A classical jazz vocalist in the tradition of the great swinging and improvisational vocalists.

11 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Jazz Vocals, JAZZ: Mainstream Jazz



Details:
In Frank Noviello, we have a bonafied jazz vocalist adhering to a tradition of extemporaneous performance.
Frank was born in Englewood, New Jersey. He began studying voice and drama at age five. During childhood, he appeared in several off-Broadway productions including âMacbethâ, and was an understudy in the Broadway play âFannyâ. He appeared at Carnegie Hall at age seven as part of a âStar timeâ revue production.
After entering the Air Force, Frank was bitten by the jazz bug and subsequently performed with various service groups. When he completed his tour of duty, he studied Sociology and the Humanities at the University of Minnesota. During this period, he also toured with the University Jazz Ensemble.
After graduation, Frank moved to Milwaukee where he made numerous concerts, festival, club, and television appearances. Highlights of the period include: an appearance at the Milwaukee Performing Arts Center as the opening act for Grover Washington Jr., appearances at the Milwaukee County Jazz Festival, the Wisconsin Alewives Festival and Milwaukee Summerfest Music Festival as well as concert work with the Buddy Montgomery Quintet. He was also featured on Wisconsin PBS/Channel 10.
Since returning to the New York area, Frank has appeared at such jazz clubs as Gulliver's, Condon's, Birdland, S.O.B.âs, Visiones, Priory, Trumpets, Shanghai Jazz, Cecilâs and the Blue Note. Frank was also a featured vocalist for the 1984 Dewerâs Greenwich Village Jazz Festival program âAn Evening of Songâ. Some of the artists Frank has worked with include James Spaulding, Jack Wilson, Calving Hill, Harvie Swartz, Vic Juris, Jimmy Ponder, David Hazletine and Brian Lynch.
In May 1991, Frank was awarded a Bachelor of Music degree from the prestigious Jazz Performance Program at William Patterson College. He has studied with Rufus Reid, Norman Simmons, and David Berger.
Frankâs first album âSurprise!â was well received by critics and Jazz Radio throughout the country. Kevin Lynch of the Milwaukee Journal describes Frank as âan all-too-rare bird, a bebop singer performing straight-ahead acoustic music. This is pure jazz with strong tunes, plenty of soloing and challenging jazz singing. Noviello on record proves an ebullient vocalist who handles up-tempo tunes in a class with the finest jazz singers.â George Kanzler of the Newark Star Ledger called âSurprise!â âa promising debut from a vocalist who combines some of the rhythmic exuberance of Eddie Jefferson with the high tenor intrepidity of Mark Murphy.â
In a recent review, Jazz Critic Zan Stewart of the Star Ledger called Frank ââ¦..that rare bird, a true jazz singerâ¦.he swings with vibrant rhythmâ¦surprising youâ¦.he scats with vitality, invention and snap.â Stewart went on to say, âhe can sing a ballad with heart, making a believer out of you.â
Noted jazz critic and author Bill Milkowski in a review for the Milwaukee Journal said of Frank, âHeâs constantly climbing out on a limb with his singing style, challenging himself and his listeners by daring to do things spontaneously.â
Frankâs most recent work on CD is with the Jerry Vezza Trio on their release âYou Are There.â The recording has received excellent reviews including a three and a half star review from the Star Ledger.