Ruthie drove her family mad as a child by constantly singing into the handle of her skipping rope. They eased up a bit on the teasing when she started winning prizes and finally stopped when The Los Angeles Times raved about her “sultry voiced†performance.
After studying music at university Ruthie spent the next decade promoting international artists as a festival and opera company manager. But the pull to perform was too strong and she is now a “rising star on the jazz scene†(Time Out), counting Wynton Marsalis, Derek Jacobi and Elton John as admirers of her engaging performances and evocative, sensual voice.
Ruthie breathes fresh life into jazz and latin standards and her eclectic repertoire also includes French chansons (Piaf, Brel) and German kabaret (Weill, Hollaender) as well as some startling jazz arrangements of Benjamin Britten, the Cowboy Junkies, Piazzolla, Sondheim and the Eurhythmics.
Story-telling is the name of the game and nothing makes her happier than knowing she has made the audience both laugh and cry...
Ruthie regularly appears at venues such as Pizza on the Park and Pizza Express' Dean St Jazz Club. She has also appeared by special invitation at Kensington Palace, 10 Downing Street and at Sir Elton John’s mansion - where the audience included Sting, Craig David and Kylie Minogue.
Successful Edinburgh performances led to a live broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland’s “Pick of the Fringe†and a return invitation to The Edinburgh International Jazz & Blues Festival in 2005. An invitation to perform at the ’06 New Zealand Festival led to sell out shows in Wellington.
Ruthie’s regular band - The Jazzberries - are a dynamic quartet led by double-bassist Jonny Gee, whose credits include ZUM, Antonio Forcione & the Roberto Pla Band.
Her first solo album, 'Refashioned'. will be released in September 2008, with UK distribution by Proper Access.
