Biography
Job title: Academic Manager - School of Popular Music and Voice
Courses taught: BA (Hons) Music (Popular), MA Music
Anna Uhuru (BA (Hons), PGCE) is a professional vocalist and industry vocal coach having enjoyed performance success nationally and internationally. She has been the front woman of a variety of projects, including East Park Reggae Collective with whom she has supported Erykah Badu, Sting, Horace Andy, Lee Scratch Perry, and Marcus Miller amongst many others.
Currently she is working with Hip Hop Big Band, Abstract Orchestra, with whom she has performed for the MOBO live series, duetted with Slum Village, Illa J and supported Mos Def. Their current works, including a UK tour and internationally acclaimed albums, have been interpretations of some of the seminal albums of J Dilla and MF Doom. International radio play and shipments continue to spread their music far and wide to critical acclaim.
She has recently featured with Trojan Record affiliated band Pama International on their album “Love & Austerity” which has been played on Radio 1, Kiss FM and celebrated by David Rodgian.
A creative and original project with the band Ikestra, saw their debut album being shipped internationally and championed by Mr. Scruff in his “Favourite Tracks” listing as published in The Guardian.
Anna also collaborates with producers, having her composite album with “The Broken Orchestra” released in Japan and the UK. Amongst more personal projects, she maintains an ongoing collaborative partnership with Bonobo’s keys player.
She has performed live on air for BBC Radio 3 singing with Submotion Orchestra’s drummer’s side project “The Green Seagull” where they played at The Barbican during London Jazz festival. She also featured on a live appearance with UK Ska band “Pama International” on BBC Radio 6.
Festivals that Anna has appeared at include The Big Chill, Latitude, Umbria Jazz, Istanbul Jazz, Soundwave Croatia, London Jazz Festival, Boomtown and Lovebox London.
Following vocal surgery in April 2012, Anna has discovered a pedagogical interest in vocal health and voice injury prevention, training with one of the UK’s leading Voice Rehabilitation Coaches.
As well as performing, Anna works independently as an Industry Vocal Coach, where she has worked on a wide range of BBC and ITV prime time television programmes alongside her post as Curriculum Manager at Leeds Conservatoire.
