Jazz 'n' Shiraz : a heavenly combo

King will be joined by accomplished guitarist Freddie Grigson, Pete Jeavons on bass and Michael Perkins on drums.

It will be her third Jazz by the Bay in as many years.

She told the Mail great music, beautiful venues, amazing food and wine was a match made in heaven.

“Jazz by the Bay is amazing and I love seeing it grow,” she said.

“With Jazz ‘n’ Shiraz, it sounds like they’ve created a lovely mood so the music will sound even better.”

When it comes to King’s repertoire expect the unexpected – it could be Duke Ellington followed by Radiohead, Sonny Rollins next to Joni Mitchell, or a Crowded House favourite followed by her own originals.

Her first influence was her father’s record collection and this was her first introduction to jazz.

“Growing up my Dad was a huge big band and jazz fan, the records would be playing in the house,” she said.

“At the time, I remember thinking ‘how embarrassing, this is terrible’. But it must have seeped in somewhere.”

In the early 90s, King had a desire to pursue musical theatre until her ‘light bulb moment’.

“I thought that was the direction I would go, mainly just because I loved to sing. My eyes hadn't been opened to other options,” she said.

“I went to a show at the Jazz Society and I heard a fabulous singer and thought ‘oh yes, that’s what I want to do’.

“I loved that you could take a song, make it your own and do what you want with it.”

It is that freedom that the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts graduate and tutor loves about the genre.

King has played throughout the state and regularly sells out Perth’s The Ellington Jazz Club.

She said she thrived performing in the quartet format.

“I love the unique personal nature of it. Just to see what happens, you can have played the same song together 20 times before and it is always different and you react to each other doing it in a different way,” she said. 

Jazz ‘n’ Shiraz will be held on June 3. For more information and to book, visit stickytickets.com.au.