Martina Griffiths

Fun Fused Jazz from Vancouver BC

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Martina Griffiths

Instruments: Vocals details

Martina Griffiths
“A vocally dynamic performer, a natural story teller, with an awesome range”
Vancouver-based vocalist Martina Griffiths is an eclectic compilation of standards, originals and cover tunes, ranging from Prince's haunting ballad "When Doves Cry" and Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" to the popular jazz standards "God Bless The Child" and "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon".
"I'm a Gemini.,” laughs Griffiths. "I am diverse. I enjoy exploring many different musical genres and all the emotional notes of an individual song. A vocalist is an interpreter and every song is open to interpretation. I enjoy exploring where a song can take me emotionally. Sometimes it may take me places I would have never expected. Music is a never ending adventure”.
Griffiths’ choice to sing and record such a variety of musical styles comes honestly, since the Montreal- born performer grew up listening to her brother’s Beatles’ records and hearing her mother sing Shirley Temple songs. Her personal life has also been quite varied – she’s traveled extensively, cycled across this vast nation, played competitive water polo in almost every pool in Canada, and even lived in the Yukon.
Griffiths has performed at Vancouver's prestigious Orpheum Theatre, Ottawa's popular Women's Voices Festival, the Vancouver Sacred Music Festival, plus shared stages with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Women's Chorus, Miles Black, Sal Ferreras, and Rhiannon. Martina has toured in Europe, performing as a featured guest at Schouwburg Amphion's Jazz Event in the Netherlands with renowned jazz pianist Karel Giltay. Her Jazz Ensemble, and Vocal Improvisation Group has performed at art gallery openings, cabarets and national festivals as well as regular house gigs at some local trendy Vancouver restaurant/lounges facilitated the songbird's exposure to diverse audiences
As a founding member of the spectacular lounge act The Lavender Martinis (originally Candy), Griffiths honed her dynamic performing skills - while trying to overcome paralyzing stage fright - by taking acting lessons. Conquering this fear gave Griffiths a newfound confidence in her voice - a confidence that led to the production of her debut CD, Powerful Baby, her sizzling collection of originals and standards, drawing from jazz, blues, musical theatre and Latin influences, and delivered in Griffiths' playfully seductive vocal style.
In her second CD, Picture This..., Griffiths wanted to experiment again with different genres. "My producer Tony Chamberlist and I coined the phrase 'Fuzz' blending the words fun fused jazz. Tony said he could hear me smiling as I sing. Each of these songs tells a story, which I think everyone can relate to their own life experiences, and some of the songs are just plain wacky, like the theme to "Spiderman". I loved the show when I was a kid and would sing the theme at the top of my lungs."
“I’ve really fallen in love with jazz, but this is only one musical genre. There are so many others to explore. I want to get really wild with music and cross boundaries.”.

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