Carrie Wicks
Embedded Files
JAZZ VOCALIST
“What a surprise her voice is: individualistic and alluring at the same time.”
- RAYMOND KENT, WWOZ, NEW ORLEANS
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BIOGRAPHY
BIOGRAPHY
“a skilled vocalist, top-notch in her phrasing and intonation,
but she also possesses an ineffable ‘something extra’ that’s both compelling
and engaging in its delivery of the stories she has to tell…”
- ALL ABOUT JAZZ
As one listener put it, Carrie Wicks sings like a “lazy angel.” With a rich timbre and deep musicality, her voice is both viscerally compelling and relaxing, whether she’s exploring the jazz repertoire or her own collaborative compositions.
Her debut CD on OA2 Records, I’ll Get Around to It, catapulted her to national acclaim in 2010. She followed that with Barely There in 2012 and Maybe in October 2015. A three-time nominee for the Earshot Jazz Vocalist of the Year Award, she released her fourth Origin OA2 album, Reverie, in October 2019.
Her early musical background included playing viola in Summit, New Jersey; singing harmonies during middle school in a church choir in Dorset, Vermont; and then playing cornet in a high school jazz band. But it wasn’t until the fall of 2001, while living out in the woods of Indianola, Washington, when she ferried across Puget Sound for her first jazz-singing workshop in Seattle, that she fell for the bright light of urban jazz. Since then Ms. Wicks has been focusing on jazz vocals and collaboratively composing songs with bassist Ken Nottingham for the Bushwick Book Club of Seattle and pianist Nick Allison; she also harmonizes with Aria Prame as the Lark (formerly Night-n-Gale) and assisted in producing eight variety shows called the Big Gig at the Triple Door with Billy Brandt.
A Seattle resident, she has performed at Tula’s (RIP), the Triple Door, the Royal Room, the Sorrento Hotel’s Fireside Room, Vito’s (RIP), St. Clouds (RIP), North City Bistro, Egan’s, Match in Duvall (RIP), Northwest Cellars in Kirkland (RIP), the Cellar Cat, the Vintage in PT, San Juan Vineyard, and other area venues.
Gratitude for favorite local radio show “The Art of Jazz” w/ Ken Wiley on KNKX. And for fabulous teachers over the years: Katie King, Kelley Johnson & John Hansen, Andy Shaw, Paul Rucker, Centrum PT w/ Nancy King & Steve Christofferson, Dawn Clement, first gigs w/ Conlin Roser & Frank Clayton, Carolyn Graye & ensemble, Deborah Mia Shelton & Vocal Bliss, Paul Sawyer, Jerome Gray, Jazz Camp West, Greta Matassa, Jane Peck, Thomasa Eckert, and master classes w/ Kurt Elling at UW, Rebecca Parris, Madeleine Eastman, Stephanie Nakasian, John Proulx, Sheila Jordan, Kathleen Grace, etc., many thanks to Nich Anderson’s JazzVox and all the many lovely local musicians I’ve been fortunate to play w/ along the way. Long may you run.
PROMO PHOTOS
PROMO PHOTOS
MUSIC
MUSIC
AUDIO SAMPLES
AUDIO SAMPLES
UPCOMING DATES
UPCOMING DATES
Saturday, December 28, 2025
w/ Nick Allison on keys, 3 to 5 pm
Vintage, Port Townsend
Saturday, February 14, 2026
w/ Nick Allison on piano & Paul Gabrielson on bass
Cellar Cat, Kingston
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
The Lark w/ Aria Prame & Nick Allison & bass
Horizon House
PREVIOUS DATES
PREVIOUS DATES
Saturday, September 6, 2025
w/ Nick Allison on keys
Port Townsend Vineyards
(2640 W Sims Way)
September 3-4, 2025
The Lark recording @ Sage Arts
w/ Aria Prame & Nick Allison, Dean Schmidt / Paul Gabrielson, Robert Rushing
Saturday, August 16, 2025
w/ Nick Allison on keys
San Juan Vineyard
Friday, August 8, 2025
w/ Ken Nottingham on upright bass
Royal Room Lounge
Friday, July 18, 2025
w/ Nick Allison on keys
Vintage in Port Townsend
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
The Lark w/ Aria Prame & Nick Allison & bass
Horizon House
Saturday, December 28, 2024
w/ Nick Allison on keys
Vintage in Port Townsend
Saturday, December 7, 2024
w/ Ken Nottingham on two songs for Tom Waits Night
Conor Byrne, Ballard
Friday, September 27, 2024
the Lark (formerly Night-n-Gale) w/ Aria Prame & Nick Allison on keys;
Ryan Donnelly on bass & Jamael Nance on drums
@ Egan’s in Ballard
Saturday, September 21, 2024
w/ Nick Allison on keys
@ Persephone Farm in Indianola
Friday, September 6, 2024
w/ Nick Allison on keys
@ Northwest Cellars in Kirkland
Saturday, July 13, 2024
w/ Nick Allison on keys
@ the Vintage in Port Townsend
Saturday, February 10, 2024
w/ Nick Allison on keys
@ Northwest Cellars in Kirkland
QUOTES
QUOTES
“Wicks swaying through a melodic drift in her signature dark, poetic, conversational delivery . . . [and] introspective presence . . . [for] a real café-style vibe that feels like late night in a hipster setting. . . . The music exposes her literary roots and abilities as a storyteller.” –Paul Rauch, All About Jazz, Nov. 2019
“Eclectic passion from Seattle; lyrical expression & enchanting intonation . . . I thoroughly enjoyed your wonderful music. As global as true culture.”
–Christos Valtadoros, All About Jazz, Athens, Greece, Oct. 16, 2015
“immense artistic promise…”
–Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes
“one to watch–March 2013”
–Dick Crockett, The Voice, 88.7FM, Sacramento, CA
“Great sounds! The past couple of years I’ve kind of sort of moved away from listening to vocalists, but your music—both times—brought me back.”
–Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz, 2012
“We like your ideas, mind, thoughts and spirit which resonate beautifully with your voice and the musicians.
You have it together, woman.”
–Linda Yohn, WEMU Music Director, 2012
“I LOVE the CD!”
–Jim Bennett, Forms and Feelings, KWMR, 2012
“dig your velvet fist approach to the music”
–Linda Yohn, WEMU Music Director, 2010
“#4 Top 40 Best New CD Releases”
–Bob Parlocha, June 10, 2010
“I hear a lot of female vocalists but few as original and refreshing as you. Keep up the good work, love your voice and choices.”
–Mike Stratton (The Vinyl Side of Midnight), WLNZ, Lansing, MI
“Take it from me . . . you got what it takes. I am really impressed.”
–Ben Boddie (Taintradio, Jazz in the A.M.), Raleigh, NC
“You got it . . . in a great way. I listen to about 100 discs a month, of which 30 are playable, and 6 are good. Your CD is really good, and I don’t get to say that very often. I wish you much success, in a hard business, during ruff economic times . . . because you have a gift.”
–Rich Gangi, Jazz Director, WFIT in Melbourne, FL
“Last week, we received your new CD and we love it. Another great talent find for us from the NW. . . . You’ll be in our rotation.”
–Gano and Bev (Two4Jazz on Pure Jazz Radio), NM
“It’s great . . . . Keep up the good work!”
– John Pantherbone, CKXU Music Director, Lethbridge, AB
“Not a heavy ornate stylistic effort here, but rather an example of the new generation of understated jazz singing. Her style lies in the honesty of her singing & meaning every word. Swinging accompaniment by group.”
–Hildy, WRUV, July 15, 2010
“an enigma”
–Chad McCullough, trumpeter
“sexy and sad all in one . . . the patience is deep and wonderful”
–Geoff Harper, bassist
CONTACT
CONTACT
For bookings of any creative sort, collaborative notions, or to be added to Carrie’s mailing list, please send her a note:
carrieewicks@gmail.com
rose pic credit: Billy Brandt
all other photos: David Fox & Laura Dux
CARRIE’S RECORD LABEL:
OA2 Records
http://www.oa2records.com
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