Tom & Judy (Tommy Banks and Judy Singh)

Websites:  https://citizenfreak.com/artists/103035-singh-judy
Origin: Edmonton, Alberta, 🇨🇦
Biography:

The Velvet Voice of Canadian Jazz and Soul
Born in Alberta in 1945 to pioneering Black and Punjabi parents, Judi Singh’s story is as rich and nuanced as her voice. A true original, she began singing professionally at 17, sneaking into the Yardbird Suite—Edmonton’s legendary jazz club founded by her cousin Ken Chaney—where she cut her teeth with local greats. Her talent soon led her to national stages, and by the 1960s, Singh was a familiar face on CBC, captivating audiences with performances on variety shows like The Lenny Breau Show and dazzling in sleek gowns as she sang classics like “A Sleepin’ Bee.”

Her velvety, bossa-tinged sound—a blend of jazz, soul, and pop sophistication—was shaped by her deep musicality and collaborations with artists like Woody Shaw, Minnie Riperton, and her dear friend and mentor, the late Senator Tommy Banks. Together, they created A Time for Love, her 1970 debut album for CBC’s Radio-Canada imprint. First catalogued online at citizenfreak.com on May 27, 2012, the album was reissued on vinyl in 2018 by MajikBus Entertainment (MB003), introducing her timeless voice to a new generation of listeners.

“Recording this album with my brilliant, dear friend Tommy Banks was an absolute highlight in my career,” Singh said. “What a uniquely creative period in music history it was. I love seeing how vinyl is being resurrected with such passion. I’m grateful to MajikBus for including me in it all.”

Singh’s discography also includes Tom & Judy – Make Someone Happy (GRT 9230 1000), a 1970 collaboration with Tommy Banks, and a featured appearance on the CBC Lei Records compilation Unselfconsciously Canadian. That LP includes rare tracks not found on any other recording, including the heartfelt ballad “Emily,” written about her daughter—filmmaker Emily Hughes—who was fathered by jazz guitarist Lenny Breau.

https://citizenfreak.com/titles/300644-singh-judy-a-time-for-love
https://citizenfreak.com/titles/315960-compilation-unselfconsciously-canadian

Though she was never fully embraced by the mainstream music industry, Singh’s artistry was undeniable. Her work lives on through recordings, stories from her peers, and now, through the 2025 documentary Have You Heard Judi Singh? by Baljit Sangra. The film premiered at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival and features rare archival footage, family interviews, and nearly 30 of Singh’s tracks—including her viral hit “Up and Down,” recently rediscovered on TikTok.

The film also explores Singh’s roots: her father, Sohan Singh Bhullar, was among the first Sikh immigrants in Alberta; her mother, Effie Jones, came from Amber Valley, one of Canada’s first Black settlements. Together, their union represented a rare and powerful blend of communities, and that legacy shaped Judi Singh’s voice, her story, and her impact.
-Robert Williston

Liner notes:
There is a word for Tom and Judy. It’s synergetic.
Definition? “The joint action of agents which taken together increase each other's effectiveness.”

Each a consummate solo artist, Tom and Judy together are something else again. I have been in and around the music world for forty years, and have never heard a happier marriage of talents. As you enjoy this unique album, you’ll recognize that here are two enormous talents, each knowing intuitively how the other is going to phrase a line . . . where to fondle a note, the tempo to use . . . it’s just right off the chart. It was a beautiful thing to watch Tom and Judy put this idea together and to watch them share the experience to the max. Make someone happy!

Give them this exciting album. Better get two. You wouldn’t want to be unhappy because you miss what happens when Tom and Judy make someone happy.

You are that special someone.
-Jerry Forbes

Tommy Banks: piano, vocals
Judy Singh: vocals
Blaine Wijord: drums
John Toulson: bass
Pete Thompson: flute
P.J. Perry: flute
Alan Scott: percussion

Strings by Marguerite Marzantowicz, Frans Hengeveld, Donna Jenkins, George Naylor, Mary Cockell, Tom Johnson, Claude Kenneson, Rostom Mody, Anne Bakker, Marcel Pinske, and Mary Ingham
Produced by Keith James
Recorded at Century II Studios, Edmonton, Alberta

Album design by Michael Prytula
Front and back cover photos by Jim Tustian