Jill Saward (singer)

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Jill Saward
Picture of Jill Saward.png
Saward performing in Wuppertal, Germany (2014)
Background information
Born (1953-12-09) 9 December 1953 (age 70)
Tooting, London, England
Genres Jazz, funk, pop
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocal, flute, percussion
Years active1969–present
Labels Secret Records
Website Official website
External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Shakatak – Invitations: Do#Dj International Jazz Festival, April 22, 2008, Kyiv – Ukraine.. date July 12, 2012, Youtube (public video-sharing website

Jill Saward (born 9 December 1953) is a British singer, musician and composer, best known for being the lead voice of the English jazz-funk band, Shakatak.

Contents

Career

She began her musical career at the age of 16, with the British progressive jazz rock band Fusion Orchestra, from 1969 to 1975. [1]

Jill Saward and Fusion Orchestra gained a following of fans who secured a record deal with EMI music to produce their first album Skeleton in Armour, an album that immediately received critical acclaim upon its debut, and is now considered a collector's item which is highly sought after.[ citation needed ]

After the band Fusion Orchestra split, Saward became involved in a new all female group, called Brandy. The band, produced by Polydor, was active for about three years in the UK and Europe, before disbanding in 1976.

Saward was spotted later by the band leader Nicky North who invited her to perform in the 'Cats Whiskers' with his own big soul funk band. She also made a name for herself as one of the UK's session singers at that time. Saward also had a brief stint with a musical group of all women, called Citizen Gang, built by a French manufacturer of Orpheus Productions, and still managed to collaborate with the Nicky North Band. It was in this period she met band, Nigel Wright and Roger Odell, who are still components of jazz-funk band Shakatak. [1]

It was through Shakatak that Saward was able to record some vocals on an experimental track of a song called "Steppin'", and after nine top ten hits Saward was invited to be a permanent part of the group and started to tour worldwide.

Saward in 2014 in concert with Shakatak 2014-09-19 Shakatak 040.jpg
Saward in 2014 in concert with Shakatak

She became the leading voice of Shakatak sharing success for more than 35 years. The band is still touring and recording and still popular around the world, especially in Europe and the Far East. They usually publish a new album every two years for JVC Records and Secret Records. [1]

Despite constant touring and recording, Saward has always managed to find time to develop new projects, and still continues to write and record new material. [2]

Personal life

She was married to the bass player George Anderson, also a member of Shakatak, with whom she had two sons, Luis and James. They divorced in 2001. [3]

In 2008 the Shakatak frontwoman starred in the reality TV show Living TV's Pop Goes The Band, a show which sees former musical stars such as Bucks Fizz, Bananarama, Visage, Cleopatra, 911, Chaka Khan and more, undergoing surgery in a bid to relaunch their careers. [3]

In addition to her music career, Jill is an abstract impressionist artist who specializes in photographic prints. Jill is also a recovering alcoholic and is currently enrolled in Suffolks 12 step recovery programme.

Discography

Jill Saward (solo albums)

Jill Saward: all lead and BV voices
Jason Rebello, Neil Drinkwater, and Chris Ingham: keyboards
Snake Davis, Aaron Liddard, Matt Sibley, Derek Nash: saxophone
Fridrik Karlson: guitar
George Anderson: bass
Jill Saward: lead voice
Aaron Liddard: saxophone
Chris Ingham: keyboard
Chris Johnson: vocals
George Anderson: bass
James Saward Anderson: vocals
Mornington Lockett: saxophone
Patrick Hartley: trombone
Roberto Tola: guitar
Simon Allen: saxophone
Steve Dee: bass
Teresa Green: backing vocals

With Fusion Orchestra

With Brandy

With Citizen Gang

With Shakatak

Albums

Saward in 2014 2014-09-19 Shakatak 032.jpg
Saward in 2014

Compilation albums

With Shakatak in 2014 2014-09-19 Shakatak 042.jpg
With Shakatak in 2014
On stage in 2014 2014-09-19 Shakatak 038.jpg
On stage in 2014

Singles

YearSingle UK Singles Chart [4]
1980"Steppin'"—
"Feels Like the Right Time"41
1981"Living in the UK"52
"Brazilian Dawn"48
"Easier Said Than Done"12
1982"Night Birds"9
"Streetwalkin'"38
"Invitations"24
"Stranger"43
1983"Dark is the Night"15
"If You Could See Me Now"49
"Out of This World"83
1984"Down on the Street"9
"Don't Blame It on Love"55
1985"City Rhythm"76
"Day by Day" (with Al Jarreau)53
1987"Something Special"—
"Mr. Manic and Sister Cool"56
1988"Dr. Dr."—
"Time of My life"—
1989"Turn the Music Up"—
"Back to the Groove"—
1991"Bitter Sweet"—
1993"One Day at a Time"—
1997"Let the Piano Play"—
1998"Move a Little Closer"—

Videos

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Shakatak's Jill Saward discusses women in the music ahead of appearance at the Henley Festival". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  2. ↑ "BBC Radio Oxford - Tim Smith, Tim meets Jill Saward from Shakatak & Mari Wilson". BBC. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  3. 1 2 Rollo, Sarah (10 September 2008). "'80s singer ill after reality TV facelift". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  4. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 492. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
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