Norma Stoneman began her career on children’s television (Comedy Capers/Caper Cabaret) with Geoff Harvey, Desmond Tester and Penny Spence early 1963. She worked with Dave Guard (ex-The Kingston Trio) at the age of 18 joining his group for a ABC TV show called Dave’s Place in Australia for several months and studied with him various musical concepts. Norma co-formed a pop group called The Grape Escape with bass player Chris Bonett and guitarist Brian Godden (both ex Green Hill Singers) and renowned Australian jazz drummer from Adelaide, Laurie Kennedy in the 60s. The Grape Escape, signed to RCA Records and cut a couple of singles in 1967, ''The Easy Life/Night Plane'' and ''Is Your Soul Drip Dry/Happier The Day. They were based in Melbourne and achieved much recognition before sadly breaking up.
Norma then went solo, performing in New Zealand and in Noumea where she sang in French and loved the French/Pacific Island ambiance. Later she performed in South Vietnam in 1969 to U.S. troops and then spent four years in London, auditioning for shows and performing in very varied gigs and recording sessions, doing a lot of back-up vocals and herself releasing a Reggae single ''Tell Me/If Only For A Night'' under the name of Casey Blake again for RCA (written by Kerr/Maitland).
Norma returned to Australia and back in Sydney Norma continued work across Australian TV and live venues. Norma sang backup vocals on huge worldwide hit Winter In America for good friend Doug Ashdown, whom she had met on Dave’s Place. Norma performed in many shows with Maestro Tommy Tycho, (and whom she has known and worked with since she was sixteen, as a guest on Studio A with Stuart Wagstaff, touring Australia in Tommy’s shows featuring the music of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern.
For several years Norma appeared in many TV Commercials, Oil of Ulan, Freedom Carpet Cleaner (1st ever ad), Surprise Peas (1st ever ad), including lead parts in 100 ‘Percenters’ like McDonalds, Colgate, Nescafe (also singing the theme) and too many others to mention. June Reilly casting agent.
Norma started singing with The David Martin Big Band on a show of Duke Ellington music,and it was with fine accomplished pianist husband David Martin on their 1980 honeymoon she met the legendary Hank Jones in a New York 42nd Street Cafe, where he was playing solo piano. David and Norma both being great fans, they were thrilled when Norma was invited to sing two songs ''Just In Time'' and ''The Very Thought Of You'' (very slowly)with Hank Jones that night in New York.
Husband David formed The David Martin Quintet in Sydney, featuring James Morrison and Dale Barlow, both then 16 years old, Darcy Wright and Alan Turnbull, and Norma singing standards and her jazzier original songs. This group was often augmented to The David Martin Big Band also, playing various venues but mainly The Paradise Jazz Cellar up in Sydney’s Kings Cross.
Twenty-two years later all the original members of David’s The David Martin Quintet and Norma were reunited for a special recording in a studio about to move premises, coincidentally called The Paradise Studios, owned by OZ legend, Billy Field. The title of the CD became 'The David Martin Quintet Reunion 2002 - Last Session In Paradis'e. In 2008 Norma released her album 'Mothers Day Music for Everyday' and in 2011 she released the album 'Norma Martin Big Bandit'. Recorded at James Morrison Studios in Sydney, with Norma, as Producer, she recorded the fabulous big band arrangements of 13 of her songs and one of James Morrison's with The David Martin Big Bandit Orchestra. Norma died in 2019.
Husband David formed The David Martin Quintet in Sydney, featuring James Morrison and Dale Barlow, both then 16 years old, Darcy Wright and Alan Turnbull, and Norma singing standards and her jazzier original songs. This group was often augmented to The David Martin Big Band also, playing various venues but mainly The Paradise Jazz Cellar up in Sydney’s Kings Cross.
Twenty-two years later all the original members of David’s The David Martin Quintet and Norma were reunited for a special recording in a studio about to move premises, coincidentally called The Paradise Studios, owned by OZ legend, Billy Field. The title of the CD became 'The David Martin Quintet Reunion 2002 - Last Session In Paradis'e. In 2008 Norma released her album 'Mothers Day Music for Everyday' and in 2011 she released the album 'Norma Martin Big Bandit'. Recorded at James Morrison Studios in Sydney, with Norma, as Producer, she recorded the fabulous big band arrangements of 13 of her songs and one of James Morrison's with The David Martin Big Bandit Orchestra. Norma died in 2019.
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