Hailed as ‘one of the country's most polished singers’ by The Times, Trudy moved to London in 1990 from her native Australia and, whilst continuing to gig regularly, as she had done back home, worked during the day as secretary for popular clarinettist Acker Bilk. She took time out to study jazz at the Guildhall School of Music and in 1995 got her musical career break when Ronnie Scott offered her a week at his club: she has performed regularly at the famous Soho jazzerie ever since.
Trudy is a director of Jazzizit Records with Derek Nash. There are over 40 releases on the label. Trudy also co-presents BBC Radio Kent’s Jazz hour on a Wednesday night with Roger Day where she plays latest UK releases as well as classic jazz recordings.
She is a sought after jazz singing teacher and teaches annually on the JAZZ ACADEMY Summer Course. Trudy also tours the UK with her popular kids' show JAZZ FOR JUNIORS (www.jazzforjuniors.co.uk)
TRUDY'S DISCOGRAPHY
1997 SWEET SURPRISE
A mix of lesser-known standards and some pop classics arranged in a contemporary jazz style.
1999 TRUDY
Standards from the Great American Song Book and songs from artists such as James Taylor and Carole King.
2000 DAY DREAM
This album of jazz standards arranged by Geoff Gascoyne was recorded with the great American pianist Mulgrew Miller.
2002 MY OLD FLAME
A tribute album to Chet Baker featuring songs that Chet recorded vocally plus tunes performed with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet featuring special guest Georgie Fame .
2005 CLOUDBURST
The inspiration for this album came from John Coltrane's 'Moment's Notice'. She felt an entire album of material from the instrumental jazz repertoire would be an interesting and challenging concept and would pay tribute to those great jazz solos. She used Jon Hendricks' vocalese for most of the songs, but wrote her own vocalese for 'Moment's Notice" and a Gerry Mulligan tune, 'Bunny'.
2006 JAZZ FOR JUNIORS
The CD is to introduce children to jazz and features children's voices. It's a mixture of songs Trudy learned as she was growing up, given the jazz treatment. The majority of songs are still used in the show JAZZ FOR JUNIORS which Trudy regularly performs throughout the UK at Festivals and in schools.
2007 DEJA VU
This themed concept album is based on songs that have a significant link to Trudy's past. Geoff Gascoyne again did the arrangements and Trudy is accompanied by the Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren. Trudy wrote the lyric to Dave Holland's 'Dream of the Elders' and this album features the Juno String Quartet on various tracks and features Bob Dorough on his original composition 'Up Jumped a Bird'.
2009 LIKE MINDS
On this album Trudy is accompanied by the respected British jazz pianist Michael Garrick and it is mostly a duo album. It mainly features songs composed by Duke Ellington but given a more contemporary feel, and also includes some of Michael's original compositions.
2010 REUNION
This is a concept album which Trudy recorded with her long time friend and fellow jazz singer from Australia, Ingrid James. The girls sang together many years ago when they were both starting out in Brisbane, and have always stayed in contact. They both collaborated on the songs for the album which is a great mixture of different styles and really complements their duo voices. They are touring the album in Australia and the UK later this year.
Trudy has often been asked to appear as a guest artist on other jazz musicians' albums, and was featured on Frank Griffith Nonet's THE COVENTRY SUITE; B.B. Cooper's THE MUSIC OF BB COOPER; Geoff Gascoyne's KEEP IT TO YOURSELF and POP BOP; and Bob Dorough's SMALL DAY TOMORROW.