official website for Rita di Ghent - Rita di Ghent - News

Finally! The Rita's Parlour CD

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

It's in the can, folks, and will soon be available...all your Rita's Parlour faves on this debut Rita's Parlour disc, recorded live and raw...just the way you like it!

Lingerie Francaise Concert

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Great photo of the Lionesses in Bizbash:

http://www.bizbash.com/toronto/gallery-images/?id=21214&ord=8

Rita Wins The Thomas T. Tuttle Award

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Rita wins The Thomas T. Tuttle Award

The T. Temple Tuttle Prize was established in 2001 in memory of Tom Tuttle (Ed.D., Maryland) a founding member of the Niagara Chapter and Professor at Cleveland State University, Coordinator of World Music Studies; Director, Indian Cultural Studies Program,World Musics area studies, mridangam.

Rita won the award for her paper "Gender Wayang on Piano: How an Expert
Solves the Problem" presented in Feb 2011 at The Eastman Scool of Music, Rochester, NY

New Review from WholeNote Magazine

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

All Baby Wants is Me

Rita di Ghent

Groove Classic (www.ritadighent.com)

In her seventh and latest recording “All Baby Wants is Me” evocative songstress Rita Di Ghent presents a tasty sampling of much loved standards as well as two original compositions, including the jaunty title track. Di Ghent’s trademark haute-cabaret presentation and impeccable good taste are in full swing on this highly enjoyable recording. She effortlessly conjures up visions of smoke-filled speak-easies, and the bluesier numbers are well-served by her smoky, understated vocal style - reminiscent of the late great Lee Wiley.

Rita served as producer and arranger on this project, and she has surrounded herself with an elegant supporting cast of Dave Restivo on piano and B3 organ, Marc Rogers on bass, Daniel Barnes on drums, multi-cultural jazz artist Kenny Kirkwood on saxophone, Nick “Brownman” Ali on trumpet and Fred Raulston on vibes/percussion. The ensemble is nothing short of perfection, and never overpowers the diaphanous Di Ghent. Dave Restivo is acknowledged as one of the most gifted jazz pianists on the scene today, and on this recording he also shows himself to be a masterful accompanist - in the best possible Alan Broadbent sense.

Di Ghent’s clever composition, Nicely Situated is a song in search of a Broadway show, and she delivers it with humour, flair and melodic integrity. Other outstanding tracks include an up-tempo What a Little Moonlight Can Do and George Gershwin’s classic I’ve Got a Crush on You, replete with a gorgeous string arrangement and performance from Jaro Jarosil.

Scott Yanow Review of All Baby Wants is Me

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Rita di Ghent is an excellent jazz singer from Toronto. While she has performed a wide variety of music, All Baby
Wants Is Me has 11 veteran standards and two of her songs. Joined by Dave Restivo on piano and organ, a rhythm
section, saxophonist Kenny Kirkwood, trumpeter Nick Ali and vibraphonist Fred Raulston, she revives Joe Mooney's
“Nowhere,” introduces the title track, and comes up with fresh approaches to such songs as “You Go To My Head,”
“You're Not The Kind,” “What A Little Moonlight Can Do” and “You Hit The Spot.” While it might be a mistake at
this point to sing “Over The Rainbow” (it has been done before!), her version beats most of the ones out today. Rita
di Ghent sometimes reshapes the melodies a bit to fit her voice and mood, and does a fine job of filling her
interpretations with subtle surprises. She is a singer well worth discovering. All Baby Wants Is Me is available from
www.ritadighent.com.

All Baby Wants is Me Review From Russia

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700

We are almost confident that the name Rita di Ghent, and the title of her disc "All Baby Wants Is Me", which was released by Groove Classic, - is a novelty (or something new), it is new for us personally as well. Moreover, interesting discovery is waiting for CD enthusiasts: Rita di Ghent, who informs little about herself (or who doesn't let us know a lot about herself), had her debut at the beginning of the 1990s in New York. However, unlike most of her fellow countrymen (or people that live in the same country as you) did not "get lost" (or fail) in the USA. For the most part, Rita di Ghent is teaching jazz vocal in her native land Canada. Gradually (or little by little) she releases CDs and composes jazz songs, which could well become international hits. This is the case, for example, with the title (or the one same with heading) track, All Baby Wants Is Me. This melody, along with another original one, as well as two popular-jazz "evergreens" will introduce CD enthusiasts (or music lovers) to this remarkable person and singer.