Welcome to the Official Website of Salena Jones . . .
Salena is now looking forward greatly to her second 2011 tour of Japan, and her comprehensive Japanese website at http://www.bavic.co.jp/SalenaJones/ includes the itinerary, band members` profile and much other information.
Her earlier visit, across July and August, encompassed concert halls, clubs, and the Imperial Jazz Festival with the Blue Sky Big Band in Tokyo and Osaka, as well as the Hokkaido Jazz Festival. Salena so much enjoyed seeing many of her friends and fans following the tragic tsunami events of March, which greatly affected her.
Salena recently appeared at London`s newly-refurbished, The Pheasantry, in Chelsea accompanied by the Geoff Eales Trio, and will return to this smart new venue in the new year www.pizzaexpresslive.com
Salena was busy in the recording studios earlier this spring, working with her husband, the composer and arranger, Keith Mansfield. As well as recording some wonderful old blues songs with small group ensembles, Salena has also re-recorded some of her earlier repertoire but with new big band and string arrangements re-worked by Keith.
Salena`s autobiography "Have You Met Miss Jones?" has now been printed and can be ordered through this website.
Earlier this year, Salena again sold-out London's Ronnie Scott's where she still holds the record for her seven consecutive weeks’ run at this famous jazz club. BLUESAND SOUL.COM wrote “Salena Jones reinforced the saying "form is temporary, class is permanent" with a truly moving version of 'Everything Must Change' a classic evocative ballad”; and TIME OUT “Stunning British-based US singer with a touch of Sarah Vaughan in her technique and a feel for working intimate jazz venues, Jones is on fine form, and packs a soulful and emotional punch live”.
Salena generates such a sense of intimacy in her style and presence. It is a high-wire act, without props, artifice or arena-style amplification; Salena speaks directly to the audience and they are entranced and just keep coming back for more.
Salena made three visits to Japan last year, in 2010, latterly for five weeks over November and December for concerts and to promote her new album, `Salena sings J-Ballads` – her first on the Pony Canyon label, which features Salena`s interpretations of popular hit songs previously recorded in Japanese, some of which have been translated especially for her. Salena appeared on the Fuji FNS Festival, broadcast nationwide, singing one of the songs in a live duet with the Japanese pop star `JuJu`.
Following her earlier visit in August to headline the 2010 Muroran Jazz Festival in Hokkaido where she sang to 3,000 people, Salena returned to England having been asked to appear at a memorial concert to Chris Dagley, a musician with whom she had worked since he was a very young man and whom she held in warm affection.
Here is a `Jazzwise` review extract of what was a special evening:
“Jamie Cullum, Salena Jones and Carleen Anderson Pay Emotional Tribute To Ronnie Scott’s House Drummer Chris Dagley – 20th September . . . .
There was a suitably warm atmosphere at a packed Ronnie Scott’s last night as the great and the good, including club owners Sally Greene and Michael Watt, club members and the cream of UK jazz talent, paid tribute to the dearly departed house drummer Chris Dagley, who tragically died on 28 July.
One of the early, and unexpected, highlights was an appearance by Virginia-born vocals veteran Salena Jones, her molasses sweet voice recalling Nina Simone’s bittersweet melancholy on a deeply moving trio of songs. She’d hit the emotional core of the night that some of the more effusive performances had slightly avoided, albeit in celebratory tribute to Dagley’s infectious energy ......”
Jazz fm included Salena`s classic version of `Am I The Same Girl`, arranged by Keith Mansfield, on their latest 2010 Soul Cellar album, where she is in good company with Aretha Franklin, Ben E King and Little Richard. You can hear this great track on this website under Videos.
During 2009, Salena also made three concert and festival visits to Japan, and headlined the ‘Diva’s In The Park’ July festival in Thailand. In October that year.
On You Tube there is a nostalgic Japanese production of Salena Jones’s biography – from her Newport News origins as Joan Shaw, to New York, emigration to Europe and England, and brief highlights of her outstanding career: www.youtube.com. This is one of a growing number of videos (now several dozens) posted by Salena`s fans around the world.
... the beautiful voice of swing