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Madeline Eastman

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Madeline Eastman
Birth nameMadeline Louise Eastman
Born (1954-06-27) June 27, 1954 (age 70)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Singer, producer, educator
Years active1990–present
LabelsMad Kat
Websitemadelineeastman.com

Madeline Louise Eastman (born June 27, 1954) is an American jazz singer.

At 18, while watching the movie Lady Sings the Blues Eastman became enchanted with Diana Ross's portrayal of vocalist Billie Holiday. Not yet realizing how serious and dedicated she would need to be, Eastman considered becoming a jazz singer.[1] She has listened to Miles Davis, particularly his 1960s quintet with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. Among vocalists, her prime inspiration is Carmen McRae, in addition to Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.[2] She began performing publicly in 1974 at Shenanigan's in Palo Alto. She studied with jazz guitarist George Barnes (musician) shortly before he died in 1977.

Eastman has sung in Japan, Finland, New York City, San Francisco, and at the Cotati Jazz Festival,[3] Monterey Jazz Festival, and the Glasgow Jazz Festival. She has taught at the Stanford Jazz Workshop and at the Jazzschool in Berkeley, California.[4]

Eastman and vocalist Kitty Margolis started the record label Mad Kat. She has recorded with pianists Cedar Walton and Kenny Barron, saxophonist Phil Woods, bassist Rufus Reid, and drummer Tony Williams.

In 2004, Eastman won third place in the Down Beat magazine Readers' Poll for Best Female Jazz Vocalist and made the list of Talent Deserving Wider Recognition in the Critics' Poll.

Discography

[edit]
Year Title Genre Label
1990 Point of Departure Jazz Mad Kat
1991 Mad About Madeline! Jazz Mad Kat
1994 Art Attack Jazz Mad Kat
2001 BARE, A Collection of Ballads Jazz Mad Kat
2003 The Speed of Life Jazz Mad Kat
2008 Can You Hear Me Now? LIVE Jazz Mad Kat
2012 A Quiet Thing Jazz Mad Kat

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Jazz Vocalist Madeline Eastman Archived October 22, 2004, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Make no mistake, Madeline Eastman's 'got something to say musically'
  3. ^ "Livin' Is Easy: Cotati Jazz Festival". Retrieved April 1, 2008.
  4. ^ Berkeley Jazz School Archived September 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine