denise kirkland book of razzmatazz
DESCRIPTION
Professional biography of Denise KirklandTRANSCRIPT
The Denise Kirkland Book of Razzmatazz
Photo by George H Williams Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved.
(Or I‘m Not Braggin’…
I’m Confessin’!)
Denise Kirkland
Vocalist, Songwriter, Actress, “Moms” Mabley Impersonator
Email: [email protected]
Atlanta, GA
Home Office: 404.343.4421
Cell: 267.242.8337
Photo by Jerry King Copyright © 2009 All rights reserved.
Denise Kirkland Biography
Her sound may be new, but it caresses like a familiar memory. It
is the straight ahead jazz instrument of DENISE KIRKLAND, whose voice is burnished wood that has been polished smooth by time
and made as deep and smoky as a molten volcano. It‟s lustrous,
smoldering and ample. Denise brings new life to the jazz genre, belting
out jazz classics with her signature and sometimes surprising twists of
phrasing. Hers is an earned gift that should only be entrusted to a
woman fully grown who has experienced and understands life in all its
prismatic permutations.
Photo by Gordon Hazlewood Copyright © 2009 All rights reserved.
Photo by Jae Duncan © 2009 All rights reserved.
Bright Beginnings
Photo by John Doe Copyright © 2004 All rights reserved.
Urban born, suburban reared and small town southern
seasoned Kirkland was born in Washington, DC, moved to Glen
Burnie, MD at 2 weeks old and has traveled ever since. She yo-
yoed back and forth between her mother & father in Severna Park
and her grandparents in Florence, SC until graduating from high
school. Both sets of parents however, instilled and nurtured her
desire to be an entertainer, enrolling her in theater and dance classes
in both places. They each shied away from voice lessons: Kirkland
couldn‟t carry a note during that time. They felt there was no need to
discourage the youngster in her theatrical pursuits. She continued
her theatrical pursuits beyond graduating from Francis Marion
University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology.
Photo by Jolo Copyright © 2007 All rights reserved.
Vocalist It wasn‟t until jazz aficionado Leola Dewitt, pianist Jean
Brantley and guitarist Otis Davis pointed out that her real genre
was jazz. Dewitt & Brantley took her to see Skip Pearson
(renowned saxophonist) and arranged for her to sing “‟Round
Midnight” with Pearson‟s band. He said she reminded him of Sarah
Vaughn {and others} all rolled into one. Her first professional gig was
in front of a thousand people at an outdoor concert in Florence,
SC. She continued to sing for country clubs, wedding receptions
and several nightclubs on Myrtle Beach.
Kirkland took a 20-year hiatus from the music biz and swears
she couldn‟t sing at all during that time. Now she‟s back; pulling from
all her experiences over the years and blending them with gutsy vocals
that remind us that progressive jazz is alive and well in the world.
She‟s now working on her debut CD, “Progressive Groove”
for which she wrote the lyrics and music. She is in pre-production and
says she‟ll produce & record it even if she has to do it in her own living
room!
Photo by Doris Posey Copyright © 2007 All rights reserved.
Photo by Harry Hicks Copyright © 2007 All Rights reserved.
Actor When she appeared in a local production of “Sweet Charity” as
Helene, she electrified the audience with her rendition of “There‟s Got to
Be Something Better Than This”. She used her powerful pipes to
master musical theatre. Her directors discovered that she could indeed
sing; in her own special set of keys (a sultry octave lower than the written
score). She has been Miss Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls”, A Wa-Wa girl
in “Little Shop of Horrors” and even The Fairy Godmother in
“Cinderella” as well as countless cameos that showcased her amazingly
versatile talent.
Her acting took off to a completely new level when she took on the
challenge to impersonate the saucy, racy, double entendre Queen, Jackie
“Moms” Mabley at a retirement dinner. Not only did Kirkland pull it off,
she was hired on the spot to perform a one woman show at the SC
Education Association at the Mark in Columbia, SC. She also
reprised the role at the UNCF Annual Fundraiser in Florence, SC. In
the past 3 years, she has brought the character to life in Atlanta at The
Red Shoe, for the SweetRiver Music Series and for The Community
Council of Metro Atlanta in the 2009 fundraiser concert “Soulful
Interludes” as well as several private functions in Georgia and Mississippi.
Photo by Rahn Anthoni Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved
Actor (cont‟d)
Revisiting musical theatre, in addition to pursuing her singing
career, Kirkland has once again been cast as “Moms Mabley” along
with a stellar ensemble cast who each portrays legendary jazz, blues
and comedy legends in the original Vincent Kee musical (Broadway
Bound Productions), “Sonny‟s Place” (sneak preview slated at the
Punchline Comedy Club). She was last seen in Valerie Hines
original musical, “Baby, You Put the Jingle In my Bell” here in
Atlanta.
Photo by Dolleen Edmonson Copyright © 2007 All rights reserved
Photo by Bobbye Johnson Copyright © 2007 All rights reserved.
Performances/Venues Calling Atlanta home for a while since
2006, she has wowed audiences at The Red
Shoe, Zanza, Hadley‟s, Feels Like Home,
Studio 7, the Crowe‟s Nest, Mabel‟s in
Macon and at open mics most notably at
Star, Twains and Churchill Ground‟s
Whisper Room. Kirkland appeared at Jus‟
Loafin‟ for 5 weeks with Otis Davis and
Home Cookin‟.
She also made an appearance at the Paper Mill Grill in Marietta, GA
and Queen of Sheba‟s Ethiopian Restaurant. She has created buzz for two
years in a row at the Renaissance Hotel for both their 2009& 2010 Mother‟s
Day Brunches, the Paradise Grill in Decatur, C&J‟s Sports Bar, and
Copeland‟s of Buckhead. The dynamo has been invited as a guest vocalist at
several house concerts. In 2007, she opened for Bobbye “Doll”Johnson at the
Georgia Freight Depot, Gwendolyn‟s in Raleigh, NC, Carter‟s Blues
Festival in North Carolina and a host of private functions. She is just coming
off a 5-month weekly engagement performing at Chazz Southern Cooking
(East Atlanta Village) .
She has also appeared at Shishkabobs, Copeland‟s of Buckhead and
the Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant. Kirkland even had the honor and
pleasure to be invited to sit in with vocalist Theresa Hightower at the Ritz-
Carlton-Buckhead‟s Lobby Room!
Photo by Antoine Copyright © 2009 All rights reserved
Photo by Angela Moore Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved.
Availability
Ms. Kirkland and her comrades, The Kirkland Project, are
available for concerts, restaurants, weddings, birthday parties,
anniversary celebrations, private functions, house concerts, corporate
events, independent living facilities, country club and nightclub
engagements. They not only excel at jazz and a lil‟ blues, they also
play some slick R&B and have even been known to play country as
well as show tunes!
Denise is also amenable to opening for other artists. And don‟t
forget: Moms Mabley can make an appearance on cue!
Photo by Lucien Copyright © 2009 All rights reserved.
~Finis?~
Denise Kirkland
Vocalist, Songwriter, Actor, “Moms” Mabley Impersonator
Email: [email protected]
Atlanta, GA
Home Office: 404.343.4421
Cell: 267.242.8337
Personal Manager: Freddie Lewis
„Nuff said………..