Patricia Barber - Biography
By Marcus Kagler
Distinguished by her husky (almost bluesy) vocals, lyrical wit, and uncanny ability to mold pop songs into her own quasi-avant-garde style; Patricia Barber wasn’t exactly the poster child for early ‘90s vocal jazz. Barber could have easily been the next Dee Dee Bridgewater but she sacrificed fame for creative control. The decision may’ve set her back about ten years but after a lot of hard work and a string of critically acclaimed albums, Barber’s hard-headed approach ultimately won her an enduring fan base and secured her a place as one of America’s most adored modern jazz vocalists.
The daughter of jazz musician Floyd “Shim” Barber (a former member of Glenn Miller’s orchestra) and a musician mother, Barber initially resisted the call of a professional music career. Only after finishing university did Barber begin her dalliance with professional music upon return to her native Chicago. After being rejected from almost every club in the “Windy City,” Barber finally secured a residency at the Gold Star Sardine Bar. It was a humble start, but Barber would slowly gain popularity within Chicago’s jazz circles. In 1989, she self released her debut full length, Split on her own Floyd Records imprint. The album was surprisingly well-received and Barber was soon signed to the major label, Verve Records. Her sophomore effort, A Distortion of Love (1992-Verve) earned her more critical accolades and a broader fan base. Barber felt constricted by the politics of working for a major label, however. Seeking more creative control, Barber switched to the small independent Premonition label to issue her next two albums, Café Blue (1994-Premonition) and Modern Cool (1998-Premonition). The albums did well locally.
When the Premonition label was purchased by major label Blue Note Records, Barber received the marketing clout she needed to garner worldwide attention. Her 2002 full length, Verse (Blue Note) was a huge success and definitively established Barber as one of the world’s premiere jazz vocalists. The following year Barber was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship allowing her to create an album based on Ovid’s Metamorphosis. After releasing the live album, Live: A Fortnight in France (2004-Blue Note) Barber made good on the Guggenheim grant and released the Ovid-inspired full-length, Mythologies (2006-Blue Note) to rave critical reviews.
