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Zara McFarlane is a British jazz/soul singer and songwriter, based in East London.
She was born 30 years ago into a Jamaican family in Dagenham, on the borders of Essex and London. She grew up in a household that loved
reggae(“we played it all the time – parties, social gatherings, weddings, funerals, you name it!”), as well as the R&B of Michael Jackson and Luther
Vandross.Her TV debut came at the tender age of 14, when she did a Lauryn Hill impression on Stars In Their Eyes against a line-up of grown ups.She
was educated at a local comprehensive before moving to the BRIT Schoo ...read more
Zara McFarlane is a British jazz/soul singer and songwriter, based in East London.
She was born 30 years ago into a Jamaican family in Dagenham, on the borders of Essex and London. She grew up in a household that loved
reggae(“we played it all the time – parties, social gatherings, weddings, funerals, you name it!”), as well as the R&B of Michael Jackson and Luther
Vandross.Her TV debut came at the tender age of 14, when she did a Lauryn Hill impression on Stars In Their Eyes against a line-up of grown ups.She
was educated at a local comprehensive before moving to the BRIT School in Croydon in her sixth-form to study musical theatre. “I fell in love
withmusicals and learned tons of old showtunes,” says Zara. “I quickly realised that they were also jazz standards, and I always preferred the
jazzversions.” After a BMus degree in Popular Music Performance from the Tech Music School in Acton (part of the University of West London) she
startedto pursue her love of jazz, studying jazz and improvisation at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
When not working on her own material, Zara has performed as a featured vocalist in Gary Crosby’s ska orchestra Jazz Jamaica, and performed
withesteemed British jazzers such as Orphy Robinson, Denys Baptiste and Soweto Kinch. She’s made house music with Bopstar and paid tribute to
TammiTerrell with Norwegian DJ/producer Dalminjo. Her tracks have been remixed and reworked by the likes of Viennese techno duo Ogris Debris,
NinjaTune’s Floating Points, Afro-funker Osunlade and space-jazzers Emanative. She’s fronted Italian DJ Nicola Conte’s big band, performed at a
NinaSimone tribute concert in Amsterdam and played support for South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela and American singer Gregory Porter. At
theupcoming London Jazz Festival she’ll be appearing opposite Dianne Reeves (Queen Elizabeth Hall, 20 November). She also maintains a role
ineducation, teaching workshops in vocals and improvisation around Britain and Europe. « hide |
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