Tania Grubbs has an extensive vocal range and offers an intriguing take on unique literature. Grubbs has been singing all of her life, in many different settings and genres. She is a graduate of Youngstown State University. While a student there, she engaged herself in learning about jazz starting with the classic American Songbook under the mentorships of jazz studies professor Tony Leo...
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Tania Grubbs has an extensive vocal range and offers an intriguing take on unique literature. Grubbs has been singing all of her life, in many different settings and genres. She is a graduate of Youngstown State University. While a student there, she engaged herself in learning about jazz starting with the classic American Songbook under the mentorships of jazz studies professor Tony Leonardi. While workshopping tunes, gigging and participating in jam sessions Tania met her husband, bassist-Jeff Grubbs on the bandstand.

Jeff’s orchestral career landed the couple in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where they lived for 5 years. While there, Tania’s musical journey gave her opportunities to sing in many jazz clubs, performed in numerous concert settings and theatre productions. Tania was a featured vocalist with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and a member of the Voices of the Boca Pops Orchestra. In 1996, Jeff won a position in the bass section of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. 
 
While in Pittsburgh, Tania has been a four-time recipient of the Ready for Life Grants, founded by the Heinz Foundation, working with young children through music and movement. She has also been a featured vocalist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Civic Light Opera, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust JazzLive Series, Pittsburgh Jazz Society, Washington Jazz Wine & Jazz Festival, Westmoreland Jazz Society as well as Butler Jazz Society and the West Virginia Jazz Society. Tania remains active by touring nationally and conducts masterclasses for high schools and colleges. In 2019 she was featured as a guest soloist with the Boca Raton Philharmonic Symphonia. Tania is the Co-Music Director at the Fairmont Pittsburgh Hotel overseeing Jazz at Andys, and she is an advocate helping to cultivate jazz in Pittsburgh and beyond. 
 
Most recently, Tania wrote and produced a series of six 80 minute concerts, entitled the I AM Series. She explains them as  “mini documentaries” which involved collaborations with numerous different artists throughout the Pittsburgh region and beyond. The concerts were debuted at the City of Asylum’s Alphabet City 2018/2019.

2020 Tania released her second CD;
“Live at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar Tania Grubbs Quintet
David Budway - Piano, Ron Affif - Guitar, Jeff Grubbs - Bass, James Johnson III - Drums

2014 Tania released her debut CD;
Lost in the Stars
Daniel May piano, Jeff Grubbs bass, Thomas Wendt Drums, James Moore trumpet, Eric Susoeff guitar

Press Quotes;
March 2020 Los Angeles Jazz Scene
Live At Maureen’s Jazz Cellar
Tania Grubbs Quintet
(Self-Released)

March Issue of Los Angeles Jazz Scene
http://lajazzscene.buzz/jazz-cd-reviews-march-2020/
Tania Grubbs is a very appealing jazz singer whose light voice and quiet expressive style are a bit reminiscent at times of Irene Kral. She learned about jazz and singing while attending Youngstown State University, met her husband bassist Jeff Grubbs, lived and worked in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (performing along South Florida’s coast), sang at many of its clubs and with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, and has been based in Pittsburgh for the past two decades. She has been a major force on the local jazz scene as a singer and educator. In 2014 she released her debut CD, Lost In The Stars.

Live At Maureen’s Jazz Cellar was recorded in Nyack, New York before an attentive and appreciative crowd. Tania Grubbs is joined by pianist David Budway, guitarist Ron Affif, Jeff Grubbs on bass, and drummer James Johnson III. They perform a variety of high-quality standards and a few originals.
The program opens with Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing.” Taken a little faster than usual, it is an excellent showcase for Tania Grubbs’ warm voice and honest emotions. She excels on the picturesque “Bird On A Wire” and the dreamy medium-tempo ballad “Love,” demonstrating an expertise for telling stories through her music. Ms. Grubbs uplifts Horace Silver’s “Peace” with her soft high notes. She wrote “Hope Is A Thing With Feathers” (which features an inventive bass solo) with the text of Emily Dickinson. On Charlie Parker’s “Ornithology,” she sings the melody in unison with her husband’s bass, does a bit of scatting, and then has the band stretch out a bit. Budway and Affif are in fine form throughout the night, taking concise solos with Affif’s improvisation on “Ornithology” hinting at Wes Montgomery.

Jimmy Rowles’ “The Peacocks” can be a difficult song for singers to interpret since it has wide intervals, but Tania Grubbs sounds effortless, making it all sound easy. She concludes the set with “Autumn” (paying tribute to Fall), “Harvest Moon” (which has a catchy bass line), the wistful “I Remember,” a revival of “Wichita Lineman,” and a bluesy version of “Don’t Take Your Love From Me.”

It is obvious, listening to Live At Maureen’s Jazz Cellar that Tania Grubbs deserves to be much better known. Her singing is classy, very musical, and a consistent delight. This easily recommended CD is available from www.taniagrubbs.com.
Scott Yanow



“Knowing Tania Grubbs for the past 20 plus years has been a joy. Not only because of her skill as an artist, but her connection to humanity. This offering is a beautiful sonic depiction of her soul and connection to all of us and delivered in style!” – Sean Jones, renowned trumpeter, recording artist, and educator

It’s a beautiful collection of songs done with excellent taste and musicianship 
Jazz certainly needs a lift and this CD does it. Great Stuff.  
Joe Negri-recording guitarists, composer, actor, educator, arranger

Quote/Mini Review for the Tania Grubbs Quintet, “Live at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar
“This new CD from the Tania Grubbs Quintet, “Live at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar”, is special on a number of levels.  But first, a bit of background.  Tania and I met briefly at the Jazz Congress 2020 in New York in January, but we really didn’t have a chance to chat.  But Tania followed up with me, wanted to see what I thought of the album.  Upon listening, I was immediately struck by several things.  The playing is top notch, the repertoire is very interesting (not your typical standards only), and Tania’s vocals are superb – great intonation and expression.  I particularly love the fact that they included such diverse tracks as “Bird on a Wire” (Leonard Cohen), “Harvest Moon” (Neil Young), and “Wichita Lineman” (Jimmy Webb) – Grubbs’ arrangements (together with husband Jeff Grubbs), along with pianist David Budway’s execution make the whole project cohesive and musical.  I’ve always dug Ron Affif’s stellar guitar playing, and Jeff Grubbs (bass) and James Johnson III hold down the fort rhythmically.  Then upon chatting with Tania afterwards, and learning of the significance of Maureen’s Jazz Cellar (Nyack, NY) where this recording took place – Maureen was David Budway’s sister, a strong supporter of the arts, and a talented vocalist herself, who sadly is no longer with us – the whole project just resonated with me.  This is superb music making, by a seasoned quintet who play with joy and passion, and honor the memory of their departed sister in jazz”.
Dr. Brad Stone
Producer, programmer and host of “The Creative Source”
SoulandJazz.com
Dr. Brad Stone
Producer, Programmer and Host: "The Creative Source"

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