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Hope Deans started singing at a young
age in the AME Baptist Church, and enjoys celebrating the spirit of
gospel music. She applies it to her style of singing to allow the crowd
to feel her song. She brings a style that is sultry, classy; yet jazzy
which makes her an exciting performer to watch on stage.
Hope studied Theatre Arts at Cal Poly College, and sang in the school
choir, but it was her love of the music class "Jazz Appreciation" with
Prof. James Benson that peaked her interest in jazz and blues. She
studied music of the legendary greats like Billie Holiday, Ella
Fitzgerald, Etta James, B.B. King, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and later
Roberta Flack, Phyllis Hyman, Janis Joplin and Natalie Cole to name a
few. She could see herself doing this, wanted in, and felt it was now
time to get serious about her desire to sing professionally. Hope
started off working with other local musicians playing around town and
sitting in on jam sessions when possible. She soon formed her own band
Doubletake, and before she knew it she was performing in a number
of clubs and venues in California. A few of her favorite performances
include performing aboard the Queen Mary, The Legendary Blue
Guitar in Palm Springs and as a guest performer at the Mrs.
California International Pageant. Hope has sat in with many
different musicians and pianists throughout Los Angeles and the Orange
County area, and has even had the pleasure (ironically) of singing a
song accompanied by the master pianist for Ms. Nancy Wilson, Mr. Llew
Matthews.
She was once told by her jazz vocal coach to be more laid back like Ms.
“Fancy” Nancy Wilson, but Hope is more of a sassy kind of performer who
says she needs to "move and groove when singing 'cause the body
just wants to dance!"
In her travels to other countries over the years, Hope would involve
herself in the local jam nights in a groovin jazz joint as part of her
vacation time. (She would find audiences groovin to her style of songs
like Al Green's "Lets Stay Together" or Etta James' "At Last.") Yet Hope
continues to perform her blues repertoire with the "Lady Sings The
Blues" Collection and is looking forward to getting in the studio to
arrange a demo with other songs she enjoys by Phyllis, Roberta, and
other divas of the world. Hope can also get real funky with Jazz and R&B
tunes like "Dance To The Music" "Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me",
"Never Too Much", "What's Goin On" and a very jazzy "Summer Time".
Hope is considering the theatre, which was her minor in college, to
expand her performance skills. It is her desire to sing songs that were
great to listen to in the 60's, 70's, and 80's and bring a little remix
of her favorite old standards to today's sophisticated music lovers.
Although California is home, Hope is currently living in Atlanta, GA
where she is quickly becoming a hot new artist on the scene. She has
already performed a Christmas concert "Hope for the Holidays,"
which was a fundraiser for PAPY (Performing Arts Program for Youth)
under the direction of Hilda Willis of Living Your Art. She has also had
the pleasure of performing in another concert honoring the ladies of
jazz with a Tribute to Billy Holiday and Cassandra Wilson, and she is
always jammin around town with some great jazzmen. Hope is really
getting a feel for that East Coast style and flava in music and living
however, she plans to perform wherever her journey takes her as long as
she can continue to "wow" folks with her jazzy attire and jazzy style of
singing.
Hope Deans is available for club dates, private parties, tours
and session work. If you are interested in booking her for your next
event, please call 949.235.4282. Or,
e-mail Hope directly at
hopeonvocals@yahoo.com to join in on future events, or just to
say "hello"! |
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