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Artscene Oakville Beaver · WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 37 Young jazz singer's career is blossoming By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Everything happened at once for Marieve Herington. In the space of a week, the St. Mildred'sLightbourn School grad landed the lead role in a cartoon, recorded her debut solo jazz album and moved to Toronto to start her first year at the University of Toronto. "So here I am, I've moved to Toronto, then I have an audition for a cartoon, then boom, record the CD, then by the way you got the lead in the cartoon," said the 20-year-old, smiling. "It was crazy." So crazy, in fact, that even though all of that happened two years ago, Herington is just now releasing "Of course, all my her debut album, friends are really Blossoming. "It's been a long into the Backstreet time coming," she Boys at this point, said of the album, and I'm listening which was reto all this jazz leased last Friday from the 1940s in Toronto and is available on iTunes and even earlier." and at major Marieve Herington, music stores, including HMV. speaking on her early "I decided to musical influences take the time I wanted to do the CD, and the timing is finally right," she said. "It's more a reflection of who I was in 2004. I look at it as kind of a point of departure." The album, which features classic Jazz tracks in both French and English like I Won't Dance and Plus Je t'embrasse, was named Blossoming to reflect the changes happening in Herington's life, and also to honour the woman who inspired her to pursue jazz: Blossom Dearie. An American jazz singer who got her start in the 1960s, Dearie was renowned for her higher, girlish-sounding voice. When Herington first began singing jazz professionally at age 16, it was Dearie she was often compared to. "When I heard her music for the first time, I just loved it," she said. "Of course, all of my friends are really into the Backstreet Boys at this point, and I'm listening to all this jazz BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER MULTI-TALENTED: Oakville's Marieve Herington, who has just released her debut solo jazz CD, Blossoming, is also a third-year drama student at the University of Toronto, and the voice of Delilah for the animated series Delilah and Julius. from the 1940s and even earlier." pop, Herington made the switch to jazz at Herington also caught the jazz bug early about age 13. because she grew up listening to classics by "Pop was taking that turn to the Britney artists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Spears, Christina Aguilera, half-naked Frank Sinatra under the influence of her thing," she said. "I wasn't really into that." father, Gordon, an accomplished musician Herington gained notice after 91.9 Jazz himself. FM DJ Jaymz Bee heard one of her demo Though she began singing Broadway and records. Having produced numerous jazz CDs, it was Bee who produced Blossoming and helped Herington in many other aspects of her singing career. "I'm really fortunate, I've had a lot of help along the way," she said. "I was fortunate to work with talented people who shared my vision." Those people include the band members who played on her CD -- Waylen Miki, Brandi Disterheft, Great Bob Scott, Colleen Allen, Kevin Clark and Arsen Torlakovi. The group recorded Blossoming in one weekend at a farm just north of Oakville. "It was great, we recorded it in a barn on the old two-inch tape," said Herington, smiling. "It was important to me to still keep that character to the record and the songs," which, she added, "are resurrected from way, way back." Just starting her third year in Drama at The U of T, Herington's CD release was her last big project at the end of a busy summer. First, she was included in the jazz compilation CD Toronto Launch Pad, which was released in May, featuring nine jazz vocalists and the Royal Jelly Orchestra. Also a member of Babes in Jazzland, an 11-piece all-female group that puts a jazz spin on pop songs, the group released its CD in June. Soon after, Herington found out she'd be doing a second season as the voice of Delilah for the Canadian animated series Delilah and Julius, which airs on Teletoon. Targeted at older kids and teens, the show is about two young adults who fight international crime. "Not only are Delilah and Julius super spies, but we also used to date, so there's that sexual undertone that pops out in every episode. It's really funny," said Herington, smiling. "The voiceover is really fun. I have a ball doing it." While she admits juggling the cartoon, school and her singing career isn't easy, Herington wouldn't have it any other way. "Singing and acting are both such passions of mine," she said. "It's busy, but I love it." For more on Marieve Herington, visit www.marieve.com. -- Krissie Rutherford can be reached at krutherford@oakvillebeaver.com. Our Best Sale Doctor's appointments arranged VISIT OUR EXPERTS TO REVIEW HUNDREDS OF OPTIONS FOR YOU! EVER! Incredible Savings on all Lenses COMPLETE PACKAGES include Lens & frame Thin lenses Anti-reflective Anti-scratch Incredible deals on lined & no-line bifocals SPACE OPTICAL 125 Cross Ave. (across from Home Depot) Oakville 905-842-2821 $ Single Vision from 193 Limited time offer based on availability