Rebecca Griffin

Sign up to my mailing list:Rebecca Griffin brings a sultry, warm and rich sound to a unique repertoire of great jazz standards, lesser-known gems, and fun and sophisticated contemporary tunes. With a strong background in musical study, she brings a serious musicianship to music bridging the tradition of legends like Billie Holiday to modern arrangements inspired by the likes of contemporary jazz star Nnenna Freelon. Her mellow style and mesmerizing voice are sure to bring this emerging Bay Area vocalist greater attention, appreciation and a loyal legion of fans.Rebecca grew up in the small town of Springvale, Maine, immersed in the music of legendary performers like James Taylor and Carole King, and was always singing along with her younger sister, now an up-and-coming singer/songwriter. At the age of 8, she began performing actively in the musical theater, combining her love of music and dance and delighting audiences with her burgeoning talent. Rebecca continued performing theater locally until the age of twenty, but it was upon buying her first Ella Fitzgerald CD in high school that she truly fell in love with jazz and decided to embark on more serious musical study.In 1998, she entered the University of New Hampshire, where she studied classical voice with David Ripley, participating in many campus performing groups. She also pursued private jazz voice study with David Scott of Boston and Michelle Hansen of Portland, Maine. She reveled in the intensive musical study, and gathered inspiration from great musicians as diverse as Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Diana Krall, Ben Folds, and Stevie Wonder. She graduated summa cum laude in 2003 with a B.A. in music performance and Italian with minors in political science and race, culture and power. It is hardly surprising that such a varied and creative mind would be drawn to the vibrant genre of jazz, and to the diversity and culture of the west coast.Upon moving to the Bay Area in 2003, Rebecca had the privilege of enrolling in Berkeleys Jazzschool, which reinvigorated and energized her love for jazz. She had the pleasure of participating in classes and private study with Stephanie Bruce and completing Madeline Eastmans Vocal Pro-Track program for aspiring professional singers. Rebecca then became a private student of renowned Bay Area vocalist Clairdee.In August of 2006, the 26-year-old vocalist released her debut album, Live at Kellys, recorded during one of her popular Friday night performances at Kellys of Alameda. The album offers fresh interpretations of wonderful jazz tunes ranging from Cole Porter classics to contemporary Brazilian tunes, all with the unique energy of a live performance. She has impressed audiences with her appearances at local venues such as Kellys of Alameda, Cafe Zeste, the Red Poppy Art House and the Octavia Lounge. This young singers mysterious smile and silky sound will surely be enticing Bay Area audiences for years to come.