Beata Pater, one of the most innovative, versatile, and interesting jazz singers today, is not only an improvising voice but also an arranger and composer. Her haunting voice can be heard on moody ballads just as well as on uptempo songs. She is known for her wordless flights as well as her ability to find the hidden meanings in lyrics. She is a memorable performer, whether she’s performing vintage standards or originals. Beata Pater’s latest recording, “Red”, is her third in the “color” series. Beata, along with her previous album “Blue”, is Beata’s lead instrument. She sings original compositions that express her distinctive tone, which has led to the album being airplayed all over the world. Tania Maria and Flora Purim have been compared. Beata’s jazz vocals are accompanied by an infectious, energetic groove that was created by a group of musicians. Beata Pater was raised in Poland. When she was six years old, Beata Pater began going to music school and was trained extensively as a violinist. She grew up listening to jazz and pop music because her father was a huge fan of many genres of music. Donny Hathaway and Jaco Pastorius were some of her early influences. Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and John Coltrane are also among those she cites. Her violin professor’s wife was also very important. She noticed her strong voice at eight years old and encouraged her to become a singer. Beata started her first band, Funlight, at the age of 14. It was a mixture of fusion, jazz, pop, rock, and jazz. She sang, but she also played the piano and was a strong arranger-composer. Funlight performed well in Poland, where they were frequently heard on radio and toured. Beata recorded and performed with Deuter and also made records with Igor Czerniawksi, AYA RL and others. Beata, then 18, went to England as part a professor exchange program. She worked as a teacher and sang whenever she could. This made a lasting impression. “I was able to travel to Japan for six month, and I got a contract with CBS/Sony to be a recording session musician. Beata spent six months in Japan and eventually turned into ten years. She was busy making commercials, singing in movies, appearing in countless sessions, and being a Yamaha School of Music teacher. Beata was a frequent performer in jazz clubs. She performed with jazz musicians such as drummer Jimmy Smith and pianist Walter Bishop Jr. She performed at Birdland in Manhattan and toured Asia. Beata recorded her debut on Session in 1993 as a leader. She was joined by Bootza Necak and pianist Donny Schwekendier. It’s not bad, she modestly states, considering it was recorded in both a club and a studio. “Whisper Not” was the best performance. It was a duet that I performed with Bootza. Beata formed a new band after meeting top American musicians near the end of her time in Japan. After I’d been in Japan for ten year, my band members decided to move back to the U.S. The San Francisco Bay area was a favorite of mine so I moved to America 15 years ago. Beata was inspired by the Japanese musicians she knew and became a musician. She released Duet in 1998, which was a collaboration with Buca Nakak, her long-time bassist from Japan. “On Duet we took some standard songs, broken them down and used interludes to connect the various sections and movements. These aren’t typical versions.” The name Blackout was given to Beata in 2003, after New York suffered a major blackout. Beata was recording a pop album together with Oda Yuichiro. “We continued to compose by candlelight and using an old-fashioned tape recording device that used batteries. They recorded the album again two days later. It featured Yuichiro’s music and Beata’s lyrics. Black is the first color in the series. Beata’s original and creative versions of songs such as “Blue Skies”, “September In The Rain,” and “Nice” highlight the album.
