Judy Niemack
| Judy Niemack | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born |
March 11, 1954 Pasadena, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, vocal jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Labels | Sea Breeze, Freelance, Stash, Blujazz |
| Website |
www |
Judy Niemack (born March 11, 1954, Pasadena, California) is an American jazz vocalist.
Early life and career
Niemack sang in a church choir from age seven. She decided on a professional career in singing at age 17, and soon after met Warne Marsh, who encouraged her to explore jazz. She studied jazz at Pasadena City College, and later at the New England Conservatory of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Her debut album was released in 1977; she has recorded several albums under her own name in addition to working with Toots Thielemans, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Clark Terry, Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Joe Lovano, Eddie Gómez, and the Widespread Depression Jazz Orchestra. She has toured Europe many times and also teaches music.[1][2]
In 1987, while living in New York, Niemack met Jeanfrançois Prins, a jazz guitarist from Brussels, Belgium. In 1991, they started dating seriously, and in 1995 moved to Berlin together, where he taught guitar at the Berlin University of the Arts[2] and she became the first jazz voice instructor in Germany, teaching at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler".[1] The couple married on April 4, 1998 in New York[2] and returned to Berlin, where she has taught such students as Dominique Lacasa.[1]
Discography
- By Heart (Sea Breeze, 1977)
- Blue-Bop (Freelance, 1988)
- Long as You're Living (Freelance, 1990)
- Straight Up (Freelance, 1992)
- Heart's Desire (Stash, 1992)
- Mingus, Monk & Mal (Freelance, 1995)
- Night and the Music (Freelance, 1996)
- About Time (Sony, 2003)
- Jazz Singers' Practice Session (Gam, 2003)
- What's Going On? (Temps 2007)
- Blue Nights (Blujazz, 2007)
- In the Sundance (Blujazz, 2009)
References
- 1 2 3 Heubner, Thomas (April 2007). "Schwingen auf einer Welle Die Sängerin Dominique Lacasa". Friedrichshainer Chronik (in German). Berlin, Germany: Berlin Friedrichshain. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
- 1 2 3 Brady, Lois Smith (April 19, 1998). "Weddings: Vows; Judy Niemack and Jeanfrancois Prins". New York City, New York: The New York Times. Retrieved 27 July 2015.