Sunday Series presents Melinda Whitaker Quartet

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Sunday, August 9th, 2015
8:00 PM

Melinda Whitaker is a Canadian singer and recording artist known for delivering soulful jazz performances.

Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Melinda grew up listening to her parents’ big band music and jazz favourites. At age eight she began classical music study and by nine years of age had performed on television. Melinda’s youth was consumed with singing. First performing with the church and school choirs; later with ensembles, bands, and at music festivals. Melinda Whitaker earned a B.A. in English Literature from the University of British Columbia.

Melinda’s professional career started in Edmonton singing her compositions and performing on CBC television with Tommy Banks. During 1970, at time when jazz was exploding on the west coast, Melinda returned to Vancouver to perform with Canada’s jazz giants and session musicians including Fraser McPherson, Oliver Gagnon, Doug Riley, Ted Quinlan and Dave Robbins. She performed six nights a week with The Vancouver “Sympathy” Orchestra, in Gary Taylor’s Show Lounge at the King’s Castle, and recorded for Holger Petersens’s Jazz Radio Canada in the famed Red Barrel Lounge in The Hotel Vancouver.

Melinda has lived her life in song. She has shared the stage with legendary musicians Bryan Adams, Andy Williams, Jose Feliciano, Peter Ustinov, Roger Whittaker, Charo, Wolfman Jack, Andre Gagnon, Shari Lewis, Martin Short and Kenny Loggins. In 2001 Melinda opened for the Ray Brown Trio at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

Melinda makes her home on Vancouver Island where she has performed with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra and at the Victoria JazzFest. She is a member of the Great Ladies of Jazz. As a solo entertainer she performs an extensive du jour jazz repertoire and favourite classics from The Great American Songbook. http://melindawhitaker.com