Barbra Lica
{{Short description|Canadian jazz singer}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Barbra Lica
| image = Barbra Lica 2014.jpg
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| genre = Jazz
| occupation = Singer, songwriter, arranger
| instrument = Vocals
| years_active =
| label = Justin Time
| website = {{URL|www.barbralicamusic.com}}
}}
Barbra Lica is a Canadian jazz singer and songwriter based in Toronto. She was named one of Canada's top upcoming female jazz artists and was the first runner-up in the 2013 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Competition. Lica received her first Juno Award nomination in 2017 for I'm Still Learning under the category Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.
Career
Barbra Lica was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She grew up in a musical family, and discovered jazz at the age of six.{{cite web |title=Barbra Lica: Biography |publisher=Canadian Jazz Archive |url=http://www.canadianjazzarchive.org/en/musicians/barbra-lica.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402152411/http://www.canadianjazzarchive.org/en/musicians/barbra-lica.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 2, 2015}} She studied at the University of Toronto, receiving a Bachelor of Music along with a major in Human Biology.{{cite news |last=Crawford |first=Trish |title=Barbra Lica sings heart out on new jazz record |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=16 January 2013 |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2013/01/16/barbra_lica_sings_heart_out_on_new_jazz_record.html}}
In 2012, Lica released her debut album That's What I Do. It was released with a live-to-air concert broadcast on JAZZ.FM91.{{cite web|title=Barbra Lica |publisher=Niagara Jazz Festival |url=http://niagarajazzfestival.com/gallery/b-lica/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722091735/http://niagarajazzfestival.com/gallery/b-lica/ |archivedate=2014-07-22 }} The album opened at #1 on iTunes Canada's jazz chart, and was released the following year in Japan by Universal Records.{{cite web|title=Barbra Lica |publisher=Triplet |url=http://tripletrecords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66:barbra-lica&catid=38&Itemid=60 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402143151/http://tripletrecords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66%3Abarbra-lica&catid=38&Itemid=60 |archivedate=2015-04-02 }} That's What I Do was produced by Juno-winning jazz producer/bassist/recording artist Paul Novotny, and featured instrumentalists Reg Schwager, Kevin Turcotte, Joe Sealy, Robi Botos, Archie Alleyne, Steve Heathcote, Perry White, Brian Dickinson, and Rob Piltch. Novotny and Sealy had first been introduced to Lica when she guest-starred on the duo's acclaimed 2009 album, Songs.{{cite web|title="Songs" reviewed by Peter Sellers, writer |url=http://tripletrecords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55:qsongsq-reviewed-by-peter-sellers-writer&catid=41:reviews&Itemid=72 |website=triplet.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402094249/http://tripletrecords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55%3Aqsongsq-reviewed-by-peter-sellers-writer&catid=41%3Areviews&Itemid=72 |archivedate=2015-04-02 }} The track featuring Lica, "You're Gonna Miss Me," was played on JAZZ.FM91, marking the first time Lica was on the radio.
In November 2013, Barbra competed in and placed first runner-up in the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in New Jersey. Judges for the competition included Al Jarreau, Gretchen Parlato, and Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer.{{cite web|title=Past Competitions |publisher=Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition |url=http://www.sarahvaughancompetition.com/history.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217232850/http://sarahvaughancompetition.com/history.html |archivedate=2015-02-17 }}
Lica's second full-length album, Kissing You, was first performed in public in December 2014 at Koerner Hall, and was officially released in January 2015. The album was produced in collaboration with Lou Pomanti, and was mixed by Juno-winner Jeff Wolpert, and features Reg Schwager, Kevin Turcotte, Mark Kelso, Marc Rogers, and Kevin Fox.{{cite web |last=Doole |first=Kerry |title=Kissing You |publisher=New Canadian Music |url=http://www.newcanadianmusic.ca/releases/k/kissing-you/barbra-lica/2015-01-06 |access-date=2015-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927190148/http://www.newcanadianmusic.ca/releases/k/kissing-you/barbra-lica/2015-01-06 |archive-date=2015-09-27 |url-status=dead }}
Lica has performed at numerous venues, including at the Rogers Cup (2010){{cite web|title=O Canada Winner Packs her Performance with Personality |url=http://www.rogerscup.com/men/english/newsArchive.php?id=OCanadaWinnerPacksherPerformancewithPersonality |website=Rogers Cup |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402090350/http://www.rogerscup.com/men/english/newsArchive.php?id=OCanadaWinnerPacksherPerformancewithPersonality |archivedate=2015-04-02 }} and Honda Indy (2014),{{cite web|title=Honda Indy Toronto announces performers and celebrity guests for 2014 event|url=http://www.hondaindytoronto.com/more-news-a-announcements/368-honda-indy-toronto-announces-performers-and-celebrity-guests-for-2014-event|website=The Official Website of the Honda Indy Toronto}} with Bob Dorough at Toronto's Jazz Bistro (2013),{{cite web|title=Bob Dorough & Barbra Lica Gallery|url=http://www.jazz.fm/index.php/on-air-mainmenu/gallery-mainmenu-99/view-album/128|website=jazz.fm|access-date=2015-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402100549/http://www.jazz.fm/index.php/on-air-mainmenu/gallery-mainmenu-99/view-album/128|archive-date=2015-04-02|url-status=dead}} at JAZZ.FM91's annual Jazz Lives concert{{cite web|title=Review - View From the Front Row|url=http://www.jazz.fm/index.php/news-a-events-mainmenu/8125-view-from-the-front-row-jazz-lives-2013|website=jazz.fm|access-date=2015-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131356/http://www.jazz.fm/index.php/news-a-events-mainmenu/8125-view-from-the-front-row-jazz-lives-2013|archive-date=2015-04-02|url-status=dead}} among jazz greats Pat Metheny, Terence Blanchard, and Bill Charlap (2013), as well as a featured performance with Sylvia Tyson and Serena Ryder on CBC's 75th Anniversary Special with host Michael Enright.{{cite news |title=Our celebration of CBC's 75th Anniversary! |publisher=CBC Radio |url=http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/shows/2011/10/30/our-celebration-of-cbcs-75th-anniversary/}}
Lica has been called one of Canada's Top 5 Female Jazz Singers by CBC Radio 2 host Tim Tamashiro (Tonic).{{cite web |last=Tamashiro |first=Tim |title=Take 5: Canada's top 5 female jazz singers |publisher=CBC Music |url=http://music.cbc.ca/#!/blogs/2012/7/Take-5-Canadas-top-5-female-jazz-singers}} She has also been described as one of Toronto's top 5 up-and-coming jazz artists by blogTO.{{cite web |last=Thompson |first=Jacob |title=5 up and coming jazz artists in Toronto |publisher=blogTO |url=http://www.blogto.com/music/2014/08/5_up_and_coming_jazz_artists_in_toronto/}}
On February 7, 2017, Lica's album I'm Still Learning was nominated for a Juno Award in the category Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2017/02/07/drake-weeknd-shawn-mendes-get-five-juno-nominations-each.html|title=Drake, Weeknd, Shawn Mendes get five Juno nominations each {{!}} Toronto Star|website=thestar.com|access-date=2017-02-09}}
Discography
=As leader=
- That's What I Do (Triplet/Universal Jazz Japan), 2012)
- Kissing You (2015)
- Love Songs (2015) (Japan)
- Christmas Present
- Who Knows? (2016) (Japan)
- I'm Still Learning (Justin Time, 2016)
- You're Fine (Justin Time, 2018)
=As guest=
- Songs, Joe Sealy (2009)
- Sophisticated Ladies, Peter Appleyard (2012)
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lica, Barbra}}
Category:Canadian women jazz singers
Category:Canadian jazz singers