Jazz singer Lucy Ward’s love affair with the Great American Songbook began when she was a child, being forced to listen to the music her Grandmother was playing – the music of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, singing what were effectively the popular songs of the day, many of which were originally composed for Broadway musicals in the 1930’s and 1940’s.
These songs were often adapted by the stars of the 1950’s into big band swing tunes, and it is these versions which are now regarded as ‘definitive’.
Lucy also works with the Well Swung Big Band and has sung with artists such as Jonathan Wilkes and Antony Costa. Whilst working with the big band, Lucy has sung arrangements specially written for her – big band re-workings of modern pop tunes, such as “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” and “Living On A Prayer”.
Lucy has recorded two albums to date, and is currently in production with a third album of modern musical theatre pieces. As well as the quartet, the albums and the big band, Lucy has also managed to work as a session backing singer for theatre shows and to work as backing vocalist for Rick Astley at the MEN Arena.
But it’s to her first love that Lucy returns with this show. The classic songs of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern and Irving Berlin, lovingly recreated by her and her musicians. This show doesn’t exist to break new ground musically, but to celebrate the legacy of decades of songs, which are loved by generation after generation of music fans.
Lucy will intersperse the songs with details on how she discovered the songs and the people who influenced her singing most. This is to be a celebration of beautiful music, sung by an up and coming singer with a beautiful voice.
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