Darren Percival has achieved an outstanding reputation in Australia as an artist, musician, vocal coach and jazz singer of talent, imagination and skill.
With over twenty years of professional experience, he has worked as an entertainer, recording artist, singing teacher and innovator with resounding results.
A childhood spent in Mexico inspired the canvas for his ‘spontaneous vocalization’, and recording monthly cassette tapes for family and friends back home in Australia propelled his fascination with recording the human voice and being able to play it back.
In the early years he learnt his craft studying singing techniques with Alan Dean, Kerrie Biddell and Mark Murphy. At 17 he was the youngest ever finalist in The Australian Singing Competition and when he left high school in 1989 he toured throughout the west coast of California with the Big Band he fronted for his senior years at school. Then returning to Australia to begin touring with veteran Australian entertainers Bobby Limb and Dawn Lake and later that year joining a troupe of ballroom dancers as compare and guest vocalist.
In 1991, Darren was a finalist in The James Morrison Jazz Scholarship and after grabbing Morrison’s attention, toured with him around Australia at jazz clubs, special events and festivals. Various bookings took a young Mr. Percival to stages around the world including a Parliament House Concert for President Bill Clinton. For seven years the association with James Morrison lead to numerous television appearances, recording sessions and national touring.
Throughout the years..
In 2004 he was the Director of Jazz Vocal Studies at Australian National University in Canberra and in 2007 held a position at Sydney’s Macquarie University in the music department.
After hours experimenting in the studio, Darren developed his ability to sing unaccompanied by any instruments and created his unique sound. The introduction of a series of looping pedals moved the music from the studio to the stage. An inspiring trip to New York city in 2004 to study with his mentor Bobby McFerrin saw Darren returning to begin performances of his spontaneous vocal creations as Mr. Percival with the live show ‘Out Of The Loop’.
Oscar winning actor Russell Crowe witnessed the music, magic and mayhem of a Mr. Percival performance and invited Darren to open for him on a 2006 tour, which included shows around Australia, New Zealand and The House of Blues in California.
Few artists paint with sound. Darren has travelled on such a colourful musical adventure throughout his career, and has found an original way to reflect his environment in each performance by using only his voice. His journey is simply a wonderful story and truly a great achievement.
