Product Description Susan May The Rose (S-SSD 0102) A NEW SOUTHPORT RELEASE!) The beauty of the human voice, the gift to sing is like a rare flower. Susan May, at the age of twelve, becomes Southport Records youngest vocalist. Her voice has been falling from the sky since the tender age of 6. She loves jazz and blues and songs that her mom and dad played around the house. A constant favorite is the music of film/pop composer Henry Mancini (tracks 4, "Bye Bye-The Peter Gunn Theme" and track 6, "Soldier In The Rain." The title track 1, "The Rose," represents the essence of her jazz sensibility and treatment of a tune. Susan May made her national television debut on the Oprah Winfrey Show, as part of the program called "The World’s Most Talented Kids," singing an excerpt from her CD, "Feelin’ Good." Don’t let the novelty of youth fool you. Susan bears witness to the emotional demands of her music. She has assembled a team of Chicago based musicians that include arranger Bobby Schiff on piano (toured with Patti LaBelle), and trumpet/flugel horn ace Bobby Lewis (countless sessions that include Curtis Mayfield and Peggy Lee). The music of Susan May can be called jazz and pop and a bit of cabaret. The beauty of her youth is that it is the beginning of a life journey, and music is a part of her heart. Let’s wish her a wonderful ride. Review "People can t believe their ears! go girl!" -- -Oprah Winfrey, The Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC-TV"Susan May is Someone You Should Know" -- -Harry Porterfield, Anchor/Reporter/Producer Someone You Should Know ABC Seven News, Chicago"Susan s singing voice, with it s unbelievable 3½ octave range seems to come from somewhere outside her intelligent and mature." -- -Debra Pickett, The Chicago Sun-TimesFolks have their ears directed to Chicago's sassy young jazz chanteuse. Susan continues to impress audiences and critics alike. -- JazzReview.Com, by Richard BourcierThis little Chicago upstart isn t about to dethrone Karrin Allyson or Tierney Sutton right now BUT... -- Richard Bourcier - The Jazz Review - October 2004 From the Artist Harry Porterfield Anchor/Reporter/Producer Someone You Should Know ABC Seven News Chicago Hey, she sounds like she's thirty years old! The exclamation came from a sportscaster on the set during a ABC 7 Chicago News broadcast when Susan made her major market television debut. It was September 10th, 2002 and she was being profiled on a news segment called Someone You Should Know. As she sang her video taped image and voice were being replicated on more than two dozen tv screens in the studio and the control room. In the control room they were caught off balance by her grown up voice. Susan's impact was so stunning that her segment was replayed later in the year. Susan's album "The Rose" demonstrates a greater ability at interpreting a song than when I first met her. Susan delivers her songs with warmth and meaning as if they were dipped in the sonic colors of the rainbow. From her sensitive delivery of "The Rose" to the blusey "When the Sun Comes Out" and "Over the Rainbow"...to "What the World Needs Now" Susan shows us a wide ranging ability to interpret a song. That latitude includes the jazzy "Who Will Buy?" and the Broadway style "A Wink and a Smile". In an interview for the Someone You Should Know segment Susan told me she likes to sing to people because it provides them with an escape. "If their life isn't too happy" she said, "I like to brighten their day." This CD will brighten your day because the "The Rose" is Susan May. About the Artist Susan May Wiltrakis is a twelve-year- old singer / actress / dancer who ABC Channel 7 news recently featured on Harry Porterfield’s "Someone You Should Know." Susan has performed as a guest soloist at Andy's Jazz Club, Chicago’s Apollo Theater, Royal George Theater, Jazz Showcase, Arcada Theater, Mercury Theater, Merrillville’s Star Plaza, Pops for Champagne, and with the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra. Her performances have also included playing with her own quartet for Chicago’s 2002 Streeterville Fest, having her own cabaret show at the Bailiwick Cabaret Series, performing for the Women of Southport Jazz Festival, Bailiwick’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, and performances as a member of the Chicago Cabaret Professionals. In addition to singing, Susan is also a member of SAG and has received outstanding reviews for her acting ability. Her credits include: Lyric Opera of Chicago (Street Scene); First Folio Shakespeare (Macbeth and As You Like It); European Repertory Company (Woyzeck and Slavs!); and American Girl Theater (Circle of Friends). She has also appeared in the Bailiwick productions of Gypsy (Baby Louise) and The Christmas Schooner (Mary Claire); Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Sunday in the Park with George; Theater at the Center’s Meet Me in St. Louis (Tootie) and State Fair (Violet); and the film Soul Survivors. Besides performing, Susan has received numerous awards for her art and academic achievements, among them being selected three consecutive years to Northwestern University’s Midwest Talent Search program. In addition, she frequently performs for benefits in the Chicagoland area. See more