NURA profile picture

NURA

NURA ......New Ray...

About Me

Growing up in a very musical family environment set the foundation for Nura’s love of music and performance. From a very early age, jazz, popular and classical music were a part of her daily routine. Studying French horn, guitar, Vocal and Drama in High School furthered her passion to pursue both music and the performing arts more seriously. Nura moved from Ottawa, Ontario to Toronto to study theatre at Ryerson University, private vocals at the Royal Conservatory of Ontario and Ear Training with Robert Mundinger along with jazz workshops at Humber and York University. She has appeared on National Television and has performed extensively across Canada and parts of the U.S. over the years, performing folk, pop, rock, jazz and theatre. Her vocal abilities have enabled her to work with a long list of some of Canada’s finest jazz musicians including Lorne Lofsky, Mark Eisenman, Bob Livingston, Bill McBirnie and many more in addition to having recorded with some of the worlds most notable players such as Don Grusin, Vinnie Coliauta, Luis Cone, Tom Scott and Randy Cooke. Her self-titled debut CD release ‘NURA’ received numerous awards and nominations Internationally. Nura continues to further her study and exploration of vocals by utilizing more global and esoteric approaches to technique, offering a much broader perspective to finding the natural and individual voice. She also teaches vocal awareness coaching at www.mpecbarrie.com and www.angusbordenmusic.ca.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 7/20/2006
Band Website: under construction
Band Members: NURA SELF TITLED DEBUT CD
(Available on Amazon.com)
NURA - Vocals
STUART STEINHART - Bass/vg/bass synth;
RIK EMMETT & KEVIN BREIT - Guitar
LUIS CONTE- Percussion;
RANDY COOKE & BRUCE CAMPBELL- Drums;
RICHARD UGLOW & JOE LAGAN- Piano/keys;
BILL MCBIRNIE - Flute;BOB LIVINGSTONE-Trombone;PAUL PACANOWSKI-Sax;
MEMBERS OF FAITH CHORALE (Gospel Choir) & JENNIFER NOBLE - Backup vocals;
RAW FOOTAGE - rap.

STAY TUNED FOR RELEASE DATES ON BOTH CD’S BELOW

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW...
(yes...there is a Burt Bacharach connotation here)
STUART STEINHART -bass,keys, programming, arranging
NURA - vocals, percussion.

STUART STEINHART CD ’EDIFICATION’
NOW RELEASED AND AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM (GO TO HIS WEBSITE : www.stuartsteinhart.com or http://www.myspace.com/stuartsteinhart on myspace )
NURA - Vocals & phonetics
VINNIE COLIAUTA -drums(Sting/Chick Corea...);
LUIS CONTE -percussion (James Taylor/Phil Collins...);
DON GRUSIN -piano (Patti Austin/Alex Acuna...);
TOM SCOTT -sax (Steely Dan/Joni Mitchell...);
DAVID BLAMIRES (Pat Metheny....) -vocals

Influences: SO MANY......all idioms. Some favorites being: Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones, Betty Carter, Mauranne, Meredith Monk, Sheila Chandra, Barbara Streisand, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Richard Bona, James Taylor, CSNY, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Steely Dan, Andrea Bocelli...............................There are so many sounds around us that impact us all on many levels; the sounds of rain; children; babbling brooks; birds; wind; breath; hearbeats; traffic; thunder; individual voices; the humming of electricity.......from the moment of being in the womb to old age all sounds shape us and move us. Sound is the movement of molecules through air.....how blessed is the artist that takes part in shaping the sound.
Sounds Like: Listen and you will hear.

"The Nura sound is vivacious and alive, blending an intoxicating mix of jazz piqued with nuances of groove, world, latin, easy listening and pop. Her lucid vocals are infused with purity and spirit. To listen and savour her palette of audible delights is a satiating feast for the hungry soul." (East of Toronto Magazine)

"Nura brings a Metheny-like, cinematic quality to her songs. Her clean, honey-vocals are layered into each melody as one would place a trumpet, saxophone or guitar. NURA is a little Cirque du Soleil, a little Astrud, ethereal, and very soothing. This is the CD to put on just before dusk and let it play through until the sun sets and leaves behind it's trails of pink, orange and lavender." (Smoothjazz.com -U.S.)

"Nura's self-titled debut CD is elegant and exquisite with vocals of finely blown glass or imported silk." (Indie-Music.com)

Nura's blissful vocals remind me of Airto and Flora Purim at the height of their creative powers." (Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck - Jazzreview.com)

Record Label: Start Music
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

VOTE FOR ME

Well everyone.....it seems I’ve made it to the next level on the Indie Idol contest with my folk music.  On the second round I need you all to go in and vote again for me.  I’m s...
Posted by NURA on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:16:00 PST

EDIFICATION by Stuart Steinhart

The much anticipated CD Release 'Edification' by bassist Stuart Steinhart - featuring Vinnie Coliauta on drums; Don Grusin on piano; Luis Conte on percussion; Tom Scott on sax; Nura & David Blamir...
Posted by NURA on Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:45:00 PST

AT THIS SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR.....

Is there a moment quite as keenor memory as bright&as light and fire and music sweetTo Warm the Winter's Night   Warmest Holiday wishes to you all& NURA   .....
Posted by NURA on Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:39:00 PST

Joe Zawinul....remembered....

His soul speaks of truth in the hearts he has captivated, just as the taste of wine is remembered.Thankyou for so much inspiration and always raising our ears and hearts to new levels.Shanti,Nura.....
Posted by NURA on Thu, 13 Sep 2007 08:56:00 PST

In memory of Doug Riley

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun......what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek t...
Posted by NURA on Sat, 01 Sep 2007 04:27:00 PST

Prayer...

Some think of joy as an undependable gift, bestowed as a raise or a new house or a lover. Others experience a deeper joy by taking time to strengthen their connection with the universe. It doesn't pr...
Posted by NURA on Thu, 07 Jun 2007 10:41:00 PST

In memory of MIchael Brecker

You are not enclosed within your body, nor confined to houses or fields.... That which is you dwells above the mountain and roves with the wind.... It is not a thing that crawls into the sun for warmt...
Posted by NURA on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 04:26:00 PST

Metanoia

When the waves upon the ocean talk of long ago They're telling tales that we've forgotten, memories of old All the years have many faces we have left behind The truth is in the buried places deep with...
Posted by NURA on Fri, 05 Jan 2007 06:24:00 PST

When things fall apart......

When things fall apart and we're on the verge of we know not what, the test of each of us is to stay on that brink and not concretize.  The spiritual journey is not about heaven and finally getti...
Posted by NURA on Fri, 01 Dec 2006 03:30:00 PST

I am myself....

? I return to mother earth these weary bones that no longer fit here inside my skin My eyes, they burn and long to close, my ears are deafened by the quietude within The taste of truth is on my tongue...
Posted by NURA on Sun, 29 Oct 2006 12:30:00 PST