San Francisco Music Studio Records All Three 2011 Jazz Search West Winners

Posted on March 1, 2012 by AmateurPianists No Comments

Berkeley, CA (PRWEB) February 18, 2012

Priscilla Rice, the owner of Live Oak Studio (http://www.liveoakstudio.com) in Berkeley, Cali­fornia has donated profes­sionally engi­neered studio time to a winner of Jazz Search West at her enchanting, suburban San Fran­cisco recording studio for the last three years. This year, because of special circum­stances, Live Oak had the priv­ilege of recording all three 2011 winners.

Jazz Search West is a compe­tition that gives emerging jazz singers and musi­cians the oppor­tunity to gain exposure performing for live audi­ences and judges, who give every performer constructive tips. The annual event is hosted by Living Jazz (http://www.livingjazz.org), a unique brand of program that focuses on friendship and human inter­action while inspiring people through the shared love of jazz and related genres. The orga­ni­za­tions inclusive and supportive activ­ities build and sustain joyful commu­nities that foster diversity by embracing people of all ages, economic and cultural backgrounds.

Living Jazz makes music come alive, nurtures creativity, and enriches peoples lives, while building a greater sense of community through the love of jazz, said Rice, who also serves as chairman of the board for Living Jazz. Jazz Search West is an oppor­tunity for emerging talent to gain exposure and visi­bility, for the public to enjoy new talent and support local artists, and for musi­cians and vocalists to advance their musical careers.

Sixteen year old Thea Rose Cristman, a sophomore in a Marin County high school, was the third-place Jazz Search West winner in 2011. She used her prize, four consec­utive hours of studio time at Live Oak Studio, to record Walking After Midnight, Cheek to Cheek, The Shadow of Your Smile, Round Midnight and Sittin on the Dock of the Bay.

Cristman was accom­panied by legendary jazz pianist and Jazz Search West judge Ben Flint and 20-year veteran jazz singer Kellye Gray, Cristmans inspi­ra­tional voice coach from Jazz Camp West­an­other supportive Living Jazz community organization.

Cristman, who sings with many Bay Area jazz ensembles, including the Medicine Ball Band and the Jim Whiteside Trio, is a favorite at Caffe Trieste, weddings and parties. She also performs with Andrew Dudnick at the Ageis retirement home, and she is the singer for her high schools newly formed jazz band, which is named Burst.

The young singers Live Oak Studio recording will be used as a demo to get more work and be sold to raise funds to go back and record a full CD at Live Oak in the future.

It was great to be able to get profes­sional help from adults who were so supportive, said Cristman. They all made sure I had every­thing I needed.

The second prize winner, a jazz drummer named Isaac Schwartz, won a recording session with Flint. For the session, Schwartz also brought in a bass player and 2011 Jazz Search West first-place winner Janeare Ashley, who sang My One and Only Love for one of the recordings.

Live Oak Studio is awesome, said Schwartz. On top of it being a nice space designed to capture sound well, the Bay views are amazing and the atmos­phere is very relaxed­which is always great when recording.

Some­times drums aren’t seen as having the same capa­bil­ities or emotional power of other instru­ments, so during the 2011 compe­tition I played the melody to the song I chose, Cherokee, before the other musi­cians came inand I ended up winning second place. Being recog­nized for what I do on an instrument thats not typi­cally in the fore­front is very satisfying.

Isaac is planning to use the Live Oak Studio recording as a demo for gigs and anyone else who is inter­ested in his work.

Although she recorded at Live Oak Studio with Schwartz, the first place winner Ashleys Jazz Search West actual prize was free tuition to Jazz Camp West, an 8-day jazz music, dance and vocal program held at YMCA Camp Jones Gulch, near Half Moon Bay.

About Jazz Search West

Launched in 2009, Jazz Search West is the Bay Areas first annual Jazz talent search. Weekly compe­ti­tions are held each March in various jazz venues in Oakland and San Fran­cisco. A panel of pres­ti­gious judges provides feedback to each contestant.

Three finalists are selected at each weekly public event and perform at the Grand Finale held at Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland. Four top winners are ulti­mately selected and awarded prizes designed to enhance their musical career.

About Live Oak Studio

Since 1984, Live Oak Studio, a greater San Fran­cisco music recording studio, has recorded music legends, including Destinys Child, Boyz II Men, Will Smith, Alicia Keys, Tony! Toni! Tone! and E-40. The Berkeley studio utilizes a Digidesign Pro Tools HD-based system to record break­through and award-winning albums for artists all of genres. The East Bay recording studio specializes in audio, voiceover, live band recording, audiobook and narration recording services. The studio can also help artists with mixing, editing and creating audio­books, podcasts and medi­tation CDs.

For more infor­mation about recording at Live Oak Studio, please call (510) 423‑0771 or visit them on the web at liveoakstudio.com.

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