“...a warm, expressive voice which she uses expertly to create moods from sultry to joyous...”
Catherine was born in Chiswick but spent her formative years in Lancashire, the Midlands and then Madrid before
returning to London, older, wiser but still unable to tap dance!
She is a seasoned performer having spent 8 years in musical theatre on an amateur basis in such roles as Katy Brown
in Calamity Jane, Mabel in Mack & Mabel and Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street. She then moved into jazz singing in 2001
via the open mike circuit in London and has been inspired by the musicians she met along the way such as: James Pearson, Ian
Shaw, Pete Churchill and Bob Stuckey.
“My favourite Jazz Open Mike event - Singers Night, run by Chris Legee, always has top notch musicians
accompanying the singers – what better way to learn.”
Catherine and Linda Poole formed a jazz singing duo called the Pink Ladies and from 2001 to 2007 they performed
at venues such as the Battersea Barge, Casa Nostra, The Vortex Jazz Club and Pizza on the Park. They have also provided
the music for private functions such as weddings and birthday parties both as a duo and solo performers. Catherine has
been invited several times to perform at charity gigs on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Relief at Pizza on the Park.
“Anney (Boadu) has organised some amazing events on behalf of her favourite charity, Macmillan, with the help
of jazz greats such as Ian Shaw, Claire Martin, Trudy Kerr and Frank Holder. It is always a pleasure to be asked to participate.”
In March 2007 Catherine took part in the Angela Carrington Jazz Awards, judged by Lee Gibson, Anton Brown, Dave Gelly
and Steve Rubie and was highly commended.
“The Angela Carrington Awards were set up by Brian Shaw and Chris Legee in memory of a very special lady whom I met when I first started going
to Singers Night Jazz Open Mike at the Tatty Bogle. She was a great source of encouragement to new singers - we all miss her.”
Catherine has attended workshops with Lee Gibson, Sheila Jordan and Clare Foster. Her influences include: Ella Fitzgerald, Hoagy
Carmichael, Nina Simone, Patricia Barber, Barbra Streisand, Anita O’Day, Joni Mitchell......to name a few.