Denise Jannah
Encyclopedia
Denise Jannah, real name: Denise Johanna Zeefuik (7 November 1956) - Dutch
Suriname
-born jazz
vocalist, first Dutch jazz soloist to be signed by the Blue Note
recording label.
She was born in Paramaribo
. She is a honey-voiced jazz singer, with inventive phrasing and impeccable diction, who ranks alongside the late, great ladies of jazz such as Ella Fitzgerald
, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McRae
.
She lives and records in the Netherlands
, where she is established as one of the country's top jazz singers, and has twice won the Edison Award (a Dutch equivalent of a Grammy
).
She has several CD
s to her credit. She has appeared at major jazz festival
s throughout the world, and has performed at many prestigious functions, including special performances for President Bill Clinton
, Nelson Mandela
, and Queen Beatrix
.
Among her recent performances, she sung at a special concert at Cranleigh Arts Centre, Cranleigh
, Surrey
, UK
on 3 March 2007, accompanied by Amina Figarova
.
Denise Jannah has also been accompanied by the pianist Erik van der Luijt
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
-born jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
vocalist, first Dutch jazz soloist to be signed by the Blue Note
Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
recording label.
She was born in Paramaribo
Paramaribo
Paramaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 250,000 people, more than half of Suriname's population...
. She is a honey-voiced jazz singer, with inventive phrasing and impeccable diction, who ranks alongside the late, great ladies of jazz such as Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McRae
Carmen McRae
Carmen Mercedes McRae was an American jazz singer, composer, pianist, and actress. Considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century, it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and her ironic interpretations of song lyrics that made her memorable...
.
She lives and records in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, where she is established as one of the country's top jazz singers, and has twice won the Edison Award (a Dutch equivalent of a Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
).
She has several CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s to her credit. She has appeared at major jazz festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s throughout the world, and has performed at many prestigious functions, including special performances for President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
, and Queen Beatrix
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
.
Among her recent performances, she sung at a special concert at Cranleigh Arts Centre, Cranleigh
Cranleigh
Cranleigh is a large village, self-proclaimed the largest in England, and is situated 8 miles south east of Godalming in Surrey. It lies to the east of the A281 which links Guildford with Horsham; neighbouring villages include: Ewhurst, Alfold and Hascombe....
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 3 March 2007, accompanied by Amina Figarova
Amina Figarova
Amina Figarova is a jazz composer and jazz pianist. She currently lives in Rotterdam, Netherlands.-Education:Amina began studying music as a child, beginning learning the piano, and expanding into musical composition and arrangement as she matured...
.
Denise Jannah has also been accompanied by the pianist Erik van der Luijt
Erik van der Luijt
Erik van der Luijt is a Dutch jazz pianist / keyboard player, arranger, composer, producer and band leader.-History:Erik van der Luijt started playing the piano at the age of four...
.