Sylvia Brooks

Sylvia Brooks is an American jazz singer and songwriter.

Sylvia Brooks
Background information
Birth nameSylvia Victoria Ippolito
BornMiami Beach, Florida, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Singer and songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2009–present
LabelsRhombus Records
Websitewww.sylviabrooks.net

Sylvia Brooks started her career in classical theatre, having studied at The American Conservatory Theater under the direction of Allen Fletcher and Bill Ball.[1]

In 2009, Brooks began singing jazz and collaborated with Thomas Garvin, who wrote the arrangements for her debut album Dangerous Liaisons.[2] Brooks made her performing debut as a jazz singer at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles.

In 2012, Brooks released her second album, Restless, which introduced what she calls "jazz noir".[3]

In 2017, Brooks released The Arrangement . She collaborated with Kim Richmond, Jeff Colella, Christian Jacob, Quinn Johnson, and Otmaro Ruiz. The Arrangement also began her journey into songwriting with three original songs co-written by Christian Jacob, Patrick Williams and Quinn Johnson.[4] The Arrangement was named one of the top 15 Jazz vocal albums in 2017 by the 39th annual Jazz Radio Awards. [5]

On May 30, 2022, Brooks released her 4th album Signature on Rhombus Records. It features seven original pieces with collaborators Tom Ranier, Christian Jacob and Jeff Colella. C. Michael Bailey, in his review of the album, called Brooks a "master stylist".[6]

On September 10, 2023, Brooks released her fifth album- her first live album "Sylvia Brooks Live with Christian Jacob", recorded live at Herb Albert's Vibrato Jazz Club in Los Angeles.

Early life

Born in Miami Beach, Florida, Sylvia Brooks was born Sylvia Victoria Ippolito.[7]

Her father, Don Ippolito, was a jazz pianist who has played with various other icons such as Ira Sullivan, Buddy Rich, Peggy Lee, and Dizzie Gillespie,[8][9] and her mother, Johanna Dordick, was an opera singer who founded the Los Angeles Opera Theatre.[10] After her studies, she moved to New York, and started working in the theatre. It was a fall after returning from playing Anita in West Side Story that ended her career in New York. She relocated to Los Angeles and began working in Episodic Television, but when her father died, while going through his archives, she realized she wanted to return to her roots in Jazz.[11]

References
  1. "BWW Interview: Jazz Singer Sylvia Brooks to Appear at Feinstein's at Vitello's".
  2. Loudon, Christopher (August 2, 2010). "Sylvia Brooks: Dangerous Liaisons". JazzTimes. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  3. "Sylvia Brooks".
  4. "Sylvia Brooks".
  5. "releases/the_arrangement_is_named_one_of_the_top_15_jazz_vocal_albums_of_2017_by_the_39th_annual_jazz_radio_awards/prweb15211449.htm".
  6. "june-2022-constellations-martina-dasilva".
  7. Haarer, Brad (October 16, 2017). "Sylvia Brooks Charts Her Way With 'The Arrangement'". JAZZIZ Magazine.
  8. Haarer, Brad (October 16, 2017). "Sylvia Brooks Charts Her Way With 'The Arrangement'". JAZZIZ Magazine.
  9. "Allerton and Brooks to Perform at Sterling's Upstairs". Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  10. Shulgold, Mac (April 13, 1985). "Dordick Resigns Post At L.A. Opera Theatre". Los Angeles Times.
  11. "Sylvia Brooks".
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