Liane Carroll

English vocalist, pianist and keyboardist

Liane Carroll (born 9 February 1964, London) is an English vocalist, pianist and keyboardist. Jazz critic Dave Gelly of The Observer has described her as "one of the most stylistically flexible pianists around, with a marvellous, slightly husky singing voice". According to John Fordham of The Guardian, she is "a powerful, soul inflected performer with an Ella Fitzgerald like improv athleticism and an emotional frankness on ballads". Peter Quinn of Jazzwise says: "Liane Carroll has that rare ability to meld effortless, often transcendent vocal and piano technique, with heart stopping emotion and soul bearing power." Nick Hasted of The Independent says that she is "still frustratingly little known" but calls her "one of Britain's most emotionally visceral and accomplished singers". Her five albums since 2009 have each received four starred reviews in The Guardian or The Observer.

Carroll's parents were semi professional singers who, she says, met and sang at the Country Club in Eastbourne. She grew up in a musical household in Hastings and in south London. She started learning the piano at the age of three,

In 1998 Carroll joined Trevor Watts' Moiré Music band and toured overseas with them. From 1996 onwards Carroll started working with Hospital Records. In 2003 she toured internationally with a band formed by Hospital Records' owner Tony Colman, playing at the Brazilian Electro Dance Music Festival in Brasilia. In the early 2000s she began recording for the Splash Point label, releasing a series of recordings that embraced jazz, R&B and the singer songwriter tradition. From 2005 onwards, she decided to focus on her jazz work. and Gerry Rafferty to Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

In 2005 Liane Carroll won two awards in the BBC Jazz Awards: Best Vocalist and Best of Jazz. In 2006 she won the Marston Pedigree Jazz Award for best vocalist. Her album Up and Down won in the Jazz Album of the Year category at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards in May 2012. In 2016 she won a Gold award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA).

Liane Carroll lives in Hastings with her husband Roger Carey, bassist in the Liane Carroll Trio; they married in 1990. and grandchildren from her first marriage.

Album Record label Release date NotesThat's Life (Liane Carroll and Roger Carey)Jazz Art1991ClearlyBridge1 October 1995Features Dave Mattacks (drums) and Roger Carey (bass), with a guest appearance by trumpeter Dick PearceDolly BirdRonnie Scott's Jazz House18 August 1997Recorded live at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club. Features Peter Kirtley (guitar, vocals), Steve Lamb (bass guitar) and Greg Leppard (drums)Son of Dolly BirdRonnie Scott's Jazz House28 January 2002Recorded live at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in January 2001. Features Steve Lamb (bass guitar), Greg Leppard (drums) and special guest Julian Siegel (tenor saxophone)Billy No MatesSplash PointCD (SPR001CD) on 14 September 2003Carroll's first solo album. Recorded live on 5 June 2005 at Studio 1, Abbey Road Studios. Features the Liane Carroll Trio (Roger Carey on bass guitar and Greg Leppard on drums) and guests Ian Shaw (vocals), John Parricelli (guitar) and Bobby Wellins (tenor saxophone)Slow DownSplash PointCD (SPR004CD) on 24 September 2007 Solo album; Ian Shaw guests on one trackLiane Live DVDSplash PointDVD (SPR007DVD) on 4 February 2008Featuring concert by the Liane Carroll Trio (Roger Carey on bass and Mark Fletcher on drums) at the Brecon Jazz Festival 2006; Ian Shaw guests on one trackOne Good ReasonQnote, distributed by Universal MusicCD (QNT 10110) on 21 July 2008Recorded in 2002, as part of "The Passion" with Jacqui Dankworth and Sara ColmanBreak Even (with John Etheridge) Dekkor CD (RCD 027) on 24 November 2008With Hammond organist Pete Whittaker and drummer Mark FletcherBest Standard Issue SSG Entertainment CD (DC 9648) on 23 December 2008 This album was released in Germany. Live at the Lampie (with Brian Kellock)Splash PointCD (SPR009CD) on 11 May 2009Recorded live at The Blue Lamp pub in AberdeenUp and DownQuietmoney, distributed by Proper RecordsCD (QMR0001CD) on 27 June 2011Recorded in London, Hastings, Brighton, Prague and Memphis, Tennessee, it features Kenny Wheeler, Kirk Whalum, Julian Siegel and James McMillan as guest soloistsBallads Quietmoney, distributed by Proper RecordsCD (QMR0002CD) on 15 April 2013Recorded in Hastings, it features Mark Edwards (piano), Gwilym Simcock (piano), Julian Siegel (bass clarinet) and Kirk Whalum (tenor saxophone) with orchestration and big band arrangements by Chris Walden and includes Sophie Bancroft's song "Calgary Bay", performed with the Prague Philharmonic OrchestraSeasideLinnCD (AKD 533) on 18 September 2015 Recorded in Hastings, this studio album received four starred reviews in The Guardian, The Observer and Mojo magazine. The title track was written by Joe Stilgoe The Observer and the London Evening Standard.