About

One of the UK’s finest jazz singers, Val Wiseman, born in West Bromwich, began her career over 60 years ago with the West Side Jazzmen. That was a prelude to much greater things, initially with the Second City Jazzmen, then on to national fame with Monty Sunshine’s band. She also had the chance to sing with the likes of Humphrey Lyttelton, Kenny Baker and Alex Welsh.
In the 1980s there began a long association with Lady Sings the Blues, a combination of the songs of Billie Holiday, Val’s artistry and the backing of an all-star band. The show was recorded twice – once in the studio, once live – and the response of Keith Howells in CD Review was typical of the enthusiasm of reviewers:
‘Lady Day herself would have been proud of the quality of this musical tribute.’
Apart from recording various albums, notably Just for a Thrill with Brian Dee, Bruce Adams and Jim Mullen, Val turned songwriter in her enthusiasm for the Brontes, writing a show, together with Brian Dee, Keeping the Flame Alive, which utilised Bronte lyrics and contained Val’s own response to situations in the sisters’ lives and novels.
‘The jazz idiom comes to her so naturally that her simplest phrase swings.’ – Dave Gelly