Rebecca Parris

Rebecca Parris is a swinging singer with a gruff voice and a no-nonsense approach that sometimes makes her seem like the Etta James of jazz. The Boston-based vocalist sang in musicals with her father in summer stock when she was only six. She actually began her professional career performing rock for a decade, not fully dedicating herself to jazz until the early 1980's. Parris has since attained a cult following and gradually become better-known to the larger jazz public. She made her recording debut with several albums for the tiny Weston-Blair label during 1985-88 and has since recorded for Altenburgh (with the Kenny Hadley Big Band), GRP (It's Another Day, a collaboration with her supporter Gary Burton) and Entertainment Exclusives. Rebecca Parris has made guest appearances with many top musicians (including Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Wynton Marsalis and Dizzy Gillespie), performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival and has made many tours in a variety of settings.