Deborah J. Carter

“Deborah J. Carter is the epitome of a world class jazz singer.... a jazz songstress who deserves a wider audience.” All About Jazz - Mark Turner“Deborah is one of the hardest swinging vocalists I have heard.” Greg Carroll - (IAJE - former Director of Education )Vocalist Deborah J. Carter was born in the U.S.A. and grew up in Hawaii and Japan. She travels extensively performing in jazz festivals, jazz clubs, seminars, and radio and TV shows through Europe and Asia with her trio or as a guest with various formations; from solo pianists to large orchestras. She also gives master classes in tours sponsored by US embassies all over the world.This vocalist / composer / arranger definitely brings her multi - cultural experiences into her music. "We are so privileged in this day and age to have an open door to other cultures and perspectives that enrich our own." And she brings it to light through her style. Described by the Music Maker magazine as “absolutely top-class”, she is one of the most dynamic vocalists in the jazz scene.Deborah's new CD "Daytripper" has recently been released. It features eleven tracks of exciting new and original versions of Beatles' material.Deborah's first solo CD, " 'Scuse Me...", is a sophisticated mixture of jazz, latin, blues, and gospel. This CD received rave reviews from the international press and one of the first presentation concerts was at the 1998 North Sea Jazz Festival. She launched a second CD which paid homage to the moon and the nocturnal life with the title song from her own songbook of originals: " ‘Round Moonlight". Her third CD, "Girl-Talking!", is a live performance in The Hague, demonstrating her dynamic stage performance.At a very young age Deborah began as a woodwind instrumentalist in Hawaii and later started learning music theory, arranging, and composition in her early teens in Japan. She continued her studies at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. "All throughout my younger years I was blessed with wonderful teachers and friends that encouraged me to flourish and grow in music." She also initiated her experience in theater during her 3-year sojourn in the Orient playing several lead and supporting roles in Broadway musicals presented by a young American theater group there.During her residency in Spain she collaborated on CD's with Max Sunyer, Carles Benavent and Salvador Niebla adding vocals to their typical brand of Mediterranean jazz. "Living in Spain helped me to add just the right amount of passion and intensity to my art." She also worked in theater in Madrid, then formed her own jazz quintet with whom she appeared in many jazz festivals in major cities in Spain. She has been an invited guest on national TV and radio shows in addition to acquiring ample experience as a session singer for TV and radio commercials.Besides working with her own group, with whom she performs many of her own arrangements, Deborah also loves to sing the great jazz classics as a frequent guest artist with a number of established European jazz orchestras. Some of these are: the Metropole Orchestra, the HR (Frankfurt Radio) Big Band, Sedavi Latin Jazz Big Band with Mike Mossman (arranger for Tito Puente), the Berlin Jazz Orchestra, The American Songbook Orchestra, the Ruud Bos Big Band, and the Dutch Swing College Band. With the latter she did a theater tour featuring a "Duke Ellington Tribute" in 1999. In 2000 and 2001, she toured the Dutch theaters with Scott Hamilton in a "Tribute to Louis Armstrong" along with Michael Varekamp and Frits Landesbergen with whom she did the 2003-2004 theatre tour of “The Jazz Legends”. Another project she was involved with was Michiel Borstlap's Vocal showcases.