Mavis 'SWAN' Poole
Durham, North Carolina, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2003 | SELF
Music
Press
The announcement said to get there by 8:45pm, to get a good seat, but people were standing in the aisles by 8:30pm to catch a glimpse and hear the fierce soul stylings of Soul Understated featuring Mavis "SWAN" Poole. Backed by a eight-person S.W.A.T. team of funk, it would be easy for another singer to get lost amidst the back-up singers, guitars, percussion and brass, but not Ms. Poole, dressed in an orange, off-the-shoulder tee, red belt and a barely-there miniskirt, lookin' as fine as she wanted.
After stirring the pot w/ "Still Water," Soul Understated showed their playful side by takin' us back with their rendition of the Fat Albert theme song and it is not understating it to say its inclusion on the soundtrack may have inspired us to sit through the 2004 film adaptation. Normally, "Feel Good Music" and "Dance Flo'" would have had the crowd up on its feet, but the audience at BAM is generally more subdued and, this evening in particular, the room was so hot that people were breaking a sweat just bobbing their heads and tapping their toes.
Aside from the aforementioned schoolhouse rock, Ms. P. & the gang paid homage to Curtis Mayfield--with an original take on "People Get Ready," arranged by co-director Jeremy "BEAN" Clemons--and Michael Jackson--on a "Rock With You"-infused version of "One." All other tracks, including "Sistagirl," "Truce," "Hot & Bothered," "New Rock" & "Gonna Make It," came straight from the minds and souls of musical co-directors, Clemons and Poole.
Maybe it was the heat, or the vibe in the room or the way Ms. Poole turned what could have been a wail into the most soulful of music, but we couldn't help but to be reminded of Ledisi's early performances, in the basement of San Francisco's Cafe Du Nord. For their part, Soul Understated is a skillful ensemble, adeptly and seemingly effortlessly weaving together soul, jazz, funk and gospel, like so many threads in a tapestry, and Ms. Poole does not miss a beat, adding scat and rap to the mix like the final spices in an excellent gumbo.
If you can't find your way to one of Soul Understated featuring Mavis "SWAN" Poole's performances, you at least owe it to yourself to download her debut album and get in on the ground floor of something great. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/soul-tree-sultry/id332467645
- Divastation.com
"Sorry Jill Scott, not so fast Angie Stone, not that we don't love you ladies, but Mavis SWAN Poole is the clear choice for Midpoint. This street wise, world traveled, diva in the making, can sing anything she wants. Smoky jazz club ballad, neo soul funk fest, low rider speaker shaker, Mavis attacks and conquers any style that comes her way. I wonder if Mavis is the reason Lauryn Hill has gone into hiding." - MIDPOINT MUSIC FESTIVAL 2009, Cincinnati
"The record is a total bomb. I love the CD. You're a wonderful singer, and the band is smoking. Its quite moving. It swings, and has got all the stuff that I like! Mavis, you knocked me out with your soul, sound, voice, and direct honesty, plus great musicianship." - Andy Bey- Grammy Nominated - Pianist/Vocalist
"Mavis is a musician whose soul is in her sound. She knows how to find the story in the song and make it MUSIC. It's an adventure you'll always want more of."
- BRANDON MCCUNE, Grammy-nominated pianist, composer, educator
"And of what she sang I know not, but her voice touched every chord of my being; something hand alone cannot make. A voice that takes on many shades and colors, and out pours many musical instruments that all come alive from one being...'ethereal'." - ULYSSES SLAUGHTER, Vocal stylist, technician, educator
Mavis SWAN Poole is honored as *2007-INDY's "jazz vocalist to watch".
- Roy Pattishall
Discography
ALBUMS
"New Day Dawnin", Judah Tribe
"Love/Passion/Correspondence" JT Project
"Flipped", Soul Cycle
"Misfits", Enoch Smith Jr.
SOUL-TREE, Mavis Poole (produced by M. Poole/
J. Clemons)
Uncommon Pursuit, Mavis Poole (Jazz Debut)
(upcoming release TBA)
The Best Christmas Feeling with Marcus Anderson
The Forumla with Buckshot & 9th Wonder
Blues and the Verdant Green with NCCU Jazz Dept.
That Christmas Feeling with Terrance White
Do Not Pass Me By with Gods Voices
It Was Good with Hallie Evans
Disguise with Uncle Jim and the Red Bus Band
SINGLES
Ive Got Yo Back, (produced by 9th Wonder)
Rapsody and Swan (produced by 9th Wonder)
Photos
Bio
The Lady: Crowned Little Ella by legendary tromobonist Curtis Fuller, award winning vocalist/composer/lyricist Mavis SWAN Poole is generating quite a buzz on the music scene. Swan is graced with an unrivaled brilliance of shattering genre barriers with her rich and smoky sound, and is often compared to vocalists like Erykah Badu, Ella Fitzgerald, Jill Scott, and Abbey Lincoln.
SWAN displays her versatility as a complete Musician by working amongst the greats in a variety of genres. The vocalist for the Bill Lee big band, (filmmaker Spike Lees father), was praised as Indys 2007 Jazz Vocalist to watch, yet flexible enough to record with Grammy Award winning producer 9th Wonder & Hip Hop guru Buckshot on their collaboration, The Formula. She also graces the stage as supporting vocals for singers like Prince, Lauryn Hill and soul singer, NDambi. Through these opportunities, Ms. SWAN has had Television appearances on Jimmy Fallon Late Night, The Monique Show, and solo appearances featuring her original hit, Feel Good Music on CBS Morning Show, and Different Voices TV Show. As far as Festivals, in 2011 alone, shes played at Coachella, New Orleans JazzFest, Jazz In the Gardens, and many other well-known venues, like the chains of House Of Blues and Jazz, Apollo Theater, Birdland Nueburg. Here, she shared the stage with giants like Kings Of Leon, New Edition, Charlie Wilson, Mystikal, Cee Lo Green, and countless others. As a solo artist, SWAN recently performed on BET and CentricTV. She was hand picked to sing the National Anthem at the Barclays Center NY for the 2010 Groundbreaking, and again in Feb. for the Brooklyn Nets vs Houston Rockets game.
HER story: Bull Citys finest is the knee-baby of five siblings, born and raised in Durham, North Carolina to musically inclined parents, and attended the very prestigious North Carolina Central University. While there, she was in all Choirs & Ensembles, as well as Marching Band, (EL Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma)Recording artist Lenora Zenzalai Helm, and jazz icons Ira Wiggins and Arnold George were just a few of her most impacting mentors as an undergraduate student.
SWAN is the recipient of many noteworthy awards, including being a Port Townsend Centrum Jazz Festival participant, Betty Carter Jazz Ahead, Sisters In Jazz (IAJE), Indys 2007 Jazz Vocalist to watch, and the Featured Artist for music networks like Reverb Nation, Indie Music Universe, and SonicBids.
She went on to share the stage, study, and/or record with Jazz greats like Roy Hargrove, Dr. Billy Taylor, Fred Wesley, Dead Prez, Nicholas Payton, Kurt Elling, Gerri Allen, Nathan Davis, Mos Def, Hubert Laws, Bill Lee, Hot 8 Brass Band, The Heavy, Winard Harper, Jeff Tain Watts, Dave Chapelle, Dee Daniels, John & Jeff Clayton, Curtis Fuller, Chip Jackson, Branford Marsalis, Nancy King, Joey Calderazzo, Carmen Lundy, Esparanza Spalding, Branford Marsalis, George Cables, and a host of other trendsetting musicians that helped her solidify her unique sound and style. Dianne McIntyre introduced her to collaboration with the dance world, allowing SWAN to lend her talents to her {Diannes} rendition of Helen Tamiris How Long, Brethren? for the 2007 American Dance Festival.
Education is important to SWAN, who recently completed her MA at Queens College, where she studied with Antonio Hart, David Berkman, Howard Brofsky, JD Walter, Michael Mossman, and Miles Griffith. Her undergraduate angels molded a magna cum laude graduate, earning a BA in Music Ed. , as well as a BM in Jazz Vocal Studies. SWAN also follows her passion for young people, and is currently teaching K-8th graders in Harlem how to tap into music and follow their passions.
You are warmly invited to continue the lifelong journey with a true swan of vocalists, Ms. Mavis SWAN Poole.
www.SwanVocals.com
ReverbNation.com/Swanvocals
MySpace.com/SwanVocals
Band Members
Links
