Hannah Purkiss is a singer you won't forget! She and her band perform a wide range of jazz standards in styles ranging from Swing to Latin to Funk.
You will hear old favourites played in new ways from her energetic band which ranges from 3-7 pieces.
Passionate and interesting, talented and articulate, Hannah is a singer you will enjoy! Whether you are interested in traditional jazz standards, or a touch of the world, you will always find a gem in Hannah's performance. You may have found her singing Jazz with her quartet, Brazilian music with Samba Squad, R&B/Pop backup for singer Lorraine Peters, or Contemporary music with various bands.
Like many singers before her, Hannah began singing at an early age, growing up in choirs and church pews. Singing practice was evenly matched with time spent playing Classical piano. In her teen years Hannah was already leading youth bands by playing keyboards and vocals. She received a music degree from York University, in Toronto, Ontario, studying with Jazz and World music professors alike. Hannah pursued vocal instruction with educators Lisa Martinelli and Suba Sankaran, and piano studies with performers Mark Eisenmann and Casey Sokol. It was during the "York years" that Hannah turned to Jazz, and also became enamoured with Latin and Brazilian music. In university, Hannah began singing with an a cappella unit called Wibijazz'n', and also played percussion in the Brazilian group, Samba Squad. Performing back-up vocals for R&B Inspirational singer Lorraine Peters, and traveling with contemporary music and a cappella bands gave Hannah the experience and motivation to pursue her path as a Jazz singer.
Currently, Hannah plays with her quartet (bass, drums, piano), co-directed with bassist Paco Luviano, in various jazz venues and events in Toronto. In 2003, Hannah recorded "My Favourite Things," a jazz demo CD featuring five very different tracks. Hannah collaborated with bassist/arranger Paco Luviano on all tracks, and the CD also includes pianist Luis Guerra and drummer, Davide DiRenzo. On the recording you will hear jazz tracks evenly matched with smooth rhythms and exciting harmonies pulled from funk, Latin and Brazilian influences.
