Biography

“Lori Carsillo is a vocal musician of relaxed, cool self-assurance and her voice is special for its unfiltered feelings and melodic warmth.”- herb Wong, jazz historian, producer, Black hawk records & palo alto records founder

A noted presence on the Bay Area jazz scene, Lori Carsillo (an Italian name, pronounced: “car-SILL-oh”), is a vocalist of subtlety and sophis-tication. The nuance of her phrasing is constantly fresh and compel-ling. Her repertoire, a mix of well-known favorites and forgotten gems, draws praise from listeners as well as fellow musicians, as does her innate musical sense and down-to-earth nature. She sings with an un-affected, unpretentious style, never overreaching, and always at ease.

Carsillo has performed at top Bay Area venues – Yoshi’s, Bimbo’s 365 Club, the San Jose Jazz Festival – and performed up and down the West Coast. In her formative years, she traveled throughout Europe singing at such festivals as the North Sea Jazz Festival and Umbria Jazz Festival. During the last few years, she has been invited to Santa Fe, NM where she has become a regular guest artist in several local jazz series. Paul Weideman of The New Mexican Pasatiempo Magazine observes, “she has a gorgeous voice, like velvet.”

“Based in the San Francisco Bay area, Lori Carsillo has a simple and direct delivery, a coolly sensuous voice, and an improvising style that is quite subtle. Her choice of notes is excellent, she swings at all tempos. One suspects that a lot more is going to be heard from Lori Carsillo in the future.”- Scott yanow, La-based jazz writer and historian, author of The Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide

Carsillo’s interest in music was nurtured from a young age in a family of musicians and artists. Her early musical interest led her to study clas-sical music and opera. Exposure to musical theatre introduced her to many of the standard songs in the jazz repertoire, igniting her passion for the genre. Carsillo spent hours listening to recordings of singers Julie London, Nancy Wilson, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald and instrumen-talists Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, among others, providing inspiration and a deep connection to the music.

While jazz has remained her first love, Carsillo’s wide-ranging musical interest has led her to experiment with projects from opera to funk to electronica, dabbling in classic 60s lounge pop, Brazilian music, and R&B. The diversity of her musical background culminates in a rich, col-orful singing style that is wholly her own.

A Bay Area native, Carsillo made an auspicious debut singing at the Palo Alto Jazz Festival with the Menlo-Atherton High School Jazz Band.

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Led by local legend, Frank Moura, the band opened for Carmen McRae, Tuck & Patti, The Yellowjackets. The band went on to play the Reno Jazz Festival and performed locally on a regular basis. Carsillo and the M-A Jazz Band toured Europe and performed at The North Sea Jazz Festival (The Netherlands), Umbria Jazz Festival (Italy), Lido-Bienne Big Band Festival (Switzerland), and at the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, France. Much of Carsillo’s early exposure to the fundamentals of jazz was through this experience with touring and performing.

Carsillo has the distinction of being the first ever vocalist for the M-A Jazz Band – after talking her way into the instrumental-only program – thus spawning a thriving vocal program that is still in effect today and has produced several professional singers.

Expanding on this early experience, Carsillo studied jazz with several internationally renowned jazz singers: the Bay Area’s Kitty Margolis, and via the Stanford Jazz Workshop, Madeline Eastman and Concord recording artist, Kurt Elling.

Carsillo’s debut jazz CD, Bittersweet, is a unique collection of standards and lesser-known jazz tunes. Inspired by the 1961 record The Newest Sound Around by Ran Blake & Jeanne Lee, Bittersweet is like a noir soundtrack that walks the line between hope and sorrow. Her warm and intimate style emerges fully-formed and self-assured.

Bittersweet features “some of the Bay Area’s best - and most under-appreciated - musicians for her moody debut CD, Bittersweet,” (JazzIz Magazine) including Dave MacNab (guitar, co-producer), John Shifflett (bass), Jason Lewis (drums), Michael Bluestein (keyboards). Adding texture and depth to the recording, Eric Crystal plays saxophone, Rob-in Bonnell is on cello, and Robby Ach plays the theremin.

DownBeat Magazine praised, “...Savvy Bay Area ingenue, turns a deft phrase, sweetly reworks melodies and convincingly touches 10 stan-dards” and JazzIz Magazine, said “composer Cole Porter probably nev-er envisioned Carsillo’s seductive delivery on his “Get Out of Town.” Michael Handler of Jazz West noted that “this singer, has a smoky, sen-suous feeling accentuated by the wonderful choices of ballads and love songs.”

Bittersweet was followed up by Cole Porter...Old Love, New Love, True Love, a tribute to one of Carsillo’s favorite composers. Inspired by a performance given at renowned jazz club Yoshi’s (Oakland), the re-cording features Dave MacNab on guitar, Devin Hoff on bass, and Alan U’Ren on drums. MacNab provided the arrangements, reworking the tunes with a hip, modern vibe.

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“Lori Carsillo...is in excellent form on Cole Porter...Old Love, New Love, True Love,” said Scott Yanow in The Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide.

In a slight departure from the first two CDs, Carsillo recorded Lullabies for Little Dreamers. The jazz-influenced CD is a collection of beloved classic and modern lullabies, plus one original. Carsillo co-arranged all the songs and co-wrote the original tune with guitarist and arranger, Jay Stapleton.

Lush and soothing Lullabies for Little Dreamers brings together the talents of jazz and classical players. It features Jay Stapleton (guitar), John Wiitala (bass), Jon Evans (bass, recording engineer), Alan U’Ren (drums and percussion), Jennifer Kloetzel (cello), and Carsillo’s talent-ed sister, Jennifer Carsillo (violin), and her notably impressive brother-in-law, Conductor Michael Butterman (piano).

In 2014, Carsillo released Sugar & Smoke, a 12-song collection of 60s-era jazz standards and rare gems, in modern and vibrant arrangements. The album features a host of dynamic Bay Area musicians including pianist Adam Shulman (Stefon Harris, Paula West, Mark Murphy), Smith Dobson on vibes (Ben Goldberg, Erik Jekabson), Mike Bordelon (bass), James Gallagher (drums), Jay Stapleton (guitar), and Riley Bandy (sax). Sugar & Smoke showcases Carsillo’s vocal and emotional range with tunes like the vivacious Sergio Mendes classic “Cinnamon & Clove”, her wistful and dreamy “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning”, and the standard “The Thrill is Gone” reworked as an urgent jazz waltz. “Sugar & Smoke is a constant delight,” said Jazz historian and writer Scott Yanow.

Carsillo has spent more than a decade as the vocalist (aka Lola Bom-bay) for Project: Pimento, a 60s lounge band whose lead instrument is the unique and captivating theremin. Project: Pimento blends songs from the cocktail-lounge cannon: James Bond themes, Mancini and Bacharach favorites, bossa nova, and swing.

Aside from countless Bay Area performances in clubs and venues such as The Great American Music Hall, Cafe du Nord, and Bruno’s, the band has performed in Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, and Seattle and had the distinction of being nominated twice for an SF Weekly Award and performing at the SF Weekly Awards Show itself. Among other highlights, the band performed for the Regional EMMY Awards Show at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco and at the San Jose Jazz Festival. Project: Pimento was featured in the island-life publication Tiki Magazine in Spring 2011.

The band has released two lounge/exotica CDs, Magical Moods of the Theremin and Space Age Love Songs. Jeff Berkwits in SCI-FI Magazine

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said “as Project: Pimento proves on their debut [CD], in the right hands the device still sounds fascinating and fresh. Inventive interpretations of 12 vintage tunes, including “Diamonds are Forever” and the Star Trek theme, sparkle with substance and style, adding a stirring, “space age bachelor pad” patina to a thoroughly intoxicating collection.”

Carsillo’s vocal sophistication and range of experience allow her to connect with her audience and leave an indelible impression. Audience members often comment after a show that they feel as though she has been singing directly to them. Carsillo’s interpretation of jazz has an ageless appeal. Her audiences are often filled with people of different backgrounds and musical tastes.

With a vivacious and dynamic musical sense, Lori Carsillo is a compel-ling force in the world of jazz. Scott Yanow, jazz historian and author, observes, “Lori floats above ensembles, digs deep into the words that she interprets, and usually has a smile in her voice. The effect is consis-tently intoxicating.”

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Cole porter…old Love, New Love, True Love

Featuring:Dave MacNab – guitarDevin Hoff – bassAlan U’Ren – drumsJeff Cressman - trombone

Bittersweet

Featuring:Dave MacNab – guitarJohn Shifflett – bassJason Lewis – drums & percussionMichael Bluestein – keyboardsEric Crystal – saxophoneRobin Bonnell - cello

Jazz

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Sugar & Smoke

Featuring:Adam Shulman – pianoMike Bordelon – bassJames Gallagher – drumsJay Stapleton - guitarSmith Dobson – vibesRiley Bandy – sax

diSCography

Lullabies for Little dreamers

Featuring:Jay Stapleton – guitarJon Evans – bassJohn Wiitala – bassAlan U’Ren – drums & percussionJennifer Kloetzel – celloJennifer Carsillo – violinMichael Butterman - piano

Jazz/Children

Space age Love Songs

Featuring:Robby Virus – thereminJay Stapleton – guitarKarl Hartmann – bassAaron Kierbel – drumsWil Blades - organ

Magical Moods of the Theremin Featuring:Robby Virus – thereminMichael McMorrow – guitarMark Thomas – bassRich Livingston – drumsNick Rossi – organ

lounge/exotica

diSCography

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herb Wong, Jazz education Journal/iaJeHer voice is balanced between soulful and sweet elements and between being husky and submissive which often converge to give her story-telling an engaging sound imprint. Lori draws on a well-filled imagina-tion pool accented with delightful surprises that hang on your ears with joy. Lori Carsillo is a vocal musician of relaxed, cool self-assurance and her voice is special for its unfiltered feelings and melodic warmth.

downbeat MagazineSavvy Bay Area ingenue, turns a deft phrase, sweetly reworks melodies and convincingly touches 10 standards.

Jazziz MagazineSan Francisco-based vocalist Lori Carsillo chose some of the Bay Area’s best - and most under-appreciated - musicians for her moody debut CD, Bittersweet (Tru Blu Lu Records). Composer Cole Porter probably never envisioned Carsillo’s seductive delivery on his “Get Out of Town.”

Scott yanow, L.a. Jazz SceneBased in the San Francisco Bay area, Lori Carsillo has a simple and di-rect delivery, a coolly sensuous voice, and an improvising style that is quite subtle. Her choice of notes is excellent, she swings at all tempos. One suspects that a lot more is going to be heard from Lori Carsillo in the future.

Michael handler, Jazz WestThis singer, has a smoky, sensuous feeling accentuated by the wonder-ful choices of ballads and love songs.

Kitty Margolis, Jazz VocalistLori Carsillo has a winning combination of natural talent, warmth, and wit.

Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes ...With a lovely voice, superb phrasing, an impressive range.

paul Weideman, The New Mexican, pasatiempo MagazineJazz vocalist Lori Carsillo sounds like she’s smiling when she sings. She has a gorgeous voice, like velvet.

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Rio Costantini Rio Costantini

Rio Costantini Dilip Lama

Dilip Lama Rio Costantini

Clicking on photos sends you to Lori’s website for higher resolution images.

reVieWS

Scott yanowThe Jazz Singers: The ultimate guideLori Carsillo, who studied in San Francisco with both Kitty Margolis and Madeline Eastman, is in excellent form on Cole Porter…Old Love, New Love, True Love, singing ten Cole Porter songs with the backing of a pianoless trio.

JaZZiZ MagazineSan Francisco-based vocalist Lori Carsillo chose some of the Bay Ar-ea’s best - and most under-appreciated - musicians for her moody de-but CD, Bittersweet (Tru Blu Lu Records). Guitarist Dave Mac Nab and saxophonist Eric Crystal paint evocative new melodic arrangements for Carsillo’s interpretations of Billie Holiday (“Left Alone”) and Peggy Lee (“Some Cats Know”). Cellist Robin Bonnell adds classical nuanc-es to Hoagy Carmichael’s “Skylark,” and Robby Virus’ theremin gives “Where Flamingos Fly” an eerie presence. Composer Cole Porter prob-ably never envisioned Carsillo’s seductive delivery on his “Get Out of Town.” Her vocals float above Michael Bluestein’s Wurlitzer organ and Mac Nab’s wah-wah pedal.

downBeat Magazine(Bittersweet)...Savvy Bay Area ingenue, turns a deft phrase, sweetly reworks melodies and convincingly touches 10 standards. She likes mid-tempo sambas; “Old Country” revisits a young Nancy Wilson; a feathery “Skylark” is ennobled by Robin Bonnell’s cello; and she sings “O Grande Amor” like an honorary carioca.

Scott yanowL.a. Jazz Scene(Bittersweet, Cole Porter…Old Love, New Love, True Love) Based in the San Francisco Bay area, Lori Carsillo has a simple and direct delivery, a coolly sensuous voice, and an improvising style that is quite subtle. Her choice of notes is excellent, she swings at all tempos and the ten songs that she picked for her debut recording are all superior. For this set, Carsillo is joined by a variety of lesser-known but talented Bay Area musicians including guitarist Dave Mac Nab, keyboardist Michael Blues-tein, cellist Robin Bonnell and Eric Crystal on tenor, with Robby Virus playing the spooky-sounding theremin on a couple numbers. Among the songs that the singer interprets are Nat Adderley’s “The Old Coun-try,” “Where Flamingos Fly,” Peggy Lee’s “Some Cats Know” and Billie Holiday’s “Left Alone” along with such standards as “Skylark,” “Falling In Love With Love,” “O Grande Amor” (sung in Portuguese) and “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To.” Although she studied for five years with the great Kitty Margolis, to Lori Carsillo’s credit, she sounds noth-ing at all her like her teacher, developing a quiet and appealing style of

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her own. Her debut is highly recommended, and available from www.loricarsillo.com and www.amazon.com. One suspects that a lot more is going to be heard from Lori Carsillo in the future.

Michael handlerJazz West(Bittersweet) This CD, and indeed this singer, has a smoky, sensu-ous feeling accentuated by the wonderful choices of ballads and love songs. The pain of love is evident in such tunes as “Left Alone” and “I Fall in Love Too Easily”, while “Some Cats Know” and “Skylark” have a bit more bounce. The band is entirely supportive throughout the date, and adds to the late-night feel with Michael Bluestein’s soulful Ham-mond B3 and Dave Mac Nab’s silky guitar riffs. The addition of Robby Virus’s theremin gives some tunes a “Twin Peaks” soundtrack feel, but it all seems to work well in the context of the song. Ms. Carsillo seems comfortable with the ballads as well the mid and up-tempo numbers, treating the material in an intimate and personal style. She swings and scats easily on “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To”, and acquits her-self quite nicely in Portuguese on Jobim’s “O Grande Amor”. Other players include Eric Crystal on sax, Robin Bonnell on cello, and the in-separable pair of John Shifflett and bass and Jason Lewis, drums. The group sounds solid and has the “just right” instrumentation for every tune to make this an entirely listenable and enjoyable date.

Kitty Margolis, Jazz Vocalist(Bittersweet) This is a tasty listen from beginning to end. I love the fresh, contemporary band aesthetic and [its] ironic blend of noir and innocence, coolness and intimacy.

dr. herb WongJazz education Journal, iaJe(Bittersweet) It is no surprise that an avalanche of new women jazz sing-ers exists on the scene, striving for coveted attention which may lead to greater career prospects. The up-tempo of this phenomenon cor-relates with vacancies created by the attrition of top ranked vocalists, thus opening the gates for aspirants to seize spotlight opportunities. While this condition persists, there are, in contrast, singers who simply adore and revel singing at a pure level of sincerity and expression. Lori Carsillo convincingly conveys the depth of this emotional perspective with her distinctively personal approach; she, indeed, emerges toward the surface of the thick stack of very promising newcomers, manifest-ing a necklace of attributes.

She blends with the very attuned instrumentalists assembled for this recording and she does it with natural ease and fluidity. Her voice is

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balanced between soulful and sweet elements and between being hus-ky and submissive which often converge to give her story-telling an engaging sound imprint. Lori draws on a well-filled imagination pool accented with delightful surprises that hang on your ears with joy.

“Music has always been a meaningful part of my life and my family,” says Lori. Early on she experienced the allurement of music as her childhood culture was enriched with family participation in the arts. She was exposed to a varied diet of music – in the classical idiom, op-era and music theater – pivotal in her attraction to jazz and the Great American Songbook. Her eclectic palette is an effect of her diversity of stylistic persuasions and forms.

My earliest direct contact with Lori was via her singing with the Menlo-Atherton High School Jazz Band (my own daughters were also mem-bers of the jazz ensemble). As producer of the Palo Alto Jazz Festival, I had invited the M-A High School Jazz Band to perform in 1988 as part of the line-up (which included Carmen McRae, The Yellowjackets, Tuck & Patti, Randy Brecker among others). Lori showed signs of high prom-ise…and she could swing!! Likewise I witnessed first hand her singing in campus concerts and during the high school jazz band’s 1990 Euro-pean performances at the Northsea Jazzfest in The Hague, the Umbria fest in Perugia and other gigs. Audience enthusiasm for her swelled with corresponding increase of experience. Today she has become an impressive jazz vocalist featured in a widening ring of venues and working with many of the San Francisco Bay Area’s top shelf players.

Lori has been inspired by heroines of the vocal jazz pantheon. She describes: “Besides records I heard in my family home, I became more serious about jazz when Frank Moura – director of the M-A High Jazz Band – turned me on to Ella Fitzgerald and Diane Schuur. In college (Lewis & Clark in Portland, Oregon) I sang with the college jazz en-semble, and my awareness expanded to Billie Holiday, Betty Carter and Sarah Vaughan. By far, my major influence and model is Kitty Margolis; I studied with her for about five years and learned so much!”

Her CD at hand illuminates her capacity to bring her heartfelt, deep passion for singing standards – communicating a targeted mood with ease and piquancy. She explained, “I wanted to establish a dark and moody atmosphere” and she succeeded in creating a haunting ambi-ence through her voice and the band’s sensitive support. “I love minor key tunes,” she notes. “I am drawn to melancholic beauty. Of course, there are both minor and major key flavors on this CD.” Keen study and devotion to nuances of the genre’s brilliant interpreters are reflected in a personal sense of rhythm, phrasing, timbre and the quality of the line

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in which she mixes drive and relaxation. Moreover, note her boldness to take liberties with the given melodic material.

The nature of the slate of tunes reveals vitality germane to Lori’s per-sona as she enriches the meaning, sound and emotional implications of the lyrics. Her choice of songs coupled with guitarist Dave MacNab’s arrangements offer an inviting set; as a whole, it speaks well for her versatility.

The opener, “The Old Country” was inspired by cornetist Nat Adder-ley’s original tune via the classic 1962 Nancy Wilson-Cannonball Adder-ley Capitol recording. Lori’s voice gains a canvas of decorous sensitiv-ity from the quartet of MacNab, pianist Michael Bluestein, and one of the finest bassist/drummer teams in the Bay Area – John Shifflett and Jason Lewis. Also, dig MacNab’s sparkling solo statement.

Cole Porter’s wonderful “Get Out of Town” is an ideal selection for a darkly shaded cast. Attracted to the sultry mezzo-voiced Julie Lon-don’s rendition, Lori’s intimate approach and unformed charm radiate.

“Skylark” is surely one of Hoagy Carmichael’s crowning tunes partnered with Johnny Mercer’s perfect lyrics. Lori’s warm tonality and phras-ing carry deep feelings within the body of the tune’s spacious design. The addition of the cello and guitar voices generates a kind of seduc-tive loveliness and artistry. Brad Buethe wrote the chart and MacNab brought in the cello treatment.

Sustaining the trail set up by the poignancy of the preceding tunes, “Where Flamingos Fly” is a seamless segue. It stems from Lori’s listen-ing to pianist Ran Blake’s 1961 Bluebird recording The Newest Sound Around featuring vocalist Jeanne Lee. Somehow I envision Lori in con-sonance with a flock of gorgeous flamingos flying into their tropical lagoon habitat and yielding their uplifting voices!

A change of context and rhythmic feel come with the obscure “Some Cats Know.” Appropriately, Lori’s treatment conjures images of a stealthy feline approach. Eric Crystal’s superior saxophone is a plus. It’s refreshing that Lori’s efforts here help to resurface this Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller gem, essentially a dedication to the late Peggy Lee.

Lori steps up to another Cole Porter favorite – “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home to;” sung and swung straight ahead with good taste and swing feel, her improvisational chops re-shape the tune with peppered dashes of bright scat. The rhythm players contribute neat statements to the finger-snapping groove.

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Regarding uncommon song fare, “Left Alone” certainly qualifies as a tune crying for rescue. Co-written by pianist Mal Waldron and Billie Holiday (Waldron the music and Holiday – the lyrics). Lori had heard a Ran Blake/Jeanne Lee interpretation of this blue and sad song, and she clearly assumes the challenge and meets it sensitively and squarely.

In sum, the mansions of Lori’s music with roots imbedded in the then and now in jazz resonate a moving intensity…coloring the music in thick strokes of deep pastels. Bittersweet is a totally spirited experience!

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Lori CarSiLLo oNLiNewebsite: www.loricarsillo.comfacebook: www.facebook.com/loricarsillojazztwitter: @loricarsillo

BooKiNg/directLori Carsillo415.335.6562booking@loricarsillo.com

puBLiCiTy/directLori Carsillo415.335.6562press@loricarsillo.com

reCord CoMpaNy

Tru Blu Lu Records, LLC PO Box 225025San Francisco, CA 94122-5025415.335.6562