THE NORTH EAST’S FIRST LADY OF JAZZ IS BACK WITH HER SECOND ALBUM

A leading light on the north east jazz scene for the past seven years, anyone who’s ever experienced Ruth Lambert live knows she gives a captivating performance whether singing with the South Shields CustomsHouse Big Band or fronting a more intimate trio. Blessed with a unique voice and an instinctive feel for jazz, Ruth’s extraordinary vocal flair and technical skill come into their own through her charismatic delivery and fresh interpretation of the classics, which has seen her build up a reputation among her contemporaries as ‘the musician’s singer.’ And this month is the ideal time to see Ruth live, as she gives a sneak preview of her highly-anticipated second album Easy Street ahead of its national launch later in the year. Ruth will be performing a one-off exclusive gig at the Saville Exchange in North Shields with her sextet, which features local jazz luminaries including Paul Edis on piano, Mark Williams on guitar, Andy Champion on double bass, Tim Johnston on drums, Graeme Wilson on saxophone and Graham Hardy on trumpet. Picking up where her 2006 debut "So Many Stars" left off, "Easy Street" continues Ruth’s love affair with jazz and features songs from the Great American Songbook as well as self-penned tunes. Released on the Jazz Action label at the end of October, the album features arrangements by the internationally acclaimed composer John Warren. Tickets for the album launch on October 23 cost £6/£5 and are available from the Saville Exchange on 0191 643 7093. Copies of "Easy Street" will be available on the night but, if you can’t make it, visit ruthlambert.co.uk or her MySpace site to listen to samples and order your copy. About Ruth: A professional singer since the age of 18, Ruth studied music at theUniversity of Strathclyde where she received a First Class Honoursdegree, picking up the prestigious Alexander Stone Scholarship for Excellence in Solo Performance along the way. She was vocalist with the University Big Band, whose alumni include some of the UK’s biggest jazznames. Returning to the north east Ruth began carving out a niche for herself as one of the region’s most sought after and accomplished jazz singers, performing at prestigious venues including The Sage Gateshead, South Shields Customs House, Durham’s Gala Millenium Theatre, the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and a number of international jazz festivals across the UK, including Glasgow, Gateshead and the Isle of Bute. Ruth is also in demand as a vocal tutor and is the voice coach on the Bachelor of Music degree course at Newcastle College. She cites her main influences as Julie London, Anita O’Day, Carmen McRae and Chet Baker. For media enquiries contact Anna Richardson on 07727 139 078 or anna-richardson@tiscali.co.uk