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Marlena Shaw drew most of her early influences from her uncle, the jazz trumpeter Jimmy Burgess, who introduced her to many records by various jazz greats, notably Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Burgess was also responsible for Shaw's first stage appearance with his band at Harlem's famous Apollo Theatre in 1952 when she was only 10. He wanted her to tour with the band, but her mother wouldn't allow it and enrolled her instead at a music college. Shaw went on to carve out a career singing in jazz clubs with trumpeter Howard McGhee, leaving to go out on her own after an argument. In 1966 she landed a regular spot at the Playboy Club chain in Chicago, sang for a while with the Count Basie Orchestra, toured with Sammy Davis Jr. and was ultimately signed by Cadet Records, releasing her first two albums with them. In 1972 she moved to Blue Note Records and achieved one of the era's biggest disco hits with a classic 1970s dance cover of Touch Me In The Morning, also a massive hit for Diana Ross. It was to be her biggest success - later sampled on various hip hop tracks - but she continued to make live appearances and record jazz records for the next three decades.
Artist biography compiled by BDS/West 10. All rights reserved
