FINI BEARMAN
“One of the most memorable collections of self-penned songs you’ll hear this year’ ****”
Jazzwise Magazine
Fini studied voice (classical and jazz) at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, before becoming the first vocalist/ composer to be accepted onto the Masters course at the Jazz Institute Berlin, Germany. Since then she has built up an impressive reputation as a singer/composer in both the UK and mainland Europe. She has performed with a notable array of International artists, including Bobby McFerrin, Cleo Laine, Jon Hendricks, John Taylor, Norma Winstone and Kenny Wheeler. In 2010 she was nominated for London Jazz Vocalist by the Global Music Foundation and in 2011 was a runner up at the 'Jazz Voices' competition in Klaipeda, Lithuania, as well as the 'Voicingers' jazz singing competition in Zory, Poland. She has performed at prestigious venues across the UK including Ronnie Scotts, The Sage Gateshead, Kings Place, Pizza Express Dean Street and the Barbican, as well as European venues including the A-Trane, Schlott (Berlin), Cafe Mercedes Jazz (Valencia) and New York venues Dizzys (Jazz at the Lincoln Center) and Smalls. She has also performed at numerous festivals including the London Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, Cambridge Jazz Festival, City of London Festival, Southport Jazz Festival and the Berlin Jazz Festival and airplay and radio performances include BBC Radios 2 and 3, JazzFM, BBC London, BBC Kent, Jazz Radio Berlin and BR-Klassik (München). And if all that wasn't enough she also includes teaching at the likes of Goldsmiths, Leeds College of Music, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and recently became the first professor of songwriting at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Her music melds influences as diverse as jazz, folk and contemporary music into what has been described as an 'arresting and uniquely personal' sound. Sometimes dealing with settings of poetry or pre-existing texts, and other times with original lyrics or open, wordless evocations mixing lush harmony with contemporary grooves. Fini released her latest album 'Burn the Boat' to glowing reviews, including ****'s from Jazzwise, allaboutjazz, the Guardian and the arts desk. Tonight Fini will bringing her latest project, "This is Not America", to the Club. For this brand new project Fini is joined by pianist Tom Cawley (Curios, Acoustic Ladyland, Peter Gabriel) and bassist Calum Gourlay (Will Vinson, Kurt Elling, Kit Downes), where they will be reimagining songs of the late, great David Bowie. As she says "In this intimate and exposing lineup we will be revisiting and exploring some of David Bowie’s most-loved songs, as well as delving into some of his lesser-known back catalogue.
" Well worth booking for this one. ".. (Fini) has an irresistible voice... She is an expressive singer, and an intriguing composer and lyricist" allaboutjazz.com; "One of the most memorable collections of self-penned songs you’ll hear this year’ ****" Jazzwise Magazine