Chicago Jazz CD - Import

Born in India, raised in New York and making her home in San Francisco, Vandana Bali was surrounded by music from early childhood. She sang her very first solo in the mid 70's (accompanying herself on a simple guitar that she made just for the occasion) at her grandparent's party over winter vacation in India at the age of six. She hasn't stopped singing since then.

A classically-trained vocalist with a 3-octave range, Vandana enjoys singing powerhouse songs just as much as she loves singing sultry, soothing standards. Her primary influences include Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Patti LuPone, Sam Harris and Barbra Streisand.

Vandana has always welcomed any opportunity to perform before a crowd. She has performed at festivals throughout Europe, at weddings and at clubs in San Francisco and New York. She sang the national anthem at a Knick's game at Madison Square Garden with a select choir while in college. In February 2006, she performed at a local talent spotlight at San Francisco's historic Plush Room, one of the top cabaret venues in the country.

It was then, that at the age of twelve, with a borrowed book and his mothers old classical guitar William started writing and singing his own songs. Country music with it s gripping texts became an issue ... Calypso with the beat… His friends at school were listening to hard rock ... And William was singing lead Tenor in The Five of Hearts, an accapella combo doing â€Ĺ"Under the Boardwalk”... Gaining stage experience... As well as writing a few songs of his own.

At nineteen, after College, he left Barbados for Switzerland, his mother s home land ... Culture shock...! The Army ... University ...But he was soon singing in and writing songs for up to four bands at once, playing everything from reggae to funk, rock to punk and folk ... William had heard his calling and quit his studies.