User:Lucianagarciahuidobro/sandbox

Gina Saputo is one of LA's most in demand Jazz singers.

Early Life

A native of Springfield, Oregon, Gina was born to sing and raised in a home full of music. She started training classically at the age of 8 in the Oregon Children’s Choir and had her first paying gig at the age of 11. By the age of 15 she was putting together her own groups and regularly singing in jazz clubs, often waiting outside during breaks because she was underage. She went on to study Jazz on scholarship at the University of Southern California and graduate studies at the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute, now known as the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.

Career

Gina has performed all over the world, including for the State Department in Washington, D.C., and toured Viet Nam with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Nnenna Freelon. Gina enjoyed 4 tours in Japan, her last with Grammy nominated pianist Bill Cunliffe. She has performed headlining tours in South Korea 5 times, in Oregon with pianist Benny Green, at Club Nokia at LA Live in Downtown LA, Savannah Jazz Festival with Doc Handy, The Discovery Series in Jacksonville, Florida, with John Lumpkin and the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival, She recently taught in Beijing, China, for a music camp and continues to teach clinics as a guest speaker and adjudicate jazz festivals all over the US.

Her first commercial realeased CD came out in 2004 with rave reviews, “Gina Saputo” featured Gerald Clayton, and climbed to #3 on Japan’s Swing Journal charts. Her 2nd CD was promotional release only "Live at the Omni", featured the legendary Plas Johnson on Saxophone. A prize possession amongst few. Her new release Duetto is sure to be met with the same success. She won First Place at the Big Stage Vocal Competition and was the vocalist for Orange County Music Awards winning band for Best Jazz in Orange County, 2009, 2010, and nominated with her own band in 2013 and 2014.

She has lived in Los Angeles since moving for college and has become a regular at LA's top jazz clubs, recording sessions and on the LA scene. Recently, Gina was featured performing and appearing in “The last Tycoon” for Amazon through Sony Pictures, where her scene and song were featured on Entertainment weekly’s sneak peak. She has been featured on Good Day LA with Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra, B.Glen of OC beauty Magazine featurette, Entertainment Weekly Sneak Peak and a recent interview and performance on LA Talk Radio and has graced the cover of the LA Jazz Scene Newspaper.

Gina recently became the featured vocalist for Disneyland's longest running Swing Orchestra, who have performed at the Royal Swing Ball in Disneyland Park for over 35 years. She also sings at Disney's exclusive Club 33 and The Jazz Kitchen. Gina can be seen performing regularly with actor and pianist Jeff Goldblum and his band, the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, George Kahn’s Jazz and Blues Revue, Paul Young Quintet, Slide Fx Trombone Tentet, Rusty Stiers Band, Tenth and California, Swingtown, Side Street Strutters and her own groups.

Discography Category:Musicians Category:Singer