Joyce Collins
Joyce Collins (born May 5, 1930 in Battle Mountain , Nevada , † January 3, 2010 ) was an American jazz pianist , singer and music teacher.
Live and act
Collins began performing professionally as a pianist at the age of 15 when she attended Reno High School in Nevada . She later played in various clubs in groups and as a soloist while studying music and teaching at San Francisco State College; eventually she toured with the Frankie Carle Band and worked with Oscar Pettiford . In the late 1950s she settled in Los Angeles , played with Bob Cooper at the Lighthouse Cafe and also performed in Reno and Las Vegas , where she was the first woman to have the opportunity to lead a show band. She also worked as a session musician in film and television studios, a. a. ten years in the band of the Mary Tyler Moore Show , also in the Bob Newhart Show . In the 1960s she performed with Benny Carter and took part in recordings with the Gene Estes Big Band (1969). In 1975 she recorded with Bill Henderson ; their joint albums Street Of Dreams and Tribute To Johnny Mercer were nominated for a Grammy . Collins also coached actors Jeff and Beau Bridges in 1989 for their musical roles in The Fabulous Baker Boys .
From 1975 Collins taught jazz piano at the Dick Grove Music School , composed, arranged and worked in a program to promote women as composers and songwriters in jazz. In addition to her appearances as a soloist or in duo and trio formations, she also played in a big band led by Bill Berry , recorded with Paul Horn , Pete Christlieb and under her own name. After she had presented her debut album Moment to Moment on Riverside Records in 1961, she released a few albums for Discovery and audiophiles from the 1980s .
Discography
- Girl Here Plays Mean Piano (Riverside / Jazzland 1961) with Ray Brown , Frank Butler
- Moment To Moment ( Discovery Records 1981) with Chuck Domanico , Jack Sheldon
- Sweet Madness (Audiophile, 1990) with Andy Simpkins , Octavio Bailey , Ralph Penland , Claudio Slon
- Embraces the Heart of Brazil (Audiophile, 2005)
Web links
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Collins, Joyce |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz pianist, singer and music educator |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 5, 1930 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Battle Mountain , Nevada , United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 3, 2010 |