Carol Grimes
Encyclopedia
Carol Grimes is a smooth jazz
and world music
singer.
Grimes came to prominence in 1969 as a member of Delivery
, associated with the Canterbury Scene
. During the 1970s she performed regularly on the London blues
circuit with her band The London Boogie Band. At the same time she released her first solo album Warm Blood, the first release on the Virgin
's Caroline label (CA2001), backed by session musicians in London and Nashville
. The cover was taken in her Notting Hill
flat. The following year saw the release of a follow-up blues album recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis
and Goodyear Studios in Nashville which pictured her on the cover alongside her son Sam.
By the end of the decade, Grimes had moved to a more jazz
-inspired style, including a lot of scat singing
. In 1984 she formed Eyes Wide Open. Now known mainly as a solo
artist
she also does theatrical work and teaches voice.
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
and world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
singer.
Grimes came to prominence in 1969 as a member of Delivery
Delivery (band)
Delivery was a British blues/progressive rock musical group, formed in the late 1960s. The band was one of the wellsprings of the progressive rock Canterbury scene....
, associated with the Canterbury Scene
Canterbury Scene
The Canterbury scene is a term used to loosely describe the group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians, many of whom were based around the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
. During the 1970s she performed regularly on the London blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
circuit with her band The London Boogie Band. At the same time she released her first solo album Warm Blood, the first release on the Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
's Caroline label (CA2001), backed by session musicians in London and Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. The cover was taken in her Notting Hill
Notting Hill
Notting Hill is an area in London, England, close to the north-western corner of Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
flat. The following year saw the release of a follow-up blues album recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
and Goodyear Studios in Nashville which pictured her on the cover alongside her son Sam.
By the end of the decade, Grimes had moved to a more jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-inspired style, including a lot of scat singing
Scat singing
In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
. In 1984 she formed Eyes Wide Open. Now known mainly as a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
she also does theatrical work and teaches voice.
Discography
- Fools MeetingFools MeetingFools Meeting is an album by Carol Grimes with the british blues/progressive rock band Delivery, founded in the late 1968. The band was one of the wellsprings of the progressive rock Canterbury scene....
(with DeliveryDelivery (band)Delivery was a British blues/progressive rock musical group, formed in the late 1960s. The band was one of the wellsprings of the progressive rock Canterbury scene....
, 1970) - Old Hat (with Uncle DogUncle DogUncle Dog is a band that released an album and single in 1972.Members of Uncle Dog were:*Carol Grimes - vocals*Phillip Crooks - guitar*Sam Mitchell - guitar*John Porter - guitar, bass*David Skinner - keyboards, vocals...
, 1972) - Warm Blood (Caroline 1974)
- Carol Grimes (aka Memphis Album) (Decca 1975)
- Sweet F.A. (with Tony HicksTony HicksTony Hicks is a guitarist and singer who has been a member of the British pop group The Hollies since 1963.-Career:...
, Peter Kirtley, Gary Twigg, Ollie Marland, 1979) - Eyes Wide Open (Line Records Hamburg, Germany 1987)
- Daydreams and Danger (Line 1988)
- Why Don't They Dance? (Line 1989)
- Lazy Blue Eyes (Carol Grimes and Ian ShawIan Shaw (singer)Ian Shaw is a Welsh jazz singer, record producer, and former stand up comedian.Shaw was born at St. Asaph, Wales, and his career in performance began on the Alternative Cabaret Circuit, alongside such performers as Julian Clary, Rory Bremner and Jo Brand.In his music career he has recorded and...
, Ace Records, 1990) - Into the Red
- Alive At Ronnie Scott's (Carol Grimes with Janette Mason, Jazz House 1994)
- Mother (Irregular RecordsIrregular RecordsIrregular Records is a British independent record label specialising in folk music, which was established in 1985 by the singer Robb Johnson. In addition to Johnson's own recordings the label has also issued albums by artists such as Barb Jungr, Des de Moor, Maggie Holland and Russell...
2003) - Something Secret (duo formed with multi instrumentalist Giles Perring) (Triumphant Sound 2007)