Carol Beard is a community member from Holly Springs, North Carolina. She is one of the seven vocalists in the 2024 class of the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop.
A lifelong performer and singer, Beard began her musical career in her childhood. In her community theater exploits, she was in several musical performances. She joined and performed with several of her friends, receiving her formal training as a vocalist.
Her background being in musical theater, her first experience with jazz was at the jazz workshop at the University of Louisville. Meeting the people there and seeing the different styles made her fall in love with the art and style of jazz music. Beard and her husband were a staple of that workshop as well, until they moved to North Carolina.
Beard is involved in several of the jazz initiatives in the Triangle area, including the jazz workshop, which she has done for the past three years. Another is the Sharp Nine Gallery in Durham. She says that she enjoys contributing to the rich jazz culture of the region.
All artists, including Beard, draw inspiration from those that come before them. Beard says specifically that she was inspired by Carmen McRae, a prolific vocalist from the 20th century jazz scene. McRae, who in her heyday performed with the likes of Louis Armstrong and Dave Brubeck, is known for recording “Here to Stay” (1950s), “Lover Man” (1962), and “The Great American Song Book” (1972).
Unlike some more modern compositional styles, jazz requires a connection between all of the artists and the song. With all of the improvisation and back and forth of the instruments of the frontline to rhythm to the vocalists, all members need to be compatible for the song to flow. Beard says this is what she enjoys most about performing.
“You are supposed to communicate with each other. It’s like an organism,” she says.
Beard is part of a combo this week that is led by the esteemed Nathan Warner. Beard and her husband are a lovely inclusion to this workshop every year and have a reputation for being kind and enthusiastic participants. They are playing in the same combo at 3 p.m. this Friday, June 28, 2024, at the jazz student performance expo in the Moeser Auditorium.