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Nicolas Bearde at the jazz club Soyuz Kompozitorov 01 & 02 May 2010

CYNTHIA SIMMONS - for the Atencion - San Miguel Allende, Mexcio
 
 
A couple of years ago, at a dinner party, a friend played a CD that caught my ear, Nicolas Bearde's "All about Love". I lost the thread of the table talk as I listend to his rich baritone.
 
My love for his style of music developed, as a child, listening to Billy Eckstein, a balladeer who fused jazz with black popular music - a style that Lou Rawls, whose spirit Bearde conjures in his latest album Live at Yoshi's - A Salute to Lou, reinterpreted for a later generation.
 
 
for more: http://www.cyntsim.com/09-11-27-Nic&Gabriel.jpg
 
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CAM MILLER - For The Californian
Posted: Thursday, September 17, 2009 12:00 am

It'll soon be pay back time for Nicolas Bearde, the handsome baritone jazz singer from Oakland.
For the past 23 years, he has confounded audiences with his vocal acrobatics as a member of Voicestra the 12-member improvisational acapella choral group that appears with way cool Bobby McFerrin, the human sound machine.
 
Though he made his name as a member of Voicestra, Bearde will be appearing tonight at The Merc in Old Town as a solo act. Solo in name only since he will be accompanied by pianist Kamau Kenyata and bassist Rob Thoreson.
It will be Bearde's first appearance at the Merc but it won't be the last in Temecula this year in that he'll also be a part of a jazz concert at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater on Oct. 13 featuring Russian jazz saxophonist (tenor and soprano) Oleg Kireyev.
 
for more: http://www.nctimes.com/entertainment/music/article_ec164808-39b7-5155-92ed-6b601dd2adbe.html?print=1
 
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"Usadba Jazz Festival:"
The Oleg Kireyev Quartet featuring Nicolas Bearde

At "Usadba" there were a lot of good groups, but, personally, nobody put me in a better, more positive mood than these guys. It is so pleasant when music, passing through the mind, enters your body, warms the heart, and  makes you dance and smile. Even Nino, who I went to see, did not affect me like these wonderful musicians.
 
by Dasha Gaian - Live Journal Blog

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On Live At Yoshi’s: A Salute To Lou, Nicolas Bearde performs a set of tunes closely associated with Lou Rawls.
 
If you are sick to death of jazz singers with voices that would compare unfavorably with nails on a chalkboard, Bearde will come as a breath of fresh air. He’s as smooth as any R&B or gospel singer, and he can really put across the lyrics to a song, but his jazz phrasing is impeccable as well.
Bearde has got a beautiful band backing him that provides additional interest, but mostly stays out of the way.
 
For those of you who want to know how to have an audience eating out of the palm of your hand, Nicolas Bearde offers a master class in Live At Yoshi’s: A Salute To Lou. He makes jokes, tells stories, involves the audience and makes it all look easy.
 
And he can actually sing! If you like vocal jazz with a touch of soul and R&B, you could hardly do better.
 
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JazzBoNotes recommends - "Live at Yoshi's - A Salute to Lou"
 
by Michael Kydonieus
 
Those of you who are my regular readers probably know that I am usually not a big fan of jazz singers. There is a certain minimum level of competence I demand, such as: Tone, Soul and Taste, Pitch and Understanding of Jazz.
 
Which brings us to Nicolas Bearde.  He has a big, velvet tone, and a perfectly controlled vibrato, as beautiful as an R & B or gospel singer.  He always stays on key. He has excellent interpretive skills.
 
His version of "Girl from Ipanema" is a soulful swing tune instead of a bossa nova.  Ordinarily, I would expect this to be a disaster, but he pulls it off.  When he's singing, you get a picture in your head of Nicolas Bearde sitting on a beach at Ipanema, checking out a hot Brazilian girl, who totally ignores him.  It's practically cinematic.  This is a rare gift in a singer.
 
On the other hand, Bearde takes a Philly Soul song, like Gamble and Huff's "Lady Love" and turns it into soulful jazz.
 
When Bearde takes on an actual jazz standard, like "The Shadow of your Smile", he tweaks it, so instead of being a ballad, it has a gentle swing. He invests it with soul, and it's still very much jazz.
 
Then Bearde takes on one of the most treacherous standards there is, Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child". In the wrong hands, this song can be terribly bland, but Bearde aces it, investing it with feeling and heft.  He make you feel the lyrics, but he makes the tune his own.
 
For what it is, "Live at Yoshi's - A salute to Lou" approaches perfection!!
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American Nicolas Bearde Gets Lost at the Irkutsk Airport-

By Olga Buyeva

"Never in my life have I been so cold. How can you walk in the streets in such freezing weather?" laughs famous jazz performer, Nicolas Bearde, flashing a smile of snow-white teeth. The singer from sunny San Francisco who has appeared in films with such famous actors as Richard Gere and Kim Bassinger flew into Irkutsk at the height of the cold Siberian winter.

And right away, he got lost at the airport. At three in the morning, he got on the the wrong bus at the bottom of the airplane ramp and ended up heading to the international terminal with passengers making connections. Airport workers began to explain to the distressed artist "your baggage is there," pointing to an airport building that is closed for renovation.

"Just picture this brave American in 40 below zero weather without a cap andcarrying a bag, rushing to a closed airport terminal," concert organizer Vladimir Demchinkov relates. "He started knocking on the door. And then he realized that he was really badly freezing. He ran back to the international terminal. When I found him, Nicolas could only get out two sentences: "My face is frozen" and "I've never been so cold."

Yesterday, we met with the jazzman a few hours before his concert. "I don't speak Russian," Nicolas bashfully confessed as he continued to be photographed. The impressive artist, who has already turned 51, was in all black: classic pants, a sweater, and overcoat. When he exited the hotel, he put on a black fur hat. Before his last rehearsal, he wanted to see his poster hanging on the Philharmonic facade. On the street he smiled amiably at passersby and photographed people and buildings.

"I liked Irkutsk at first sight," the singer admitted. "I've heard a lot about Baikal, but I'll risk going there when it gets a little warmer. Today, after the concert, I'll ask about the sights and will definitely go to some of then. But generally while I'm on tour I just like to relax in the hotel, and I really like my solitude."

For our countrymen, Nicolas prepared compositions from his last album as
well as some of his favorite songs.

"Right now because of the crisis, it has been really hard for artists," Nicolas admitted. "People in many countries have started going to concerts less and the Arts have really suffered on account of the economic instability."
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A singer and entertainer whose repetoire spans soul, jazz and R & B, Nicolas Bearde has been compared to such vocal icons as Lou Rawls, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway and Jon Lucien.  Still, it's considered that such comparisons fail to capture his vocal artistry or do justice to his musical accomplishments.  Bearde has been described as sounding "like a soul-drenched March Murphy with a dash of Sinatra swagger." His singing career has included stints in church, choir in Nashville, Tennessee, a soul band in Tokyo, cabaret clubs in San Francisco, Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra and the a cappella group SoVoSo.  Besides moonlighting as an actor and voice-over artist, he continues to write music and perform concerts at clubs and jazz festivals. In 1997, he started Right Groove Records in order to launch his sole projects, starting with "Crossing the Line".
 
Performing at Soyuz Kompositorov Club in Moscow on Feb 5th and 6th.
 
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Nicolas Bearde tours Russia - from Moscow, to Rostov, from Astrakhan to Novosibirsk and Irkusk. "Free and confident on stage, possessing a soft, sensitive and, at the same time, strong voice that takes it to the max, charmer Nicolas Bearde sings........ "  

Written by Daria Shaw- PR manager
Souz Kompozitorov Club
www.ucclub.ru

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Nicolas Bearde Quartet
Written by Kelly Crawford
Tuesday, 21 October 2008

On October 26, 2008 Nicolas performs at Don Quixote's

Smooth jazz doesn´t always have to provoke thoughts of being on hold with your insurance company. The Nicolas Bearde Quartet is as smooth and jazzy as it gets, but avoids having a career confined to an elevator with an infusion of R&B—the Impressions´ way. There couldn´t be a more fitting quartet for dinner and dancing. Bearde has a long resume of venues and shows, so his veteran knowledge will keep the night moving for the wine and chocolate couples. But the Rockstar and cigarette duos might want to look elsewhere.

http://www.gtweekly.com/20081021267942/blurbs/events/nicolas-bearde-quartet

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Nicolas Bearde 'Live At Yoshi's: A Salute To Lou'


There is a fine distinct line between doing a cover album and doing a tribute album. Aside from the main obvious difference being that a tribute album is dedicated to a particular subject as opposed to just redoing songs, a tribute album also illustrates the respect, honour and passion that an artist has for the subject on which they are attributing. Jazz/Soul singer Nicolas Bearde comes forth with his current album "Live at Yoshi's: A Salute to Lou" a live recording of an outstanding performance he did at the Yoshi's Jazz House in Oakland California in October 2007, where he pays tribute to the late Lou Rawls.
Nicolas Bearde no doubt does an excellent job singing classic Lou Rawls songs as well as other songs and his jazzy, soulful voice alone sets the tone and warm atmosphere for both his CD listeners and audience listeners alike who had the opportunity to see him perform at the Yoshi's Jazz bar. Nicolas begins his performance with tracks such as "Living Room," "The Girl From Ipanema" and "Lady Love." For those who have not seen Nicolas Bearde perform or might be curious as to how he performs live, this album by far illustrates his excellent performance. His sense of humour also provides a way to break the fourth wall with his audience both at the Yoshi Jazz House and his CD listeners. Nicolas Bearde continues his heart filled tribute with songs such as Billie Holiday's "God Bless The Child" and other Lou Rawls' songs such as "The Shadow Of Your Smile" and "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water." Nicolas Bearde winds down his performance with a ´Lou medley´ where he sings a number of Lou's famous songs including "You're Gonna Miss My Lovin."
Like his previous albums Nicolas Bearde does not fail to show any form of perfection in his performance and delivers each song with as much soul and love that he can. His band which consist of Charles McNeal (saxophone), Jason Lewis (drums) Glenn Pearson (piano) and Nelson Braxton (bass) together provide a harmonic jazz ensemble that complements Nicolas Bearde´s voice. Hearing the audience's feedback alone is one example of this as they sing along and hoot when Nicolas Bearde performs a familiar song (particularly Lou Rawls' famous "You're Gonna Miss My Lovin.") His tribute to Lou Rawls is not just a personal tribute to a wonderful artist but also a reminder to listeners of what good soul and jazz music was and still is.

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I was not familiar with vocalist Nicolas Bearde prior to receiving a copy of new new CD, "Live at Yoshi's - A Salute to Lou". Bearde is a multi-talented gentleman. This live recording at Yoshi's, the fabled Oakland jazz club, has Nicolas backed by a terrific quartet of saxophonist Charles McNeal, pianist Glenn Pearson, bassist Nelson Braxton, and drummer Jason Lewis. The mood is set with the opening of the Roach/Abbey Lincoln song, " Living Room". He is a marvelous singer, reminiscent perhaps more of a Joe Williams than the deeper voiced Rawls, although like both, the blues is part of his performing foundation.

As good as the band is, this listener found saxophonist McNeal especially marvelous behind the vocals and his solos. And, like Rawls and Williams, Bearde shines on ballads like " The Shadow of Your Smile". The center of this disc is Oscar Brown's "World of Trouble" and "Lou's Medley", where Bearde revives Rawls' classics including "This Song will Last Forever", "Love is a Hurtin' Thing", "I want to be Happy", "Tobacco Road", and "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine". A vigorous rendition of the Eddie Miller penned blues, "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water", concludes this excellent set.

Bearde brings warmth, soul and personality to these performances, which certainly provide a memorable tribute to one of the great vocalists of the past few decades.

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Bay Area singer Nicolas Bearde, an alumnus of Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra and the vocal sextet SoVoSo, sounds like a soul-drenched Mark Murphy with a dash of Sinatra swagger. In other words, there's little similarity between Bearde and butterscotch-smooth baritone Lou Rawls. But tribute albums, or at least the better among the persistently popular genre, are less about mimicry than they are about capturing the essence of the honoree and the zeitgeist of the musical era in which he flourished. On both counts, Bearde does admirably, if not entirely, well... Bearde effectively channels the younger Rawls' ability to blur the lines between jazz, soul and blues. The songs - "The Girl from Ipanema", "I believe in You", "The Shadow of your Smile", "God Bless the Child", "I'd rather Drink Muddy Water" - are more strongly associated with other singers, but Rawls made each his own, and Bearde ably demonstrates how.

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Michael G. Nastos writes syndicated previews, reviews, and opinion columns on jazz, blues, and other music. He writes for Down Beat, Cadence, Coda, Jazz Forum, Swing Journal, Arts Midwest, and Jazz News International, and is a freelance writer of artists' biographies, interviews, jazz festival and concert programs, and liner notes. He is also an instructor and guest lecturer at the University of Michigan and Washtenaw Community College

by Michael G. Nastos - All Music Guide


"A paucity of male jazz singers makes Nicolas Bearde a rare avis. It's clear that he enjoys himself on-stage, as evidenced by the rapport, joke-telling, and personality he exudes. This club date at Yoshi's, in Oakland, CA, showcases Bearde as a devotee of Lou Rawls, doing many songs in his repetoire of the late soul-pop icon. But Bearde sounds like himself in a bluesy, good natured way and not nearly as deep-throated, overly dramatic, or bravissimo as Rawls intended to be. Though Bearde does use a few of the inflections and at times seductive techniques as Rawls perfected, he does not lean on them as a crutch.

Field Producer, Bud Spangler, accounts for the excellent sounds of this recording and gives Bearde not only an opportunity to be heard clearly, but to be listened to and appreciated given the gusto and verve he delivers."

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Review by Bill Leikam - freelance jazz writer
May 25th, 2008 @ Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, Half Moon Bay, CA

You bet! The Bach is known for jazz but as a change-up, Pete Douglas booked the Nicolas Bearde Quartet for the show and he was a hit! Nicolas hit the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society running with his pumping, upbeat band: Glenn Pearson aka "The Professor" on both electric and the Steinway Grand Piano, Nelson Braxton on stand-up and electric bass, Charles McNeal on various saxophones and Jason Lewis keeping time on the drums; all highly accomplished musicians. His band opened with Les McCann´s "Cold Duck Time". As they finished, Nicolas entered, shaking hands, warmly greeting the people as he strode toward the stage. Even when he had reached the front of the room, he continued along the first row with his hand shaking entry. The audience loved it. They cheered him on. Never before have I seen a singer enter a room as Nicolas did on May 25th, 2008.

When he opened his part of the set with "I Believe in You" the audience was primed and responded with heart-felt applause during and after every song. Nicolas has a solid vocal range that is dynamic when need be but smooth and easy as when he sang Lou Rawls song "Lady Love." It was obvious that the band had played together before as they were tight and never left the groove as sometimes happens with bands that are tossed together just to do a gig. Charles McNeal´s impressive sax expertly took the room and the rest of the band to exciting heights.

By the end of the first set, the audience was more than ready to clear the main floor of chairs and dance through the second set. It was a set filled with fun, filled with high energy and so much so that it was nearly impossible for people to stay seated. Nicolas said, "It was a delight to play the Bach… The audience was very enthusiastic and there was great energy in the room for the whole set. Pete Douglas, Linda and all of the staff were so accommodating and helpful as well so it just made the whole experience everything you could hope for."

If you ever have the chance to see the Nicolas Bearde Quartet, you too will be up and dancing, enraptured with their music. It was a very good afternoon and evening, well worth everyone´s time.

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CRITIC'S CHOICE

Nicolas Bearde CD Release

The many forays that Nicolas Bearde made during his singing career -- church choir in Nashville, soul band in Tokyo, cabaret clubs in San Francisco, Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra and later, the a capella group SoVoSo -- ultimately led him straight back to the past. His latest project is a tribute to blues singer Lou Rawls, and features hip, swing-time, vibrato-sluiced renditions of such standards as "God Bless the Child," "The Shadow of Your Smile," and "The Girl from Ipanema." With his classy pinstripe suits, silk ties, and smooth, legato phrasings, Bearde inhabits the old-school lounge-singer persona pretty well -- though he'll occasionally stretch or bend the notes to make his tunes sound more contemporary. Bearde sings Tues., June 3 at Yoshi's in Jack London Square (510 Embarcadero West). Shows at 8 p.m. ($18) and 10 p.m. ($12). Yoshis.com

-- By Rachel Swan
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A charter member of Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra ensemble as well as the innovative Bay Area vocal sextet SoVoSo, Nicolas Bearde has long been recognized as an adept and fearless vocal improviser.

But Bearde is a down-to-earth soul stylist as well. On his new CD, "Live at Yoshi's: A Salute to Lou," which is due for release on May 20 by his own Right Groove Records, Bearde delivers a vibrant set of Lou Rawls-associated material before a full house at Oakland's premier jazz club.

Read More:
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=18012

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Singer and actor Nicolas Bearde, longtime Rockridge resident, one of Bobby McFerrin's original and ongoing "Voicestra" vocalists and a favorite at Bay Area clubs, will record his next CD live, performing Yoshi's Jazzhouse in Jack London Square next Tuesday, October 16, 2007.

Bearde, who teaches a class entitled "The Soulful side of Jazz" at Berkeley's Jazz School, has specialized for the past quarter century in just that: the continuity between jazz vocals and soul music. But the origins of his warm, distinctive vocal and performing style go back to a lifetime of singing, listening and thinking about music and how it affects its listeners.

Some of it goes back to Nashville, where he was born and raised, when his mother and her buddies would hang out all night, drinking, dancing and listening to 'Ebbtide', Lou Rawls, Arthur Prysock, Nat Cole, Cab Calloway...I'd hear it through the doors - "Honey, hush!" - and it was only later that I understood what they meant when talking about how Cab Calloway's hair would look on a pillow!"

Read more.....

http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/article1.cfm?issue=10-12-07&storyID=28218

Ken Bullock - Special writer to the Daily Planet
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While much of contemporary R&B is geared toward an adolescent mindset, Oakland vocalist Nicolas Bearde taps into black music's deeper currents, where love, desire and heartache freely intermingle.

"Contemporary R&B tends to focus more on sexualtiy and not expressions of love per se," says the Nashville native during an interview at the JazzSchool in Berkeley, where he is teaching a class called the "Soulful side of Jazz". That aspect of love is valid, of course, but there's more to it than that. There's building a life together, and having a relationship. But instant gratification is where pop music and modern culture are at, not just R&B.

On Bearde's latest album, 2004's "All about Love", he interprets original tunes set to soft, insinuating grooves, as well as a handful of jazz and soul standards, such as Donny Hathaway's "Trying Times" and "Wild is the Wind". But lately his music has taken on a deeper hue of blue. As he eases into his middle years, Bearde is finding himself drawn to songs associated with sophisticated singers such as Lou Rawls, Arthur Prysock and Nat "King" Cole.

Part of what makes Bearde such an effective song stylist is that he carries himself with easygoing confidence on stage. With his compact build, wide-set brown eyes and trimmed goatee, he's got the handsome features of a leading man. In fact, Bearde has spent the past two decades pursuing a two-track career as a singer and actor. On stage he has appeared in films such as Clint Eastwood's "True Crime", and "Final Analysis" with Richard Gere and Kim Basinger. On television he's best known for a recurring role in "Nash Bridges".

He broke into acting in 1985, when he was invited to participate in "Juke Box" with Danny Glover, which was produced by KPFA, and after studying with Jean Shelton, at Danny's suggestion, he was cast in Athol Fugard's "Master Harold......and the Boys"

At the same time his singing career was gaining visability, and through his work with Molly Holm and Jazzmouth, he connected with Bobby McFerrin, and become a founding and current touring member of the vocal wizard's wildly innovative a cappella group, "Voicestra".

"Voicestra changed my life", Bearde says. "It expanded my understanding of boundries or lack of boundries of being on stage. It is such an experimental approach to music. McFerrin mixed all these different styles and experiences and created a unique approach based totally on improvisation."

Andrew Gilbert - Special to the Mercury News
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Remember back in the days when R&B and soul music was actually about love? When songs used to be about loving someone for whom they are instead of the materialistic things? Remember how these songs would always say " I love you" as opposed to "the left to the left", everything you own on the box to the left?"
There are few that continue to sing about the good side of love and happiness. Touring with greats such as Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra, singer/songwriter and recording artist Nicolas Bearde comes forth with his latest album, " All About Love". This album is a definite collectable item for those who are into the jazz and old school soul. Sounding a lot like Jon Lucien, Nat King Cole, and Lou Rawls, Nicolas Bearde's 12 track album brings a nostalgic feel to its listeners of smooth ballad jazz and sensual smooth songs such as " Wild is the Wind", which provide an intimate atmosphere for listeners. The mature sound of this album along with Nicolas' voice is the huge driving factor where he delivers a crisp, yet sensual deep singing that might make some listeners sigh.......
This album will definitely remind you of what loves songs used to be.
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What others are saying

East Bay Express - October 2005
San Francisco Chronicle - February 2005
Urban Network Magazine - February 2005
Cafe Jazz - Jazz Lynx (Toronto, Canada) - January 2005
O's Place Jazz Newsletter - Winter 2004
Soul Express - London, England - December 2004
SmoothJazz.com - December 2004
EJazz News - December 2004
All About Jazz - November 2004
East Bay Express - September 2004
Bohemian Life - September 2004
Record Corner - London, England - February 1999
Blues and Soul Magazine - London, England - December 1998
OP Magazine - London, England - December 1998
Bay Guardian - December 1998
Soulvation Magazine - London, England - November 1998
The Journal - London, England - November 1998
Echoes - London, England - November 1998

Find Nicolas' music on these radio stations.