Lucy Woodward & The Rocketeers

In the organizer's words:

Lucy Woodward is a powerful vocalist whose soulful, impeccably controlled vocals turn from the intensity of a runaway train at full throttle to a soft, slow-burning, sultry whisper in the blink of an eye, only to whisk you back into an inferno. Lucy Woodward & The Rocketeers was released on GroundUP Music in the summer of 2024. The album features her bespoke 18-piece jazz collective - with musicians from countries including the Netherlands, Italy and Ghana - inspired by American composers such as Donny Hathaway and Billy Strayhorn. With dynamic arrangements explicitly tailored to Lucy's passionate vocal style, color and timbre; the songs range from energetic explosions to hauntingly intimate meditations. Throughout her career, Lucy has transcended genre boundaries. And with this jazz orchestra "The Rocketeers", each musician carefully selected for the project draws inspiration from the icons of jazz and the vibrant vibes of music makers from then to now.

Music-driven movement is part of Lucy Woodward's life force. Born in London to classical musicians, she has been traveling since day one. Her childhood was spent traveling between the Netherlands, where her father lived after her parents separated, and her hometown of New York, where she lived and grew up with her mother, constantly feeding on Chopin and Michael Jackson, the backdrop to her NYC soundtrack She found it in countless New York bodegas and subways.

Lucy Woodward & The Rocketeers' debut album was recorded live in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, at the city's legendary venue, LantarenVenster. Lucy produced the sessions with Louk Boudesteijn, founder of the New Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra and Bonsai Panda. The Rocketeers' rhythm section consists of Jelle Roozenburg (guitar), Niek de Bruijn (drums) and Udo Pannekeet (bass), who have been Lucy's touring band for years, performing with her at internationally renowned festivals such as Istanbul Jazz Fest and Athens Jazz as well as touring together throughout Europe. On the road, their musical chemistry and great trust in each other's abilities have developed into something deeply organic, telepathic and captivating. As Lucy and Louk sat at the piano, they discovered songs they both loved together. Louk's arrangement of Billy Strayhorn's beautiful "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing" and its mesmerizing blend of fragility and ferocity gave them both a clear idea of the complex musical/emotional range they would be aiming for on The Rocketeers.

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Line-up: Lucy Woodward (voc); Jelle Roozenburg (git); Udo Pannekeet (b); Niek de Bruijn (dr)

Website: https: //www.lucywoodward.com/