Vanessa McGowan is an acoustic and electric bass player, vocalist and composer from Auckland, New Zealand.
Vanessa is currently working on original material for her debut album and Her Make Believe Band’s debut album is out now and available through itunes, Rough Trade London, CD Baby, Amplifier NZ and direct from Old Oak Music.
Vanessa started playing bass in her hometown of Auckland, New Zealand and has been a working musician since age 17. While completing a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance Bass at Auckland University she performed and toured New Zealand with local and international artists including the late Michael Brecker (saxophone), Diane Schuur (vocals), Bill Cunliffe (piano) and Steve Smith (drums).
In 2005 Vanessa accepted a scholarship to study with the great American bassist Tom Warrington at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and in 2007 graduated with her Masters of Music, Jazz Performance Bass.
While at UNLV she won the International Association of Jazz Education Sisters In Jazz competition. She performed with them under the direction of Ingrid Jensen in New York in January 2007 at the IAJE Conference and again in May 2007 at the Mary Lou Williams Women In Jazz Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. In July 2007 the group toured in Costa Rica, performing around the country and as part of the Costa Rica International Jazz Festival.
Vanessa has also performed with Chris Potter (Saxophone), Bob Sheppard (Woodwind), Joe La Barbera (Drums), Ruth Brown (Vocals), Marlena Shaw (Vocals) and Bobby Shew (Trumpet).