Valerie Day
Encyclopedia
Valerie Day is an American
pop and jazz
singer. Born in Portland
, Oregon
, United States
, she is a fourth-generation Oregonian, and grew up in a musical family. She was the lead singer and a founding member of the 1980s dance band Nu Shooz
, along with her husband John Smith.
Day's performances with Nu Shooz had mixed reviews. She and Smith were credited with "rewriting the book" on Portland's R&B
sound. One reviewer at the Seattle Times described her as having a "tough but perky wholesome image," and praised her dancing and conga
playing, but opined that she over-used a certain vocal hook, and was reluctant to step out as the star of the group.
More recently, Day has taken on other musical genres. In the late 1990s she was a featured singer in in the Woody Hite Big Band. She recorded an album of duets
with pianist Tom Grant
in 2005.
Also in 2005, Day won a contest to have an image of her lips used in the new the corporate logo for Portland's Hot Lips Pizza, as part of the company's 21st anniversary.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop and 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...
singer. Born in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, she is a fourth-generation Oregonian, and grew up in a musical family. She was the lead singer and a founding member of the 1980s dance band Nu Shooz
Nu Shooz
Nu Shooz is an American Freestyle-R&B-Dance group fronted by husband-and-wife team of John Smith and Valerie Day, based in Portland, Oregon. The Shooz released four albums in the U.S...
, along with her husband John Smith.
Day's performances with Nu Shooz had mixed reviews. She and Smith were credited with "rewriting the book" on Portland's R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
sound. One reviewer at the Seattle Times described her as having a "tough but perky wholesome image," and praised her dancing and conga
Conga
The conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
playing, but opined that she over-used a certain vocal hook, and was reluctant to step out as the star of the group.
More recently, Day has taken on other musical genres. In the late 1990s she was a featured singer in in the Woody Hite Big Band. She recorded an album of duets
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with pianist Tom Grant
Tom Grant (jazz musician)
Tom Grant is an American contemporary jazz/jazz fusion pianist and vocalist.- Biography :Tom Grant was born in Portland, Oregon to a musical family – his father was a tap dancer who owned a record store in Portland, and his brother was an avant-garde jazz pianist. At a young age, Grant learned to...
in 2005.
Also in 2005, Day won a contest to have an image of her lips used in the new the corporate logo for Portland's Hot Lips Pizza, as part of the company's 21st anniversary.