Viviane Martin
"I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free.....
Vocalist/Songwriter/Performer/Clinician
“She brings warmth, intensity, a resonant tone and fluid, idiosyncratic
phrasing to her interpretations of both standards and more offbeat
material.”
Festival Int'l De Jazz De Montreal.
In Viviane Martin’s life there is music. Viviane comes from a varied and diverse musical background and her career has seen her sing everything from folk to rock, classical to funk, and jazz.
Viviane is recognized as one of Canada's finest vocalists. Her first recording Out of a Dream received a nomination for “Best Jazz On Record” for the 1994 Alberta Recording Industry Association ( ARIA ) Awards. With her 2nd release and first CD The Blue In You, she is recording with some of Canada’s finest musicians including Juno Award winner Phil Dwyer.
Viviane has presently released on her second CD of original music with husband, composer and producer Daniel Martin. This recording features Juno Award winner Hugh Fraser on trombone plus Dave Restivo on piano, Jim Viviane on bass and Owen Howard at the drums. The Calgary Herald gave this CD a review with 4 out of 4 stars! Both of Viviane’s CD’s are distributed through the CMC/Fusion 3 and CD Baby.
Studies have included the Janice Borla Vocal Jazz Camp in Chicago with Grammy nominee Janet Lawson, the Bud Shank Jazz Workshop in Washington with Jay Clayton and Sheila Jordan, and lessons from jazz vocalist Mark Murphy. Cardinal attended the Banff Centre’s Jazz Study Program 1995, where jazz greats Hugh Fraser, Don Thompson, Kenny Wheeler, Joe and Pat Labarbara, and Norma Winston gave master classes, and private lessons. She completed a month long mentorship residency with Janet Lawson in NYC.
Excited to share these musical experiences with other vocalists Viviane has for fifteen years organized and taught ongoing workshops and clinics in the Calgary and Edmonton area, has given workshops at Grant McEwan Collage, "The Basement" Saskatoon, Mount Royal Collage, N.A.T.S. , the Canadian Assoc. For Music Therapy, CIJC, Jazz Expo 2001. She was a Jazz Vocal Coach at the Banff Centre and is currently the jazz vocal instructor on faculty at Mount Royal College.
“Viviane's voice exudes warmth and pleasure” (Bob Clark Calgary Sun) and her musical stylings can be appreciated whether she performs in an intimate duo setting, or with an adventurous jazz combo plus she has the dynamics to push it over the top with a Big Band.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Best Jazz on Record nominee ARIA 1994
• Feature performance Jack Singer Concert Hall ARIA 1994
• Jazz Calgary Jazz Awareness Week featured performance 1994
• Port Townsend Washington Jazz Festival Featured Performer 1994
• Performed with Hugh Fraser Kaos Jazz Bar 1995
• Featured performer with Rob McConnell and the Wednesday Night Big Band 1995
• CKUA Radio Sounds Alberta CD, featured composition All I Can Be
• Calgary International Jazz Festival 1991- 2004
• Edmonton Jazz Society A Tribute to Ella 1996
• Rolston Concert Hall Banff Centre featured with Tommy Banks 1998
• Wescan Jazz Festival Tour 1998 featured performer cities included Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Toronto, Montreal
• Opening for John Schofield Calgary Jazz Festival 1998
• Salon Performance New York City 1999
• Shared performance with Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton Banff Centre
• Jazz City 1999 Edmonton performer with Mike Noch,(Australia) Attilio
Zancho (Italy) Shared venue with Alphie Zappacosta 2002
• Christmas Special Yardbird Suite with Tommy Banks 1999
• Opening for Nancy King Calgary Jazz Fest 2002
• Featured Artist “Jazz At The Jack” Jack Singer Concert Hall 2003
DISCOGRAPHY
• I Know A Thing CD recording as leader
• The Blue in You CD recording as leader
• Out of a Dream recording as leader
• Karl Roth Christmas CD duet with Karl guest vocalist
• Further Afield CD The Swinging Bovines featured vocalist
• Sounds Alberta CD CKUA featured vocalist
STUDIES TO DATE
• Private Vocal Study Judy Petrie Classical Training 1988, 1989, 1990
• Janice Borla Vocal Jazz Workshop Chicago 1991,1993
• Bud Shank Jazz Workshop Port Townsend, Washington 1994
• The Banff Centre for the Arts Vocal and Jazz Workshops 1995,1996
• The Banff Centre for the Arts Long Term Residency 1998
• Mentorship Residency New York City 1999
• The Banff Centre for the Arts Senior Artist in Residency 1998
• Extended Voice Banff Centre Theatre Dept. Artist
GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
• Michael Lukevich Study Grant 1994
• Alberta Foundation For The Arts Special Projects Grant 1995,1998
• FACTOR Recording Loan 1995
• FACTOR Touring Grant 1998
• Canada Council Touring Grant 1998
• Louise McKinney Post Secondary Scholarship 1998
• Alberta Foundation For The Arts Career Development Grant and Special Projects Grant 1999
• Festival Scholarship 2001
QUOTES:
“Cardinal knows a thing or two about the power of jazz to make the listener feel glad to be alive”
Bob Clark Calgary Herald
“It's a gorgeous, candle-lit. cigarette-hazed midnight jazz album”
Mike Bell Calgary Sun
“…warmly resonate tone with just a hint of vibrato and effortlessly phrasing”
SEE Magazine Edmonton
“As polished as anything you would expect to hear in a two drink minimum jazz club in New York”
Brian Brennan Calgary Herald
“Encompasses all that we look for in jazz, sweet subtle vocals that challenge the listener”
Jordan Kawchuk FFWARD
“One of Alberta’s genuinely great jazz vocalists”
Jazz City Edmonton
“When she performs Viv’s honesty and enthusiasm show us what jazz is all about”
Sam Graham Jazz Notes
“Viviane Cardinal delivers jazz standard melodies with uncommon professionalism and mastery of the lyrics--full throated and finely articulated.”
Paul White Classic Jazz Guild of Calgary
“Much charm.....That’s the vivid image I have of Viviane and her music. An intimate late night cafe , her voice coaxing an enchantment over a rapt audience, and me, swaying to the music, trying to remember the exact definition of the work “charm” And the realization that the question had only occurred because the embodiment of the answer was in the room”
Jennifer Webber, CBC Saskatoon
“Cardinal’s phrasing avoids the predictable”
Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal
BOOKING INFORMATION
Viviane is available for concerts, club dates, festivals and workshops/clinics as a duo or with a trio / quartet.
Contact:
Viviane Martin: email viviane@vivianemartin.com
www.vivianemartin.com
3324 60 ST NE
Calgary, Alberta, T1Y 3S9
Canada
Telephone/fax: 403 262-2975