Liane Carroll

Liane Carroll was born in London and raised in Hastings, where she currently lives with her husband, bassist Roger Carey. She started playing the piano at the age of three, under the tutorage of concert pianist Phyllis Catling, but soon developed a deep passion for everything jazz, soul and beyond. Both of her parents were singers and, following their divorce when Liane was six, she stayed with her mother and sister at her grand-parents’ house, where she was lovingly encouraged to carry on making as much of a racket as possible.

In Hastings, at the age of 15, she started to appear with various bands both as a singer, pianist and composer. In 1988 she joined Trevor Watts’ ‘Moire Music’ featuring Liam Genockey, Nana Tsiboe and Simon Picard, where they would embark on several world tours.

After leaving the band, she appeared with many varied line-ups, including the Dave Holdsworth band, featuring bassist Roger Carey, and drummer Dave Trigwell.

In 1990, she formed her own trio, married Roger Carey, now the resident bass player in the band, and continued to work with many visiting outfits, including two recordings and a tour with Gerry Rafferty, two tours with US guitar legend Jerry Donahue, and many European tours with the legendary Long John Baldry.

At the same time, she met and started working and touring with guitarist/songwriter Peter Kirtley and joined the band alongside Steve Lamb (bass) and Greg Leppard (drums). As a unit, they would later record a charity song, ‘Little Children’ (written by Kirtley) for the children of Brazil, with Sir Paul McCartney.

Since 1993, Liane has appeared as a headline act at the legendary Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club, where she has also recorded two live CD’s for their Jazz House label. She continues to be a regular at the celebrated 606 Club, in Chelsea.

In 2001, as well as keeping busy with her trio and solo work, she joined the live Drum & Bass outfit, ‘London Elektricity.’ They would later tour New Zealand, Brazil (where they headlined to 50,000 people) and Glastonbury Festival, 2005. While the fast soul music was a slight departure from Liane’s own work with her trio, it would prove an incredibly exciting time in her career, involving the release of two CD’s and DVD’s (check discography).

2003 saw the launch of her first solo album, ‘Billy No Mates,’ a haunting and intimate collection of standards and originals, for the Independent label, Splash Point Records. The album was her biggest selling to date and, as well as being critically acclaimed, went on to win her two BBC Jazz Awards in 2005. She is the only musician ever to have picked up two of these awards in the same year.

In 2005, she released ‘Standard Issue,’ with Splash Point, this time at Abbey Road studios, famous for its luscious piano sound. The album featured her trio, as well as special guests; Ian Shaw, a long-time friend and collaborator, and Bobby Wellins, perhaps our most beloved tenor saxophonist. It would also prove a hit with the critics and in 2006, enabled her to pick up the Marston Pedigree Jazz Award. She would later become the subject of an hour long television programme for the BBC, which featured a performance by Liane and her trio at the Brecon Jazz Festival.

2007, saw Liane undertake a busy touring schedule with her trio as well as performing solo at the piano at many of the UK’s more intimate settings. In May she won ‘Best female jazz vocalist’ at the first Ronnie Scotts Jazz Awards. June saw her trio make a head-line appearance from Glastonbury Festival, which was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3's 'Jazz Line-up.'.

Her eagerly awaited second solo album, 'Slow Down,' was released in September with Splashpoint Records and launched to a sell-out audience at the 606 Club in London. It has since received superb reviews and was in December picked by the Sunday Times as one of their top five jazz albums of the year. A track from the album was also featured by Mojo Magazine in their 'Mojo's Top 10' Playlist selection.

Liane is currently touring and promoting her latest release, the DVD 'Liane Carroll Trio LIVE,' launched at the South Bank's Purcell Room in February 2008. She has just picked up the 2008 Parliamentary Jazz Award for 'Musician Of The Year.' The ceremony was held in May at the House of Commons, and hosted by Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini.

The Liane Carroll Trio currently comprises: Liane Carroll (Vocals/Piano), Roger Carey (Electric Bass) and Mark Fletcher (Drums).