Tina Lear
Floral Park, New York, United States | SELF
Music
Press
"A superb songwriter with deep piano roots, Tina Lear knows how to tell a story. On The Road Home, her third album, she sings those stories in a way that makes you want to hear them over and over. The songs have well-crafted textures, with just the right amount of B-3 and synth pad touches to bring the message home. Though she's not yet a household name, the good news is that Tina gets around; check for her touring schedule on her website." - Ernie Rideout
"One of the most talented vocalists and composers to come out of the Northwest in years." Joey Cohn, Music Director KPLU - FM, Seattle, WA - Joey Cohn, Music Director
"Tina surprised us all with her strong songwriting ability as well as her delivery...a fully developed artist. She fits in well on our Jazz Northwest program and we're looking forward to hearing more from her." Jim Wilke, host of nationally syndicated radio show, Jazz Northwest - Jazz Northwest (KPLU-FM)
Northwest singer-songwriter Tina Lear’s latest release (The Road Home) is a stunning collection of intricate, beautiful songs and masterful performances. As a songwriter, arranger, vocalist, and pianist, Lear’s artistry satisfies on every level. Her music is equal parts jazz and pop, deceptively simple on its surface, yet continually unfolding its layers of melodic and harmonic complexity, shades of subtle meaning, and shifting instrumental textures.
She’s a gifted singer with a warm, breathy voice, a wide range, and a natural, unaffected style that always sounds right no matter what the demands of the song. And there are some great songs here. My favorite may be “There and Back Again,” a kind of prayer for and celebration of her grown daughter’s marriage. The tenderness and bittersweet hope that shines through this song’s every word and note drew me back for repeated listens, as did Lear’s lovely piano part and Howard Levy’s sensitive, soulful harmonica playing.
Other favorites are “The Present,” “Woman to Woman,” “The Box,” and “Don’t Look Away.” Throughout, Lear’s playing and arrangements are inspired—whether it’s a tender love song or big-band romp, she gives each song a musical treatment that fits and illuminates the words. Mitch Watkins’ excellent production and guitar work also deserve mentioning.
If there’s any justice in this musical world, this album will help establish Tina Lear as a major artist on the contemporary scene. Highly recommended. - Victory Review
Discography
Gotta Go (single) 2001
The Road Home, 2000
Full Moon Big Circle, 1998
Classified Ads, 1994
Photos
Bio
"A superb songwriter with deep piano roots, Tina Lear knows how to tell a story. On The Road Home, her third album, she sings those stories in a way that makes you want to hear them over and over...” Ernie Rideout, Keyboard Magazine. "Tina has a quiet, cool, powerful voice, an eye for detail, an ear for language. . .and a talent for surrounding herself with brilliant producers and side musicians. . .” Christine Lavin. These are some of the quotes about Tina’s third cd, “The Road Home”.
The granddaughter of a famous vaudevillian (Ole Olsen of Olsen & Johnson), Tina attended California Institute of the Arts and put in a year at BYU. She became a member of the Warner Brothers Film Actor’s Workshop at age 18, and played her original music at the Troubador in Los Angeles. Her career then went underground for almost 20 years, during which a long-term marriage ran its volatile course, ultimately enriching her life with three children.
When that marriage ended, she moved to Seattle, started performing locally and began recording at the encouragement of Grammy nominee Bill Ginn (then a composer and arranger for Jennifer Warnes). At the same time, she attended Bastyr University where she got her Bachelors Degree in Applied Behavioral Science. Never far from the piano and her writing, she came away from those years with three cds under her belt-- Classified Ads (1994), Full Moon Big Circle (1998), and The Road Home (2000)– all of which garnered national airplay and gave her a considerable following among fans of smart, literate, deeply-felt songwriting.
In addition to winning awards at major folk festivals, Tina also received three "Honorable Mentions" in the Billboard Annual Songwriting Contest. Key performances in the past ten years include the SXSW (South-by-Southwest) Music Conference, Northwest Folklife, Seattle’s famed Jazz Alley club, and the Bluebird Café in Nashville.
She's written three musicals, one of which (Cathy’s Creek, written with Elise Forier-Edie) was published by Dramatic Publishing. In 2007, she received her MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Several Broadway and television stars have sought out her songs. Her music has been broadcast numerous times on the local NPR stations.
She lives, writes, performs, quilts, and bakes in New York (Long Island, to be precise). Her wife, Elena, makes sure she doesn't forget her keys, her phone, the cds, the business cards, etc.
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