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 | FEATURE: Julie Dexter - Classically Trained |
Born and raised in Birmingham,England, Julie Dexter is a world renowned singer/songwriter who has won numerous international awards. A classically trained musician who writes, arranges, composes and produces, Julie is considered one of the most important female vocalists of our generation. Deeply influenced by legends such as Abbey Lincoln, Nancy Wilson and Bob Marley, as well as popular icons such as Omar and Sade, Julie takes classic soul to the heart of artistry.
Julie Dexter's myriad musical manifestations have astounded fans and critics across the globe. Over the past seven years Julie's career has taken her through the circles of jazz, broken-beat, bossa-nova, and soul. The dynamic voice of Julie Dexter was first heard in 1997 on Dune Records' release of J-Life, a UK group formed by Gary Crosby and led by Jason Yarde, that sought to invigorate the public concept of Jazz as a dying tradition. While this debut recording showcased original instrumental compositions and stirring renditions of jazz standards, it also contained a swinging cover of Loose Ends' hit song "Gonna Make You Mine," which amply featured the soulful croon of Julie Dexter.
Julie gained her chops for cutting her vocals on this record by touring several continents with jazz wunderkind Courtney Pine as a lead vocalist of his ensemble. This musical school of tough-love learning would also give her the confidence to begin to perform and record as a solo artist, garnering the seven song EP, Peace of Mind (2000) and then later the full-length recording, Dexterity (2002), both of which were independently released on her own label, Ketch A Vibe. These two recordings gained international acclaim for Julie's talents in addition to her collaborations with broken-beat innovator IG Culture ("The Plan" & "Free As") and bossa nova composer Thomas Naim ("Like Ours").
For the past seven years Julie Dexter has spent the millenium sharing the stage with this generation's cutting-edge soul artists, including Jill Scott, Bilal, Amel Larrieux, Donnie, Omar, Loose Ends, Jaguar Wright, Rachelle Ferrell, Ledisi, Frank Mccoomb, Eric Roberson, Raheem DeVaughn and Fertile Ground, to name a few. While Julie Dexter is more than able to hold up against her peers, her music has also been praised by them. In time the world will hold Julie Dexter in the same regards as those stellar artists who regard her well.
www.juliedexter.com
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Posted on February 4, 2010
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