of time. Amanda has blossomed into one of the finest performers who has ever graced our stage and we look forward to her most successful career in the entertainment field. Her natural talent as a performer is evident. Her charisma will charm the pants off you, her music will do the rest. Amanda Wood is truly a great artist, certainly among the best. |
 |
