Musician and composer Brigitte Beraha is an "outstanding" and "alluring singer" quietly making her mark on the British Jazz scene. Born in Milan and raised in Monaco by a Turkish father and a British mother, Brigitte grew up in a household where French, Italian,Turkish and English were sometimes all spoken at once! Playing the piano and acting were a real passion during her teenage years and, after a strange stint at French Law School, she moved to the UK in 1996 to study music. In London, Brigitte studied Music and Composition at Goldsmiths College-where she now leads vocal and jazz improvisation workshops- and later completed the prestigious Jazz Postraduate course at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama under the tutelage of Simon Purcell, Pete Churchill, Lee Gibson and Scott Stroman. There, she met Kenny Wheeler, with whom she performed his piece for large ensemble "Sweet Time Suite", a dream come true. Shortly after she recorded her debut Album "Prelude to A Kiss" (FMR) with a first class band including Ingrid Laubrock-tenor sax, Barry Green-piano and guest vocalist Anita Wardell. The album received rave reviews and praises -"If sheer talent were the only ingredient needed for success in music, Brigitte would already be up there with the stars. She has a tremendous future to explore, one which we’ll be watching with great expectations”. Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth CBE, 24 June 2004- and international and national radio play. "Her debut album is impressive, as one would expect from someone who’s well and truly paid her dues” Humphrey Lyttelton, BBC Radio 2. Since then Brigitte has been very active on the music scene, singing at the best venues in London such as the Queen Elisabeth Hall, Pizza express Dean Street, Pizza on The Park, The Vortex Jazz Club, The National Theatre and National Portrait Gallery. She has also appeared at numerous festivals in and outside of the UK, including Jazzmandu, Manchester, Proms in the Park, Aberdeen, Isle of Wight and London. Other appearances include: tour of France with the Glenn Miller Memorial orchestra in 2004, finalist in the 2005 international www.jazzconnect.com competition, Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead program/concerts at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC in 2006 with Carmen Lundy, George Cables and Curtis Fuller, semi-finalist in 2007 in the Brussels International Jazz Singers Competition, and performance of Catherine Kontz experimental works at the Tête-à-Tête opera festival at Riverside Studios/Hammersmith in 2008. On top of playing alongside established jazz musicians (Pete King, Julian Siegel, Liam Noble, Paul Clarvis, Chris Laurence, John Parricelli..), Brigitte is a member of Pete Billington's Nonentity and Alex Douglas' Saravane and is also an in demand guest with younger generation rising stars such as Ivo Neame, John Turville Trio (who's album won them the Promoters Choice award in 2008, on which Brigitte also sings), Barry Green and the Dave Manington Quartet, with whom Brigitte recently performed as part of the successful Loop Festival at the Vortex. In 2007, Brigitte started focusing again on her own projects and toured the UK (18 dates) with her newly formed trio-Joe Auckland-trumpet/fluegelhorn and Ivo Neame-piano- and following the success of the tour, her second album was recorded, Flying Dreams (F-ire Records/Proper Distribution), and promoted during another 20-date tour of the UK in October 2008, supported by Jazz Services and Arts Council England. The album, all original material and also featuring Phil Donkin and George Hart, bears the imprint of Brigitte's cosmopolitan upbringing. The music is influenced by John Surman, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler and Azymuth, Chick Corea, Milton Nascimento and Hermeto Pascoal and the recurrent themes are the pursuit of happiness and dreams versus reality. The album has already received very good reviews and radio play (Jazz FM, BBC Radios, and radio stations in Europe and beyond). PRESS QUOTES: "Alluring singer" Time Out, February 2009 On Brigitte's appearance at the Loop festival: "The opening night twinned bassist Dave Mannington’s flowing acoustic quartet with the electronica trio Ma. Both benefited from guests, Brigitte Beraha’s wordless vocals giving Mannington’s 1960s modernism a novel slant.." Mike Hobart, Financial Times, February 16th 2009 On her new album Flying Dreams and her compositions: "Rich imagery, harmonic surprises and subtly crafted arrangements can all be found in 'Flying Dreams'." Jazzwise, November 2008 "..Outstanding young vocalist Beraha's quietly lyrical but subtly adventurous approach makes a pleasant change from all the identikit standards dominated vocal albums out there " The Jazzmann, October 2008 "Brigitte's close rapport with her band­ mark her out as a jazz musician whose voice just happens to be her instrument rather than as a singer plus accompaniment.... A wholly enjoyable and original album from a fast-improving talent." Chris Parker, Vortex, September 2008 "Brigitte's voice and writing have truly matured to another soaring level" Rufus Reid, April 2008 "..A Fine Composer." Kenny Wheeler, April 2008 On her trio: "Despite the similarity in their names and the fact that both are trios, Azymuth and Azimuth are very different. The former, one of Brazil's biggest exports, are samba party animals; the latter represent the best in English chamber jazz refinement. Yet, by an odd coincidence, London-based singer Brigitte Beraha's trio manages to call both of these to mind. Her group shares the same vocals, trumpet and piano line-up as Azimuth and when their singing and playing flow they achieve a quality of sound that puts them in the same ball park". Rob Adams, The Herald, June 2007 On her performance at The Manchester Jazz Festival: "...Divinely sung solos from Brigitte Beraha..." The Guardian On her debut album Prelude to a Kiss: “Ms Beraha has made an album that really stands out of the crowd” Jazzwise "Brigitte is someone who concentrates on the music's core values: imagination, individuality, improvisation." Jazz Review "Her debut album is impressive, as one would expect from someone who’s well and truly paid her dues” Humphrey Lyttelton " ...the sound of Norma Winstone, the groove of Flora Purim, the swing of Annie Ross and a dash of Anita O'Day in the phrasing...for lovers of good vocal jazz” Lee Gibson, 2004 "If sheer talent were the only ingredient needed for success in music, Brigitte would already be up there with the stars. She has a tremendous future to explore, one which we’ll be watching with great expectations”. Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth CBE, 24 June 2004 FOR MORE INFO: www.myspace.com/brigitteberaha www.brigitteberaha.com DISCOGRAPHY: Prelude To A Kiss, Brigitte Beraha (FMR, 2004) Swirls and Eddies, Ivo Neame Trio (Loop, 2006) Flying Dreams, Brigitte Beraha (F-IRE, 2008) Midas, John Turville Trio (F-IRE, 2009)