LORRAINE FOSTER
Songs In A Mellow Tone

When Lorraine Foster moved to Vancouver in 1991 to join her daughter who had relocated here earlier, she was concerned that “I’d have to start my career all over again from scratch.”

That career had seen her acclaimed as one of her hometown Toronto’s finest jazz vocalists, performing extensively for major hotels, clubs, jazz festivals, and on radio and TV. In the 70s she appeared regularly on CBC TV’s Bob McLean Show and the Tommy Hunter shows

Upon arriving in Vancouver, Lorraine had with her a recently recorded demo tape. Deciding that nothing ventured, nothing gained, she dropped the tape off at the office of legendary bandleader Dal Richards. Within weeks Dal, on the strenghth of that one tape, had invited her to join his orchestra for a gig, which led to her working with Dal for eleven years, headlining his shows at Vancouver’s hottest jazz venues.

Not a bad kick-start to restarting a career!

Years later, in reviewing one of her album releases, Dal wrote: “Lorraine Foster mastered her craft where many of the legendary vocalists of the big band era found their inspiration. Working with a coterie of musicians in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver has given her the ability to know how to deal with both the music and the words. Rhythm is her business and the handiwork of Gershwin, Ellington, Roger and Hart is given her tender loving care as she acquits herself with her usual distinction. Live at the Alma is an album you will want to keep handy to play again and again.”

Over the years Lorraine has recorded with such jazz legends as Linton Garner and the internationally acclaimed Oliver Jones. In 2021 she released her latest album In a Mellow Tone with the multi-talented Miles Black. You can download tracks from that album here.

Other critics and commentators have been just as enthusiastic about later releases. “Foster is a mellow voiced straight ahead vocalist who enjoys strong backing from Miles Black on piano, Rene Worst on bass and Oliver Gannon on guitar. Compositions By Musicians has a nicely relaxed feeling that immediately draws your attention and holds it. The folks in Vancouver are lucky to have a quality singer like Lorraine Foster in their midst.” wrote Joe Lang.

In addition to In a Mellow Tone and Compositions by Musicians, her recorded works include We’ll Meet Again, a celebration of popular WWII songs, and Live at the Alma, recorded at Vancouver’s long-gone Alma Street Café. The acclaim continued with such reviews as: “I watched Lorraine recently singing songs from her CD We'll Meet Again. The grace and tenderness with which she handles songs like “A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square” can melt the ice cubes in your drink” wrote Jim Gordon.

In 2009 Lorraine moved into Vancouver Performing Arts Lodge (PAL) in Coal Harbour and quickly became a regular on stage at PAL Studio Theatre, the West End - Coal Harbour’s only 150-seat black box venue.

Among her appearances at PAL have been a Remembrance Day “Songs of the War” tribute to Vera Lynn, “Remembering Rosie”, a tribute to Rosemary Clooney with singer Patricia Duval and the Miles Black Trio.

She also recently did a memorable show at Pat’s Pub in the Patricia Hotel titled “The Great American Songbook: A Tribute to Peggy Lee.”

That’s the story, and the history, but Lorraine, who has come to be recognized and loved as one of Canada's leading ladies of jazz, continues to perform at every opportunity, including this month on Sunday, February 27 at Frankie’s Jazz Club on Beatty with “Jazz With Lorraine”. Learn more about Frankie’s, and make a reservation for Lorraine’s next show, here.

And we look forward to seeing Lorraine again at PAL Studio Theatre as soon as prevailing circumstances make that possible. Soon, we hope!