Quick Facts
Biography
Melissa Stott (born 1972) is a UK-born jazz singer-songwriter of English and Singapore-Chinese descent. Her songwriting style has been described as mainstream jazz with more contemporary flavours, and her music has been released on the FeetFirst Records label, by producer Leo Feigin of UK avant-garde label Leo Records.
Early life
Melissa was born in Manchester and grew up in Cheshire and Derbyshire, her family moving south to Hertfordshire when she was 11 and Singapore when she was 16. She grew up "humming harmonies at the dinner table", studied classical piano from the age of 6 and was involved in musical activities during her school years and while at the University of Kent at Canterbury, where she graduated in Drama. She was also active as a dancer, studying with Leo Kersley. In early 1996 she toured Denmark and Sweden with Big Wheel Theatre In Education [1], finally settling in Italy in September 1996. From 2000 to 2002 she worked as an actress and puppeteer for FunSongs alongside Charles Goodger.
Career
Melissa Stott’s debut album Why Now (2005) was entirely self-penned and was recorded at Artesuono Recording Studio [1] in Udine, Italy, by Stefano Amerio, and featured a group of Italian musicians (See Band). There was also a guest appearance by Serbian trumpet and flugelhorn player Stjepko “Steve” Gut on several tracks. Pieces from the album were broadcast on stations in Europe, USA, Canada and Mexico, and received very favourable reviews [2]. The pieces which received most radio play were Ella, Mami’s Kitchen and Dreaming.
The Picture (2007) is the title of the second album composed of 13 original pieces by Melissa Stott. Chris Parker, in the liner notes, states that “her material, dealing as it does with thoroughly contemporary emotional concerns, communicates with twenty-first-century audiences with all the ease of popular music.” The album features the original group with the addition of tenor sax and violin.
Melissa performs at jazz clubs, theatres and in festivals with large and small groups, ranging from a duo to a full orchestra. She appeared on the front page of The Irish Examiner in October 2005 as part of The Guinness Jazz Festival.
She has also taken part in various musicals including Hair, Chicago, Cats, Grease, The Little Shop of Horrors, Mary Poppins, Some Like It Hot, The Boy Friend, My Fair Lady and numerous other musical shows, as a singer, pianist, dancer, choreographer and actress. She currently teaches at the School of Musicals course of Onda Blu, Vergato, Italy.
Melissa Stott is the creator of "Epic Diva and Fallen Star" Clarissa Sport [3]. Featuring original songs written by Melissa, and parodying popular music videos, this project is directed by Enrico Cover. Somewhere between an imperfect starlet and a drag queen, Clarissa is sometimes wistful, sometimes joyful, sometimes cynical and sometimes as camp as the proverbial row of tents, reflected in her ample following among the LGBT community.
Band
Band members featured on Why Now and The Picture:
- Melissa Stott- vocals
- Stjepko "Steve" Gut- trumpet, flugelhorn
- Matteo Raggi- tenor sax, bass clarinet
- Angela Alessi- violin
- Davide Brillante- guitar
- Nico Menci*- piano
- Max Chirico*- piano
- Pietro Ciancaglini- upright bass
- Alessandro Minetto- drums
*Nico Menci was the pianist on Why Now, while Max Chirico appeared on 4 tracks of The Picture.
Discography
- 2005- Why Now (UK: FeetFirst Records)
- 2007- The Picture (UK: FeetFirst Records)
Compilations
The vocalese piece Suspicion featured on a compilation of artists, including Dizzy Gillespie and Marcus Miller by Jazz Magazine (Italy).