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My name's Heather and I'm a jazz vocalist and songwriter from Southend on Sea! I've an endless passion for the music of the 1920's to 40's. My main influences are, amongst others, Billie Holiday, Connie Boswell, Bessie Smith, Annette Hanshaw, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
This 18-track CD catapults you back to an era of romance, cocktails and nightingales in Berkeley Square; when the men swung and the women swooned...
"it was with a frees on of pleasure that I dipped into a cd by Heather Simmons and heard a voice with a refreshing and original tang" - Humphrey Lyttelton
Heather encapsulates everything great about nostalgia without a trace of unwanted sentimentality. With a voice of cut glass and an ability to carry a melody that's eminently appealing, her warm vocals blend a kissable mix of Billie, Ella and Peggy, a particularly rare ability in these days of cynicism and throwaway gratification. Of special note is her interpretation of Roll on Mississippi, which features the superb Ted Beament on piano and a sympathetic rhythm section with Roger Curphey on bass and Marc Cecil on drums. This and many other songs highlight the immaculate violin of Mike Piggott, who is perfectly in tune with the feel of the album's material throughout. Recommended for a summer's moonlit dinner with someone very special. - Musician Magazine
Heather Simmons is a young lady with a deep appreciation of what good songwriting is all about. And this shows not only in her choice of works by such classy writers as Berlin, Carmichael, Kern, Mercer and Waller, but also in her own writing. Songs such as My Clock Is Tickin’, I’m Addicted To You and especially the reflective If I Had A Dime show that she is a writer who knows her craft. And one can’t say that about too many of today’s writers. Miss Simmons has the taste, the talent and the certitude to create songs that any singer of quality would be glad to sing. - Ken Barnes
In these days of Pop Idol mediocrity and Reality Television, it is a great joy to stumble across Heather Simmons. When her manager sent me this cd I wasn’t expecting to be blown away! It's been a long time since I've heard a singer that is so identifiable. She gets into the soul of a song and turns out to be a songwriter's best friend, capturing every nuance of the lyricists intent. She has chosen some great standards here, but she manages to make them sound as fresh as tomorrow's papers. She has also written some of the songs herself and displays a seductive wit. This girl comes along like a much needed breath of fresh air. This album is lovingly produced and, although I'm not a betting man, I wouldn't mind popping down to the bookmaker's and placing a large wager on Heather Simmons becoming a major international star, and for the sake of the music industry, the sooner the better. - Don Black
