ARTIST
Hammett-Vaughan, Kate
"Jazz as an art form is essentially about growth and experimentation and communication, and I hope more people will start to dig that."May 01, 1957—
INSTRUMENT Voice
Vocalist Kate Hammett-Vaughan is a dynamic and continuously evolving performer who has embraced the challenge of integrating the persona of the "improvising singer" with the "standards singer." Her music simultaneously reflects her vision of the jazz vocalist as a musician, whose capacity for exploring improvisation is equal to that of any instrumentalist, as well as her commitment to conveying the emotional depth of her lyrics.
"I believe I should take care of the fact that I have an instrument that uses text"
— Kate Hammett-Vaughan
"My body is my instrument, so if I'm making sound, it comes from an emotional place for me. That's the kind of singer that I am."
- Kate Hammett-Vaughan
Rather than viewing these different skill sets as opposing forces in her work, Hammett-Vaughan instead suggests that they "feed each other" (interview with Babin, I), animating her musical interpretations. Critics would seem to agree: Kate has three Juno award nominations under her belt, as well as a bevy of nominations from the Canadian Independent Music Awards and the National Jazz Awards.
"As a child in Windsor, Nova Scotia, I was surrounded by music. There was a stereo with records to play, an old upright piano and a variety of things to bang and strum."
— Kate Hammett-Vaughan
From the creative play of a musically oriented childhood, Kate Hammett-Vaughan's path as an artist progressed from experiments with rock, folk, and disco to the discovery of jazz. Her apprenticeship in this genre began in earnest in Vancouver, where she landed in 1979 after hitchhiking her way from one coast to the other. Here, she encountered teachers like Jay Clayton and Sheila Jordan, who were instrumental in shaping and guiding her development as an artist. She credits trombonist and composer George Lewis, who she encountered at the Banff Jazz Workshop in 1986 with sparking her interest in improvised music.
Continuing the legacy of the many individuals who took it upon themselves to orient her within the world of jazz, Kate Hammett-Vaughan has herself chosen to share her love of music as an educator. She has served on the faculty of both Vancouver Community College and Capilano College since 1998.
"I believe I should take care of the fact that I have an instrument that uses text"
— Kate Hammett-Vaughan
"My body is my instrument, so if I'm making sound, it comes from an emotional place for me. That's the kind of singer that I am."
- Kate Hammett-Vaughan
Rather than viewing these different skill sets as opposing forces in her work, Hammett-Vaughan instead suggests that they "feed each other" (interview with Babin, I), animating her musical interpretations. Critics would seem to agree: Kate has three Juno award nominations under her belt, as well as a bevy of nominations from the Canadian Independent Music Awards and the National Jazz Awards.
"As a child in Windsor, Nova Scotia, I was surrounded by music. There was a stereo with records to play, an old upright piano and a variety of things to bang and strum."
— Kate Hammett-Vaughan
From the creative play of a musically oriented childhood, Kate Hammett-Vaughan's path as an artist progressed from experiments with rock, folk, and disco to the discovery of jazz. Her apprenticeship in this genre began in earnest in Vancouver, where she landed in 1979 after hitchhiking her way from one coast to the other. Here, she encountered teachers like Jay Clayton and Sheila Jordan, who were instrumental in shaping and guiding her development as an artist. She credits trombonist and composer George Lewis, who she encountered at the Banff Jazz Workshop in 1986 with sparking her interest in improvised music.
Continuing the legacy of the many individuals who took it upon themselves to orient her within the world of jazz, Kate Hammett-Vaughan has herself chosen to share her love of music as an educator. She has served on the faculty of both Vancouver Community College and Capilano College since 1998.
PHOTO GALLERY
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
"A Singular Jazz Voice"
Pedersen, Stephen. "A Singular Jazz Voice." Rev. of So Lucky to be Me by Kate Hammett-Vaughan. The Chronicle Herald 25 Apr. 2007. Posted on Kate Hammett-Vaughan Home Page. 13 Mar. 2008. http://katehv.com/reviews.html
"One of Canada's Top Jazz Singers"
Yanow, Scott. "One of Canada's Top Jazz Singers…" Rev. of So Lucky to be Me by Kate Hammett-Vaughan. Los Angeles Jazz Scene 5 July 2007. Posted on Kate Hammett-Vaughan Home Page. 13 Mar. 2008.
http://katehv.com/reviews.html
Kate Hammett-Vaughan Official Website
(Web page)
Kate Hammett-Vaughan. Home page. 13 Mar. 2008. http://katehv.com/biography.html
Personal Interview with Josephine Ochej
(Web page)
Hammett-Vaughan, Kate. Personal Interview with Josephine Ochej. Dec 2001. Transcript on Vancouver Jazz Home Page. 13 Mar. 2008. http://vancouverjazz.com/inview/katehv.shtml
Personal Interview with Tommy Babin, Parts I and II.
(Audio Recording)
Hammett-Vaughan, Kate. Personal Interview with Tommy Babin, Parts I and II. Podcast on NOW Orchestra Home Page. 13 Mar. 2008. http://www.noworchestra.com/podcast.
