Shanna Carlson

“Carlson's gently swinging way...carries with it conviction and displays with abundance a talent for conveying the inner message of the lyric in a bedroom-warm contralto.”               W. Royal Stokes JAZZ TIMES

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“She has an appealing and clear voice, a strong sense of swing and at times sounds like a mix of Rosemary Clooney and Ernestine Anderson,
straddling the boundary between jazz and middle-of-the-road cabaret music.”              Scott Yanow JAZZ LINK

“Shanna Carlson...clearly talent deserving wider recognition... vocally she covers all the bases and shines through as a fine pianist and composer as well...good taste and real musicality.”          Dick Conte, KCSM-FM

In 1994 she released her first CD "Swing High, Swing Low" featuring the title track written by Carroll Coates and six originals penned with lyricist Ken McKenzie, as well as such standards as "The Very Thought Of You" and Duke Ellington's “Love You Madly”.

“The highlights of Swing High, Swing Low for me are Carlson soaring into "Looking At You", giving the Cole Porter gem a fresh, ebullient read...and the six-pack of originals which demonstrate that she is not only an exquisite interpreter of standards but also a composer.

Dan Ouellette, 

DOWN BEAT, STEREOPHILE,  SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
 

In 1995 she composed twelve tunes for, and performed in,
the one-woman musical “Roads Taken” with book
and lyrics by Ken McKenzie.

“...her greatest asset is her ability to put a song across, with an intensity and conviction that forces you to really FEEL the lyric. This is because she so obviously feels it herself...”             Ken McKenzie

She has appeared at the San Jose Jazz Festival,
The Plush Room, Yoshi's, Stanford Jazz Vocal Series
and many MANY others.

“Shanna Carlson is a vibrant, passionate singer...
a wonderfully creative performer, who crafts a fine line between stnd sensitivity.”rength a

Marian McPartland, JAZZ PIANIST/
HOST OF NPR’S ‘PIANO JAZZ’

In addition to performing in virtually every city in the Bay Area, she has appeared in Seattle, Portland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Dallas, Carson City and Prescott, Arizona as well as Sweden, Norway and England.

“Shanna has a beautiful voice with a smoky-sultry
edge and a dramatic presence that's exceptional among singers. She makes a classic lyric come alive...an artist who constantly surprises you with new things and interesting twists on old standards."

Robert Tate, JAZZ NOW