Pamela Luss - Your Eyes (2007)

It must be daunting to be a vocalist and have to sing a standard thrice-familiar that was recorded by everyone under the sun and still
make it your own. But every once in a proverbial blue moon a singer
appears on the scene who meets the challenge head-on, singing
songs, telling their stories without fear of being derivative or
redundant and not straining to be different for difference's sake. Such
a singer is Pamela Luss.

Pamela Luss, a natural vocalist, had a surprisingly rich voice even as a
child. Her father, an accomplished pianist, accompanied Pamela while
she spent hours singing the songs of Sinatra, Streisand, Sarah
Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and the Beatles. Pamela's exceptional pitch
was apparent early on and remains strong today as one of the
identifying features of a uniquely smooth voice with unusual fullness
and purity of tone.

When the time was right, Pamela began many years of private vocal
training. Her first coach was recommended by the Diller-Quaile School
of Music in New York City, after which she studied music at New York
University. After college, Pamela pursued her singing while working in
recruiting and human resources. For the past three years, she has
been working full-time as a vocalist.
Pamela's first major break as a vocalist occurred during one of her
annual concerts at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall where she was
heard by the well-known saxophonist Vincent Herring. He offered to
produce her first album, “There's Something About You I Don't Know,”
which features an all-star line-up, including Mulgrew Miller, Tom
Harrell, Jeremy Pelt, Steve Turre, Russell Malone, Greg Hutchinson,
and Richie Goods. The album was released by Savant/ HighNote
Records to unanimously enthusiastic reviews in February of 2006.

In December 2006, Pamela recorded her second album, “Your Eyes,”
which was produced by Todd Barkan (of Jazz at Lincoln Center).
Released in March 2007, the album features the legendary tenor
saxophonist Houston Person. “Your Eyes” has also been receiving an
excellent reaction all over the world; it immediately made it to number
three out of one hundred on Amazon.com's vocal jazz Bestselling new
& future releases, and also reached number eight in France on the list
of the top-ten best selling Jazz albums on iTunes.

Of “Your Eyes,” Christopher Loudon of JazzTimes wrote, "There's a
warmth and soft delicacy that advances Luss from the middle of the
contemporary jazz-cabaret vocal pack, placing her squarely behind
front runner Jane Monheit." He also described her interpretation of
'How Do You Keep The Music Playing?' as quite possibly the finest-todate.
Additionally, Scott Yanow of All Music Guide commented, "Ms.
Luss shows that she is a superior jazz singer, whether being sensual on
‘Baby Don't You Quit Now,’ finding surprising life in a faster-than-usual
‘Over the Rainbow,’ or swinging on ‘Our Day Will Come.’”

Pamela has enjoyed long-running gigs at several prominent New York
venues, including Mannahatta and The Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club.
She has also performed at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola (as part of the Diet
Coke Women's Jazz Festival), Sweet Rhythm, Estia Cantina (in The
Hamptons), amongst other clubs throughout NYC. She also performs
at private functions, most notably at a premiere party thrown by the
actor and filmmaker Matthew Modine.

In the Fall and Winter of 2007-2008 Pamela made many exciting
appearances, beginning on Labor Day, when she flew to Las Vegas to
perform on live television on the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy
Telethon (a clip that's currently on youtube.com, where it has so far
attracted over 2,500 viewings). Later that month, she made her first
appearance at the prestigious Feinstein's at the Regency, and
completely sold out the room, filling it to capacity. In early October
and March, Pamela did two well-attended gigs at Enzo's at the Jolly
Madison Hotel, and also In October, she appeared at a major all-star
benefit produced by the Jazz Foundation of America. That Fall, Pamela
sang at both the first ever Jazz Improv Live Convention as well as the
long-running Mabel Mercer Foundation Cabaret Convention at Jazz At
Lincoln Center's Rose Hall. In May 2008, she made her debut at the
legendary Birdland in Times Square, completely filling the largecapacity
venue.

Pamela Luss is a vocal star on the ascendant. As Your Eyes, garners
press and airplay, she will no doubt take her place in the elite company
of today's great song stylists. In the words of Joe Knipes in his review
(for Jazz Improv's NY Guide) of a live performance, Pamela Luss will
surely wow listeners wherever she goes!