ila has always sung. She says "The need to sing is in my blood, as part of me as my confidence or my blue eyes." Fortunately for her, she has an angelic voice, which allowed her to pursue her calling. ila began her Bachelor of Music at the tender age of 16, at the (then) Conservatorium of Music, Massey University. There she learned to play piano, arrange, compose and groove in true Jazz style. But if learning came from the Conservatorium then the 'practice makes perfect' came from the bandstand and with the scholarship for excellence, which she had been awarded from the NZ Rotary Club, she bought her first PA and the gigs came rolling. She diligently pursued her passion, finishing as a star pupil before she turned 20 years old.
ila has been gigging professionally since she was 17 and has completed various studio recordings including a TV trailer. She has also worked as a cameo singer and actor for Java Dance Company. ila has gigged in some of Wellington's hottest clubs and bars, Including the infamous Sandwiches and The San Francisco Bathhouse in Wellington as well as The Basement in Sydney and RedRock in South Korea.
ila is currently working on material for her first EP. Watch this space.
Surely ila is one of New Zealands brightest rising stars.
ila on Jazz: Jazz is the ultimate, the crafted melodies and complex harmony that will forever be great. I love jazz because it never gets old. It has a life of its own, you just dont know how the song will turn out until it's done. Nothing beats the feeling when you're playing with some of the top jazz musos in NZ and you're grooving and creating exceptional music. I love improvisation (spontaneous creation of music) it's a challenge, not just writing clever arrangements or looking like a diva but intelligent improv and emotive singing.
UPCOMING EVENTS
25 SEP 2010 8 PM Mussel Inn Golden Bay, Nelson
16 OCT 2010 8 PM Katipo Cafe Wellington Central
"ila scott has a powerful voice with personality to match. She makes classics her own with divine phrasing and a sultry blend of guts and subtlety. She has the audience hanging off each note".
Sacha Copland, Artistic Director of Java Dance Company, NZ
"With a distinct soft, yet powerful, silvery timbre that somehow makes you feel like you're listening to a vintage recording, Ila Scott's agile voice possesses some of the technical mastery of the jazz greats. A talented arranger and songwriter, ila has a soulful flavor that connects with listeners - from jazz standards to her own originals her understated feistiness is well worth checking out ".
Nat McCormack, of The Margaritas, SYD
"ila scott is a fine musician who sings with great feeling for the material she performs. Comfortable in an extensive range of tempos and styles and a capable improviser, she possesses a clear sound and a warm stage presence".
Norman Meehan, Previous Head of Jazz, Conservatorium of Music, WGTN
"In June 2009 ila scott sang for two hours during a dinner I organised for 60 people, in the age range of 30 to 75 years, at the Intercontinental Hotel. Supported by two musicians on guitar and bass, ila's jazz music intermingled beautifully with the conversation throughout the evening. It was common to see people stop talking to listen, with a smile, to songs they knew or to those that simply caught their attention. This jazz helped to establish and maintain the ambience of the evening. Over the following weeks I received many complimentary comments about how both the music and the singing had really rounded out the evening. Many thanks to ila and the two Nicks".
Richard Lodge, Freemasons, NZ
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