Faith Gibson - Biography

What makes Faith Gibson a different kind of jazz singer? Sure, she swings with the best of them, and her distinctive, satiny voice can suddenly transform itself into a full-throated wail, a playful chirp, or a crystalline plea. And yes, she has the rhythmic feel, tonal subtlety, and melodic verve of a great instrumental soloist. But these are merely tools in the hands of a gifted artist. What’s different about Faith is her ability to inhabit a song, live through each moment, and find precious nuggets of passion, drama, humor, and joy in unexpected places. Whether she’s singing American Songbook classics or exciting new tunes from up-and-coming contemporary songwriters, herself included, Faith Gibson takes you on a surprising, wondrous, and dazzling tour of the human heart.

Faith grew up in Pittsburgh, where she studied piano and flute, listened to a wide variety of music, and sang in her high school’s concert chorus. At Florida Southern College, she sang in the chorale and with the pop ensemble Southern Singers. However, it would be some time before Faith pursued a career as a jazz singer as she felt too shy to sing alone in front of an audience.

“A point came when I realized it was ridiculous to allow shyness to deny me things I always wanted. I began venturing outside myself and onto stages, first with ‘Lipstick,’ a vocal trio, and finally as a soloist.”

She attended the Fionna Duncan Vocal Jazz Workshop in Glasgow, Scotland, which gave her important tips and confidence. “I went away from that week knowing I was a jazz singer.”

Since her debut performance at the Glasgow Jazz Festival in 2003, Faith Gibson has performed at jazz clubs and concerts in the UK and in Cologne, Bonn and Berlin, Germany and recorded her first CD You Don’t Know Me.

Faith has also studied with Silvia Droste, Judy Niemack and Sheila Jordan. In addition to writing her own songs, she collaborates with jazz composer Christopher Morse of Now Standards Music, Brooklyn, NY. She also operates her own internet radio station, Blossom’s Vocal Jazz, which has been chosen as Editor’s Pick on live365.com and has a loyal fan base of listeners around the world. Faith’s next CD will be released in 2009.