Gaby Moreno
Los Angeles, California, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 11, 2010
Four days after her performance with a full orchestra to the largest audience she’s ever seen, the Roskilde Festival in Denmark, Gaby Moreno received the exciting news that she and her co-writer Vincent Jones received an Emmy nod for “Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Song” for their theme song to NBC’s show “Parks and Recreation” starring SNL alum Amy Poehler.
Gaby notes: “It’s an absolute thrill and honor to be nominated for doing something I love! It’s been a whirlwind year and a half and I want to take this opportunity to thank all of my fans and friends who have helped make these dreams come true for me.”
This news caps off an exciting first half of the year for Gaby Moreno. An independent artist originally from Guatemala City, Guatemala, Gaby moved to Los Angeles on her own in 2001 with one goal: to make a living as an artist. Since that time she has excelled. Having dabbled in the record label game back when that mattered, she has since broken ties with any previous labels and publishers and has found substantially more success in the last 18 months as an independent artist.
The good news for Gaby started with winning the Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest (and subsequently opening for Fergie), the first ever Latin song to take that honor. Gaby then released her debut record “Still the Unknown” (independently) to rave reviews. Tastemakers at world-renowned Los Angeles public radio station KCRW gave the record high marks, with “Morning Becomes Eclectic” producer Ariana Morgenstern saying "her debut recording, Still the Unknown, caught me by surprise with its organic and understated feel. She sings beautifully both in English and in Spanish." Also Tamara Vallejos's review from NPR included: “Whether Moreno decides to stick with pop, soul or Latin (or a fusion of all three) for future releases, Still the Unknown is a promising debut that indicates she won't go unnoticed for much longer.”
The success of her debut record got Gaby attention from some great company, Grammy award-winners Tracy Chapman and Ani Difranco. Gaby was contacted by Tracy Chapman to tour as direct support in 2009. Ani Difranco then asked Gaby to tour as direct support for legs of her 2009 and 2010 tour.
The 2010 Academy Awards brought some unexpected news for Gaby: The documentary "The Cove," a film in which she sang the Charlie Chaplin song "Smile," was nominated and won an Academy Award for Best Documentary.
The Academy Award news came as Gaby was rehearsing music with a new friend of hers, Van Dyke Parks. Upon a chance meeting with legendary producer/arranger/artist Van Dyke Parks, Gaby was asked to sing the lead in his newest orchestral arrangement. After months of preparation, VDP and Gaby unveiled the arrangement with their performance (assisted by the Danish National Youth Orchestra) at the Roskilde Festival in Roskilde, Denmark July 4, 2010. The Roskilde Festival is one of the five biggest annual music festivals in Europe and routinely sees upwards of 80,000 festival-goers.
The first week of July continued to bring great news as Gaby was told that fans voted her their “Favorite American Latino Independent Artist” in the AmericanLatino.tv awards. Gaby was up against some worthy opponents (Frankie Negron, Los Hollywood, Maleco Collective) but won by a landslide. Look for Gaby’s interview and performance with American Latino on TV soon.
Gaby and her fans are excited for her recent “Parks and Recreation” Emmy nomination. An Emmy win would cap off an exciting and impressive run for this young Guatemalan talent.
www.gaby-moreno.com
www.facebook.com/gabymorenoband
For more info:
Jake Versluis
Verse Management Corp. - www.prweb.com
"Gaby Moreno is one artist that proves an artist can both take pride in their roots and stretch beyond them to reach music audiences from all walks of life and parts of the world. Latin-flavored music, after all, isn't just for the Latin audience-it can and should be appreciated by everyone!" - Indie Music Stop
First Place: Gaby Moreno
Congratulations to Los Angeles and Guatemala-based Gaby Moreno, First Place winner of Round 5 of the QuickLaunch Song Contest – with her song “Each Day.” The song is awesome! Check it out. Great heartfelt vocals, heartbreak-type lyrics, strong chorus hook, powerful bridge — uplifting music with excellent production. We love the Beatles-esque drums and real piano. Phenomenal. Thanks again Gaby — for pleasing our ears! - www.flightsafemusic.com/contest/
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97823649
Guatemalan-born singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno.
NPR.org, December 4, 2008 - Guatemalan singer and songwriter Gaby Moreno left her Central American home for Los Angeles in 2001, where she proceeded to immerse herself in the local music scene and enroll in classes at the Musicians Institute. Her efforts have recently begun to pay off: in 2006, she won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest (part of the annual Maxell Song of the Year awards) with the tune "Escondidos." And this year, she's finally released her debut album, Still the Unknown.
Still the Unknown largely ventures through uncomplicated acoustic guitar pop territory, but it's still an entirely pleasant record that is buoyed by Moreno's soft, soulful vocals. "Over the twilight blue / The eyes that I stared into / They shine and sing a song of you," she coos on "Song of You," a sweet and gently swaying tune. But that's not at all to say that Moreno is cheesy or juvenile. Actually, it's the innocence of "Song of You" and others like it that makes this record so delightful. Another of the most appealing aspects of Still the Unknown is the moments when Moreno switches to lyrics in her native Spanish. The most striking instance of this is on the bilingual "Ampola," an irresistibly gorgeous piano ballad that conjures the romantic allure of vintage crooners.
But Moren's debut isn't only about tugging at listeners' heartstrings. She mixes things up on the deliciously funky "Greenhorne Man," which was recently featured in an episode of the TV series Lincoln Heights. The song provides a chance for her to belt out her vocals and show off a heftier tone that suits her well. Whether Moreno decides to stick with pop, soul or Latin (or a fusion of all three) for future releases, Still the Unknown is a promising debut that indicates she won't go unnoticed for much longer.
Email host Robin Hilton.
- NPR.org
NEW YORK, June 21 /PRNewswire/ --- Gaby Moreno, Ari Shine and Victor
Indrizzo of Los Angeles made history as the first Latin category winners to
take home the "Maxell Song of the Year" Award for their song "Escondidos".
They were presented with the $20,000 Maxell Song of the Year check at
Roseland in New York City, where Fergie made a stop on her Verizon VIP
Tour. For the first time, the winner of the coveted prize had the
opportunity to open a show for an award winning multi-platinum artist.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070622/NYTH116 )
The Maxell Song of the Year was selected, from the Lennon Award winners
in 12 musical categories, by the JLSC Executive Committee of performers and
songwriters that includes The Black Eyed Peas, Elton John, Wyclef Jean,
Carlos Santana, Tim McGraw, Carole Bayer Sager, Enrique Iglesias, Bacon
Brothers, John Legend, and Macy Gray, to name a few.
A total of over $330,000 in cash and prizes will be distributed this
year by the year-round Lennon Contest to amateur and professional
songwriters. This year's presentation event marks the tenth anniversary of
the prestigious contest that is made possible by an agreement with Yoko Ono
Lennon.
PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
About the John Lennon Songwriting Contest:
Celebrating its tenth year, The John Lennon Songwriting Contest is
dedicated to providing opportunities to both professional and amateur
songwriters. Winners in 12 categories receive awards and prizes totaling
over $330,000. The $20,000 Maxell Song of the Year is selected by a stellar
Executive Committee including Elton John, Tim McGraw, Wyclef Jean, Sugar
Ray, Carlos Santana, Black Eyed Peas John Legend, Enrique Iglesias, Mary J.
Blige, Nick Lachey, and many more. Sponsors of the Contest include Maxell,
Apple Inc., Roland, Godin Guitars, Sibelius, Sonicbids, Propellerhead,
Ableton, Full Sail, Edirol by Roland, Audio-Technica, EMI Music Publishing,
musiciansfriend.com, and Disc Makers. The John Lennon Songwriting Contest
is made possible by an agreement with Yoko Ono Lennon who said "I hope this
Contest will encourage, inspire and help the songwriters of the world to
share their dreams with us."
About Maxell
Maxell Corporation of America, a technology and marketing leader, is a
full line manufacturer of digital media products for consumer, professional
and data storage markets. Maxell is a recognized brand for over thirty
years that delivers a comprehensive line of digital tape and disc-based
recording media products for consumer audio, video, camcorder and data
storage applications. The company also manufactures and markets a wide
range of consumer battery products, as well as a full line of electronics
care, maintenance, and accessory products including headphones, plasma TV
cleaners, and iPod cases and speakers.
http://www.maxell.com
- www.prnewswire.com
Looking at new music non-stop is fun and every once in a while you come across a new artist who has not only amazing charisma, vocal abilities and raw talent, they have something more. They have "it". You see them perform live and you just stop and sit down with your jaw hitting the floor. That is what happened one evening in Santa Monica when the women of the group Saucy Monky put on an event of writers and artists in the round. Their events are always a great treat. When recording artist/songwriter Gaby Moreno came on at one such recent even she had all that charisma that was so pure and fresh. A powerful command of her vocal abilities as if she was an old road warrior with Tina Turner or something. Only she is a young girl so sweet, unfaded and unjaded with roots and genes that obviously won't let her fire fade. Her five song CD showed some interesting directions and we think she can do anything and stretch in any direction.. She is someone who we just know, has "it". - www.musicload.com
"A true hidden gem in the LA singer/songwriter scene, Gaby Moreno is beginning to make her presence felt with her unique, soulful, and sultry sound. Since bravely venturing out from her homeland of Guatemala at an incredibly young age, she’s promptly made an impact by being the first Latin artist to win the John Lennon Songwriting Contest" - www.glidemagazine.com
Guatemalan turned Los Angelino "Gaby Moreno turned in one of the festival’s breakout performances her second time in town. The singer’s trio plowed through her 2008 debut Still the Unknown, standouts “Wrong Side of the Road” and closer “Greenhorne Man” bookending Buena Vista Social Club calling card “Quizás, Quizás” and Moreno's duet with David Garza, “Amapola,” one of the uncontested highlights of the event." - The Austin Chronicle
" The best two sets of the day came from the tightly packed Plaza Stage courtesy of Guatemala native and currently Los Angeles based singer-songwiter Gaby Moreno and Austin’s own David Garza. Morena delivered the undeniable break out surprise of the Fest, with a vocal prowess that recalled the fire of Fiona Apple and the subtlety of local standout Dana Falconberry; intoxicating and powerful. Garza also stepped up with Moreno to offer an exceptional acoustic guitar on the beautiful “Amapola,” one of the many standout Garza contributions to the day" - www.austinsound.net
"Guatemalan Born Gaby Moreno marches to the beat of her drum. While she is one hundred percent Latina and bilingual, she is not the Latin pop princess she may appear to be. She is approachable, humble and bit shy. However, when she takes the stage and gets behind the microphone, you would swear her voice was coming form someone else’s body. Moreno sounds like she is from another era, born sixty years too late. Old jazz and blues records are what make Moreno tick, not the Latin pop some may expect her to play." - Austin Vida
Discography
Still The Uknown - 2008
A Good Old Christmastime EP - 2010
Illustrated Songs - 2011
Postales - 2012
Photos
Bio
Before she was born and from her mother’s womb, she was already sending signals that music belonged to her. At the age of 5 she had etched in her mind the lyrics of songs from children’s tales or zarzuelas, and at the age of 7 she impressed her first singing teacher. At the age of 10, she stole unanimous ovations when she stepped on a stage and sang for the first time, and shortly after that, she showed an affinity for the saxophone (the guitar came incidentally). At the end, this last instrument became her faithful friend. But it wasn’t until she was 13 years old when she experienced one of the biggest shakes of her life. On a family vacation, walking down the streets of Times Square in New York, she stopped and her attention was taken away by the intense voice from an African-American woman in a rhythm and style that was completely new to her. She just waited for the break to ask the woman: What are you singing? -“It’s the Blues, Honey”, she answered.
The experience was such, that she focused her full attention, listened carefully so that not a word could escape her, not a single phrase or a single gesture of singing from that performer. The blues would thus crumble in her skull and bounce off in her medulla pyramids to find shelter, finally, in the dephts of her brain. And surely, of her soul.
Since then, her footprint is undeniable. And so, she bought compulsively whatever she could find of blues albums. It started with Koko Taylor and she hit rock bottom with Robert Johnson and Huddie Ledbetter. And, as one thing lead to another, Jazz, Soul, sixties Rock, The Beatles, The Kinks and The Zombies, among many others, ended up conforming the creative materials which served her to write her own songs and sing them.
In Guatemala she focused on performing at different places and produce recordings.
One of the most publicized and with big impact, was a very personal version of the National Anthem of Guatemala (1997), in the centenary of this patriotic symbol, which had its original lyrics modified in 1934 by grammar and scholar José Maria Bonilla Ruano (Gaby´s Grandfather).
Thanks to the interest manifested by the record company Warner Bros. to sign her at 17 years old, Moreno moved to Los Angeles, California. In between the arrangements of her contract (she had already received an advanced payment) and the preparations of the record, the company was sold to AOL Time Warner, Inc. This action aborted all the projects and Moreno ended up without any recording. In order not to miss the opportunity of staying in this city, she began her studies at Musicians Institute.
In 2001, Moreno regains interest on a transnational label, this time Sony Music. She was signed by Tommy Mottola, pop music industry’s mogul and mentor of Carly Simon, Diana Ross and Mariah Carey. In some sort of scandal fashion, Mottola abandoned Sony Music on august, 2003. This departure injured the careers of various artists including Moreno. At that moment, she had a year and a half already in the project, had already written the songs and finished all the pre production. “Thank God it didn’t happen”, the Guatemalan singer reflects today. She adds “They were going to decide the way I dressed, how the music should sound and the image I was supposed to have. That would’ve taken away my essence”.
After participating in musicals like Hair and The Return; lending her voice to the soundtrack of the movie Fred Claus; and working for the publishing company “Famous Music”, where she devoted herself to writing songs, time ratified her composer vein as an accomplished songwriter. Proof of that was when the song Escondidos was selected by the jury as “Song of the Year” in the Latin category of the “John Lennon Songwriting Contest” (2006). This achievement makes Yoko Ono herself invite her to inaugurate the “Educational Bus of the John Lennon Foundation”. Moreno couldn’t ask for more.
The baggage of experiences both professional and personal and the uncanny desire to record her first album helped her make it real. In these circumstances, she recorded the already mentioned Still the Unknown. That is how she leaves her mark, for the first time of her artistic capacity, which brought in Tracy Chapman to invite her as supporting act for her North American tour. Same happened with Ani DiFranco. Both, folk singer songwriters. The first one a Grammy Award winner and the second one nominated for the same award.
Her success and achievements grew in 2010. After recording the song Smile, (original music by Charlie Chaplin) for the documentary film The Cove, it was awarded with an Oscar by the Academy that same year. The name Gaby Moreno reappears as a composer in the nomination of the “Outstanding Main Title Theme Music” category at the “International Emmy Awards”, for her co-authoring in the main theme of the television series “Parks and Recreation”.
Also in 2010, she participated in one of the most prestigious and long time classic fest
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