Leucadia Musician Brings Foreign Flair to Encintas' Brasil Jazz Festa

“I've been singing since I could speak,” said Leucadian and San Diego native Allison Adams Tucker. “I've focused on many, many musical styles throughout my life [and] about seven years ago as I was re-evaluating goals and quality of life, it felt only natural to head forward with jazz. I love the freedom, expressive energy, and sense of community among jazz musicians and listeners worldwide.”

With music in her soul, and jazz in her blood, Tucker said that aside from how music itself makes her feel, she loves “being able to have a positive impact on others through my music. Music is a powerful medium that can soothe the soul and initiate change.”

Tucker spent her high school years in Solana Beach, and returned to San Diego in 2000 after attending college in the Midwest and travelling abroad to Japan and Spain for a few years. “We considered moving back to downtown San Diego, but the beach town charm and strong sense of community in Encinitas [and] Leucadia really spoke to me.”

As a jazz vocalist, much of Tucker’s live performances involve covers and reworking arrangements to become original pieces. “I haven't written any songs about Encinitas specifically,” said Tucker, “but the inspiration for much of my music has come to me while I was out and about in Encinitas; walking on the beach, hiking the local canyons, hanging out with friends at local restaurants…and the ocean view from my home alone has brought me a lot of musical inspiration.”

“There aren't many places in North County that support live jazz performance on a regular basis,” Tucker said, “so my options [to perform locally] are few.” However, each year Tucker organizes the annual Brasil Jazz Festa held at the . “We absolutely love that location for a concert – great ocean view, great acoustics, and friendly atmosphere.”

Tucker has recently spent time doing research for the 4th Annual Brasil Jazz Festa 2012. “It looks like it will be held at the end of February to coincide with Brazil's Carnival, and I've got some exciting things in the works. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag, but details will be available soon!”

Keeping busy with her many musical groups, Tucker has been known to perform under several aliases, including: the Allison Adams Tucker Quintet, Alli & the Cats, and the Allegato World Ensemble. "My original drummer John Hall and I were brainstorming for group names several years ago, and he came up with Alli & the Cats. Allegato came about as I was looking for a way to incorporate my passion for world cultures and languages into a group. The name itself has a world of meaning: A phonetic sister to 'Arigato' or 'thank you' in Japanese, 'allegato' - the Italian expression that describes being attached and united, 'legato' the musical term describing smooth and fluid melodies, and a collision of Alli with my musical mascot the cat ('Gato' to our Latin friends). Put it together and what do you have? Allegato – or, in other words, 'thanks for the music that binds us together.'"

Tucker currently has one CD available to listeners that can be found on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, Pandora, and many other online sources. “I've received wonderful support from local and international radio stations,” said Tucker. “I recently finished a couple recording sessions for new demo material that turned out great. Some of the music can be heard on my website, and it has helped inspire ideas for the next CD project.”

When she’s not performing, Tucker can be found teaching as a voice coach — which she thoroughly enjoys — hanging out at Grandview, or shopping the local Sunday Farmer’s Market at Paul Ecke Central Elementary School for “amazing finds.”

Tucker is always looking for new subscribers to her YouTube Channel, and encourages listeners to visit her website for current tour information and her latest demos.

If you know of another local musician you'd like to see profiled on Encinitas Patch, please send your suggestions to writer Amanda Andreen at amanda.andreen@gmail.com.