Urszula Dudziak
Encyclopedia
Urszula Bogumiła Dudziak-Urbaniak (born 22 October 1943) is a leading Polish
jazz
vocalist. She has worked with such artists as Krzysztof Komeda
, Michał Urbaniak (her ex-husband), Gil Evans
, Archie Shepp
, and Lester Bowie
. Her 1970s song "Papaya" gained widespread popularity in Asia and Latin America in 2007.
, Poland
. She studied piano
, but began to sing in the late 50s after hearing records by Ella Fitzgerald
. Within a few years she was one of the most popular jazz artists in her native country. She met and later married Michal Urbaniak, In the late 60s they began to tour overseas and in the 70s settled in New York
.
Dudziak has some problems with language and customarily eschews words in favour of wordless vocalizing that is far more adventurous than scat
. Already gifted with a remarkable five-octave vocal range, Dudziak employs electronic devices to extend still further the possibilities of her voice. She has frequently worked with leading contemporary musicians, including Archie Shepp
and Lester Bowie
, and was a member of the Vocal Summit group, with Jay Clayton
, Jeanne Lee
, Bobby McFerrin
, Norma Winstone
, Sting, Michelle Hendricks, and Lauren Newton
.
On November 11, 2009, Dudziak was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by President Lech Kaczynski
.
where it was regularly featured in a local noontime TV game show Pilipinas, Game KNB?
. A favorite track for Filipino drag queen
s as lip-synch material in the '70s gay disco/bar scene, the song then saw a revival when a TV host danced to the tune, helping to spread the popularity of the song to Latin America and the US. The dance has then been featured in several news programs, including MSNBC, and Reuters. On 21 March 2008, the dance was featured on ABC
's Good Morning America
, where the hosts also danced to the song.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
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. She has worked with such artists as Krzysztof Komeda
Krzysztof Komeda
Krzysztof Komeda was a Polish film music composer and jazz pianist. Perhaps best-known for his work in film scores, Komeda wrote the scores for Roman Polanski’s films Rosemary’s Baby, The Fearless Vampire Killers, Knife in the Water and Cul-de-sac...
, Michał Urbaniak (her ex-husband), Gil Evans
Gil Evans
Gil Evans was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader, active in the United States...
, Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp is a prominent African-American jazz saxophonist. Shepp is best known for his passionately Afrocentric music of the late 1960s, which focused on highlighting the injustices faced by the African-Americans, as well as for his work with the New York Contemporary Five, Horace Parlan, and...
, and Lester Bowie
Lester Bowie
Lester Bowie was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the AACM, and cofounded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Biography:...
. Her 1970s song "Papaya" gained widespread popularity in Asia and Latin America in 2007.
Life and career
Dudziak was born in the Straconka neighborhood of Bielsko-BiałaBielsko-Biała
-Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. She studied piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, but began to sing in the late 50s after hearing records by 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...
. Within a few years she was one of the most popular jazz artists in her native country. She met and later married Michal Urbaniak, In the late 60s they began to tour overseas and in the 70s settled in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Dudziak has some problems with language and customarily eschews words in favour of wordless vocalizing that is far more adventurous than scat
Scat singing
In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
. Already gifted with a remarkable five-octave vocal range, Dudziak employs electronic devices to extend still further the possibilities of her voice. She has frequently worked with leading contemporary musicians, including Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp is a prominent African-American jazz saxophonist. Shepp is best known for his passionately Afrocentric music of the late 1960s, which focused on highlighting the injustices faced by the African-Americans, as well as for his work with the New York Contemporary Five, Horace Parlan, and...
and Lester Bowie
Lester Bowie
Lester Bowie was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the AACM, and cofounded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Biography:...
, and was a member of the Vocal Summit group, with Jay Clayton
Jay Clayton
Jay Clayton is an internationally acclaimed avant-garde vocalist and jazz educator.- Early years :...
, Jeanne Lee
Jeanne Lee
Jeanne Lee was an American jazz singer, poet and composer. Best known for a wide range of vocal styles she mastered, Lee collaborated with numerous distinguished composers and performers which included Gunter Hampel, Ran Blake, Carla Bley, Anthony Braxton, Marion Brown, and many...
, Bobby McFerrin
Bobby McFerrin
Robert "Bobby" McFerrin, Jr. is an American vocalist and conductor. He is best known for his 1988 hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He is a ten-time Grammy Award winner.-Life:...
, Norma Winstone
Norma Winstone
Norma Ann Winstone MBE is a British jazz singer and lyricist. In a career spanning over forty years she is best known for her wordless improvisations....
, Sting, Michelle Hendricks, and Lauren Newton
Lauren Newton (singer)
Lauren Amber Newton is an avant-garde jazz and contemporary classical singer, composer and teacher, best known as a founding member of the Vienna Art Orchestra....
.
On November 11, 2009, Dudziak was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by President Lech Kaczynski
Lech Kaczynski
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
.
Discography
- Newborn Light (1972)
- Super Constellation (1973)
- Atma (1974)
- Urszula (1976)
- Midnight Rain (1977)
- Urbaniak (1977)
- Future Talk (1979)
- Magic Lady (1980)
- Ulla (1982)
- Sorrow Is Not Forever... but Love Is (1983)
- High horse (1986)
- Magic Lady concert from Walk Away (1989)
- Jazz Unlimited (1993)
- Journey, Saturation (1994)
- And Life Goes On (2002)
- Painted Bird (2003)
Papaya dance
In 2007, Dudziak's classic 1970s song "Papaya" saw a resurgence in popularity in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
where it was regularly featured in a local noontime TV game show Pilipinas, Game KNB?
Pilipinas, Game KNB?
Pilipinas, Game KNB? was a long-running Philippine game show aired on ABS-CBN. Hosted by Edu Manzano, past versions of the show were hosted by Kris Aquino and aired on primetime. It is also aired on The Filipino Channel...
. A favorite track for Filipino drag queen
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
s as lip-synch material in the '70s gay disco/bar scene, the song then saw a revival when a TV host danced to the tune, helping to spread the popularity of the song to Latin America and the US. The dance has then been featured in several news programs, including MSNBC, and Reuters. On 21 March 2008, the dance was featured on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, where the hosts also danced to the song.