Jazz-singing ex-teacher returns to Granite City

Acclaimed singer Eileen Hunter went from teaching in an Aberdeen secondary school to playing London’s top jazz venues including Ronnie Scott’s and the 606 Club.

Now Eileen makes a welcome return to the Granite City by headlining at the Blue Lamp today.

Eileen taught music at St Machar Academy in Aberdeen in the ’90s before pursuing a musical career in England.

It was a leap of faith that paid off as the highlyrespected jazz singer has played iconic venues like the Royal Albert Hall and the Savoy Theatre.

She also released a critically-acclaimed album on Jazz FM’s label Clifford Street Records in 2010.

Now the singer is returning to a venue close to her heart.

Eileen said: “I can’t wait to play the Blue Lamp again, it’ll be so lovely.

“Some of the shows I played at the Blue Lamp were for the Aberdeen Jazz Festival and were fantastic fun.

“I taught music at St Machar Academy before moving to Leeds to do a postgraduate in jazz and contemporary music.

“I had a fantastic few years there where I had wonderful tutors and met great musicians.

“It was where I cut my teeth. Then I moved down to London in 2000.”

Eileen started performing live as a teenager in her father’s band, Alastair Hunter and The Lorne Scottish Dance Band.

Performing in Aberdeen provided the initial launchpad to her career that led to playing iconic venues

She said: “Studying and working as a musician in Aberdeen gave me an incredible start.

“It gave me so many opportunities to sing and play as a flautist and pianist – whether that was performing jazz, classical or playing for shows, or performing in them.

“I gigged from the age of 18 with my dad’s band, getting to travel all over the UK and abroad.

“Treading the boards in Aberdeen led to a performance for the Noda Centenary concert in the Royal Albert Hall.

“That led to theatre and concert work in London.

“All the while I was still working as a jazz singer and my love for the genre continued to grow.

“JazzFM released my album which led to many great gigs in London and to performances in the London Jazz Festival.”

Eileen will perform a tribute to iconic jazz singer and pianist Blossom Dearie at the Blue Lamp.

Blossom Dearie was a unique jazz voice of the 20th Century.

Eileen said: “She was such an incredible artist – when she lived in New York she sat in between the jazz and cabaret circuits.

“She sat in between the east side and west side of New York and played a lot of supper clubs.

“She wrote some beautiful songs, and a lot of the songs she sang by people like Dave Frishberg were really witty.

“She carried off witty songs beautifully with a wry sense of humour.

“All the songs we perform will be from Blossom Dearie albums.”

Eileen will perform at the Blue Lamp with a band comprising Aberdeen musicians, being joined by Colin Black (guitar), Pete

Lowit (double bass), Richard Glassby (drums) and Matthew Kilner (tenor sax).

She said: “I’m really looking forward to that, I have played with Colin Black and Peter Lowit before and it has been really lovely meeting Richard Glassby and Matthew Kilner.

“They are both fantastic musicians.”

Eileen’s performance is part of a series of Thursday Night Jazz at the Blue Lamp shows.

Also scheduled are the Hugh Pascall Quintet (May 12), David Lyttle Trio (May 19) and Rachel Duns Quintet (May 26).

The Blue Lamp on the Gallowgate is recognised as one of the best jazz venues in Britain.

Eileen said: “It has been such a fantastic venue over the years and so supportive of the music scene.”

COMEBACK: Acclaimed jazz singer and former Aberdeen secondary school teacher Eileen Hunter is performing at the city’s Blue Lamp tonight.