Carmen Lundy at the Half Note
Jazz singer Carmen Lundy, a prominent figure on the circuit with a 30-year background, will perform a one-week residency at the Half Note jazz club, the capital’s focal point for jazz music, beginning November 18. She will be backed by a trio on piano, bass, and drums. Another worthy jazz player, the accomplished trumpeter Wallace Roney will front his sextet right after, for another seven nights between November 25 and December 1. Renowned for her passionate, deep-sounding vocal delivery, Lundy has released seven albums and worked in a variety of formats, including with big bands, orchestras, choirs, and duets in various parts of the world. The Miami-born artist was raised in a musically inclined household, with her mother, a gospel singer, at the forefront. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Lundy joined the local church’s children’s choir and started taking piano lessons at the age of six. The early start led to the formation of a duet, Steph and Tret, during Lundy’s school years and the release of a debut album, «The Price of Silence,» when the singer was still in her teens. In the years that followed Lundy studied opera, but realized her love and devotion lay in jazz music. With her mind made up, Lundy began appearing at Miami jazz clubs and, around this time, also toured Europe and North Africa with Miami University’s Big Band. By the late 1970s, Lundy had also begun regular performances in New York City, which proved a springboard for the artist’s touring career abroad. Over the years, Lundy has performed at numerous venues around Europe, in Japan, and at major jazz festivals. Trumpet player Roney, who takes over at the club on November 25 for a week of shows, ranks as a leading contemporary figure, with several awards, including four Grammys, to his credit. The son of a trumpet player, Roney too began his musical pursuits early in life, from the age of four. Roney released his debut album when he was just 14. After completing his studies, Roney moved from Boston to New York to audition for a place in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Apparently, the aspiring musician sold everything he had, including his trumpet, to finance his trip, and, once there, got the job using a borrowed instrument. He has collaborated with numerous artists, including Herbie Hancock and Sonny Rollins.
