Description
From the start of the opening selection on this CD, When In Rome, Rebecca DuMaine displays a beautiful tone, perfect articulation, a real understanding of the words she is singing, a friendly and inviting musical personality, superior placement of notes (which are always in tune), and a swinging style.
The daughter of pianist Dave Miller, Rebecca was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area. “I remember hearing George Shearing when I was a child because my Dad always played his records. My Mom liked Peggy Lee, Nancy Wilson and Nat King Cole. As a teenager in the 1980s, while I listened to pop music, whenever I drove a car I would put on the jazz station because it reminded me of home.” She earned a degree in drama from Duke University, moved to New York City, and was an actress, working in commercials and touring with classical theater productions. She became very interested in teaching, earning a graduate degree at Rutgers.
Rebecca also rediscovered her love of singing. “I liked jazz singing much better than the musical theater style. I had a few gigs in New York including at the Rainbow Room, moved back to Northern California in 2010, and did some jazz workshops, studying with Kitty Margolis and Madeleine Eastman.” And most importantly, she began working with her father’s trio.
Dave Miller started playing piano when he was three, studied classical music, and has led a trio since the 1970s. He has long been a lover of the Shearing sound. “I particularly loved how George Shearing accompanied vocalists, but had not had that much experience in that setting until Rebecca came back. She has changed the whole orientation of how I play, and it’s been quite fun providing support for her. The thing that initially made the greatest impact on me when she started singing with us was her very clear and crisp articulation, and how on stage her professional acting creates an impression that captivates an audience.
