{image1}Jazz vocalist Ellen Winters has impressed audiences for several years, either showcasing her brassy vocals as a group singer or as a solo artist at venues such as Caroline's Jazz Club.
She has received rave reviews for her local performances and the show "Harmony," which she performed in New York with her longtime friend and fellow musician Sara Kuehl. Despite her talent and success, it took her colleagues five years to get her to record her debut album, titled "Pure Imagination," the first release from Chicago-based jazz label 251 Records.
"I didn't want to make a CD for a long time because I'm a group singer," the musician recalls, "I didn't think I had anything to say as a soloist. I was scared."
Winters decided to conquer her fears armed with her vivacious voice and a different take on her favorite jazz standards. Inspired by the quick recording methods of Miles Davis and the thrill of collaborating with musicians Rob Cookman, Shawn Sommer, Vance Okraszewski, Jeremy Fox and Christopher Cole, "Pure Imagination" was recorded in Chicago in only two days. The experience was an exhilarating sensation for the one-time English major.
"It was energetic and exciting. We had to take some time and create arrangements on the fly, which is part of what I love about the project. I wanted to do songs that I really loved. I thought I could offer a new spin on them. It's not perfect by any means, but it's extremely collaborative and created by all of us in the studio."
She could be rubbing some funk on "My Funny Valentine" or adding some zip to an Alan and Marilyn Bergman tune, but Winters handles the 11 standards, including one she penned herself, on the album with maturity and proficiency. That's why it's hard to believe that the 34-year-old started taking music seriously only 10 years ago, an age when most musicians already have a wealth of experience under their belts.
"I came into music kind of late," she says, "Until (I was 24), I did it just for fun and was singing in choir. I ended up attending a workshop. (My teacher) said, 'You've really needed to consider taking this more seriously. You've got a natural talent, but you will have to work really hard to catch up."
That teacher was esteemed director, pianist, and Grammy-nominated arranger Phil Mattson, and he put Winters through a "musical boot camp." For nine long months, she played catch-up and learned to read and play music.
"It was the most intense experience in all my life," she reminisces, "It was horrid and I hated it and I loved it all at the same time. I still feel like I'm catching up, but at the end of that workshop, I started teaching it."
Even her live performances defy normal conventions. Combining elements of a jazz performance and a cabaret show, Winters prides herself on making her show one the audience won't soon forget.
She describes: "I love to engage and interact the audience. Normally, jazz musicians build up a wall between themselves and the audience. I tend to be more real. I think it's more engaging for an audience member to feel like they are part of the show."
Winters' determination comes from a strong love of jazz that she shared with her father, who died when she was 19 years old.
"The year after he died, they created a vocal jazz program at the University of Minnesota. I went to it to keep him alive. It was something he had loved and it was my way to feel closer to him. Little did I know it was where I belonged."
Winters feels that her greatest success comes from her ability to juggle her singing career with her full-time position as the Executive Director of Milwaukee's Westown Association. She says, "I found a way to have a fulfilling day life and have time to cut loose and sing on the weekend."
It's her ability to cut loose that continues to keep audiences entertained.
The CD Release party for "Pure Imagination" will take place at Caroline's Jazz Club, 401 S. 2nd St., on Sun., Nov. 9 from 3-7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.ellenwinters.com.
