Studio 281 will begin its Fall Jazz Series with the début of the renowned Filipina vocalists Charmaine Clamor on September 26 & 27. Charmaine Clamor has toured nationally and internationally, and will finally grace Atlanta with her unique blends of culture, musical prowess, and Filipina mystique.
Charmaine Clamor has a rare and an unmistakably sultry, soulful, and seductive quality. She has “bedroom eyes voice” (ALL ABOUT JAZZ), an “amazingly individual instrument, which can be whisper-soft, grippingly forceful, earthy, romantic, and soulful” (JAZZ NEWS), a “mold-shattering breakthrough that will be claimed a classic in years to come” (URBAN NETWORK), a “spiritual experience” and “utterly mesmerizing” (LA WEEKLY)…are just some of the accolades and reviews about one extraordinary jazz vocalist. She has been compared to the likes of Anita Baker, Sarah Vaughan, and Cassandra Wilson.
Charmaine Clamor is the first Filipina jazz singer to break through on American radio
with her debut album entitled “Searching for the Soul” (released 2005). Charmaine Clamor has simultaneously made the top-5 on both JazzWeek’s World (#2 ranking) and Traditional Jazz (#4) charts. But what distinguishes Ms Clamor from most other jazz artists is how she has successfully injected her Filipino culture into the American jazz genre. Jazzipino is the result of her merging traditional Filipino folk music, language, and instruments. Charmaine Clamor has skillfully managed to add just the right amount of mixture and flavor into her repertoire of music. Audiences are captivated not only by her new jazzy sounds, but also by her striking beauty and allure.
Besides her over abundances of talent and good looks, she has consistently been an advocate of the arts, and of course a “kababayan” which loosely translates as a fellow Filipino. Ms Clamor is a role model for Fil-Am people. She helped to establish JazzPhil-USA, a nonprofit organization which promotes jazz artists of Filipino descent in the United States.
Ms Clamor is originally from the provincial town of Subic-Zambales, in the Philippines. Her singing career began at the age of 3, entertaining passengers (whether they liked it or not!) from the back of buses (jeepneys) traveling to Manila. As she grew up, she provided piano accompaniment as her mother sung kundiman (Filipino torch songs) and English language classics. From those early memories came her love of the Great American Songbook.
Studio 281 is “The Real Jazz Spot” for anyone who is desperately yearning to hear an exceptional repertoire of distinct genres of jazz. The attire is casual but fashionable. Studio 281 is open to the public on Tuesday thru Saturday evenings, from 7pm until 2am.
If you are tired of the hip-hop crowd and want a new kind of experience…embark on an open invitation to partake in lively conversations and jazz amalgamations with a more sophisticated ole school mix. For more information and directions for Studio 281, call 404-524-7247 or go to www.studio281.com.
