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Judy Niemack

Born and raised in Pasadena, California, Judy gained her early experience singing in her church choir from the age of 7. She first heard jazz through her mother’s Nancy Wilson records, and discovered that she could easily sing harmonies when she and her sister sang background vocals on folk songs behind their brother. As a teenager, she sang in a wide variety of settings including musical theater, rock bands, bluegrass groups, madrigals and in a vocal jazz quartet.

Judy then studied classical singing and was encouraged to make it her focus, but the turning point in her young career was when she met the great tenor-saxophonist Warne Marsh (who followed in the footsteps of his teacher, pianist Lennie Tristano by becoming an important jazz educator). “I became Warne’s first vocal student. He treated me just like I was a horn player, and assigned me solos by Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge and Prez to learn. He taught me to improvise. He always called it instant composition.” Attending Pasadena City College, she had lessons with alto saxophonist Gary Foster, and later studied classical singing at New England Conservatory and Cleveland Institute Of Music.

On returning to the Los Angeles area, she continued her studies with Marsh and, after moving to New York in 1977 on his advice, her first important gig was a week at the Village Vanguard in his band. She made her recording debut featuring him and bassist Eddie Gomez, "By Heart", for the Sea Breeze label in 1978.

“During that period, I was strictly a vocal improviser, with little thought given to entertaining. But eventually I started to focus on the lyrics, and how to communicate, and I really grew as a singer.” Starting in the late 1970s, Judy began to a compose and to write lyrics. She became the lyricist for such pieces as Clifford Brown’s “Daahoud,” Thelonious Monk’s “Misterioso,” Bill Evans’ “Interplay,” Richie Powell’s “Time” and Duke Jordan’s “Jordu,” as well as songs by the likes of Lee Konitz, Pat Metheny, Dexter Gordon, Gigi Gryce, Kenny Dorham, Curtis Fuller, Bob Brookmeyer, Richie Beirach, Don Grolnick, Mike Stern, Johnny Griffin and others. One of the driving forces behind her writing is the desire to sing lyrics that are more relevant to life today than those of the standard repertoire of the 30s and 40s.

Due to her beautiful voice, fearless improvising, impressive musicianship and versatility, Judy Niemack has since sung with many of the "who’s who" of jazz, including guitarist Peter Bernstein, pianists Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Cedar Walton, Kenny Barron, Jim McNeely, Steve Kuhn, and Kirk Lightsey, saxophonists Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano and James Moody, the great harmonica player Toots Thielemans, flugelhornist Clark Terry, bassists Ray Drummond and Eddie Gomez, drummers Billy Higgins, Joey Baron and Billy Hart, the New York Voices, and Danish Radio and WDR Big Bands.

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Album Review

Judy Niemack: What's Love?

Read "What's Love?" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Potrebbe non essere gentile iniziare questa recensione ricordando l'età della signora Niemack ma per un'artista ancora così attrattiva ed efficace, l'imminenza dei settant'anni non rappresenta un problema. La cantante californiana mantiene la sua cifra espressiva, aggiungendo nuove ombreggiature vocali e un incedere più intimo e colloquiale, come evidenzia in questo disco. Come altri recenti progetti il lavoro ha subito un arresto per le restrizioni sociali della pandemia che ha fatto saltare la presentazione al Village Vanguard tre ...

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The Jazz Life

Songbirds: An Interview with Singer Judy Niemack

Read "Songbirds: An Interview with Singer Judy Niemack" reviewed by Peter Rubie


Apart from their mutual respect for each other, and the fact that they are jazz singers, there isn't a lot, superficially, that you would think Judy Niemack and Jay Clayton have in common. But you'd be wrong. Both have a classical music background, Clayton at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, before moving to New York City in 1963, and Niemack, who studied Bel Canto singing for three years when a teenager living in Pasadena, Ca., and ...

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Album Review

Judy Niemack - Jay Clayton: Voices in Flight

Read "Voices in Flight" reviewed by Katchie Cartwright


While veteran vocal improvisers Judy Niemack and Jay Clayton have known each other since the '70s, Voices in Flight marks their first time together in the studio. They have performed some of the album material in live shows since the early 2000s, including their medley of “Body and Soul" and Idrees Sulieman's gorgeous contrafact of it, “Orange Blossoms" ("With You"). Niemack sings the Sulieman tune, highlighting her craft in writing texts for instrumental jazz tunes that match the melodic inflections ...

Album Review

Judy Niemack: New York Stories

Read "New York Stories" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Non è tra le cantanti più celebri del jazz moderno, ma è certamente tra le più brave. A differenza di quanto accade oggi nel mondo delle vocalist, Judy Niemack non fa surfing da uno stile all'altro ma continua a esaltare la tradizione vocale nata dal bop e dal cool jazz. E lo fa in maniera splendida, sulla scia di Chris Connor, Anita O'Day e Sheila Jordan. Quest'incisione è del novembre 2013 e segue di un anno Listening to You, il ...

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Live Review

Singing Jazz: Judy Niemack Master Class

Read "Singing Jazz: Judy Niemack Master Class" reviewed by Jessica Raimi


"Part of the fun of jazz is like seeing someone ski down a dangerous slope. When you improvise, you have to take a chance. If you fall, you fall," Judy Niemack was telling her master class on September 26. The nine women with her, most of them professional singers, in the studio of Second Floor Music on West 28th Street in New York City, had come to study with a musician who has been called “one of the best and ...

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Album Review

Judy Niemack: Master Of Jazz: Tenor Titans

Read "Master Of Jazz: Tenor Titans" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Playing Judy Niemack and Clairdee back to back, one is reminded that while some jazz singers are content to simply emulate their idols, others are striving to be distinctive. Niemack is definitely an example of the latter. From inventive scatting and marvelous interpretive abilities to an abundance of soulfulness, ...Night And The Music confirms the fact that Niemack is one of the most exciting jazz singers going. When the improviser digs into Oliver Nelson's “Stolen Moments" and Monk's “Well, You ...

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Performance / Tour

Judy Niemack "Something to Say" Jan. 19-20 at Sweet Rhythm

Judy Niemack "Something to Say" Jan. 19-20 at Sweet Rhythm

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Judy Niemack “Something to Say" Jan. 19-20 at Sweet Rhythm - NYC

Jazz vocalist extraordinaire Judy Niemack will perform a weekend of her original lyrics set to jazz masters' compositions with a great band this month in New York City! Come and hear her distinctive take on masterpieces by Thelonious Monk, Pat Metheny, Bill Evans, Kenny Dorham, Clifford Brown, Dexter Gordon, Richie Beirach, Elmo Hope, Kirk Nurock.

Jan. 19 and 20th at Sweet Rhythm 88 Seventh ...

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Performance / Tour

Judy Niemack-Darmon Meader "Scat-tacular!" Live at Sweet Rhythm, Sept. 1st and 2nd

Judy Niemack-Darmon Meader "Scat-tacular!" Live at Sweet Rhythm, Sept. 1st and 2nd

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Come to NYC's Sweet Rhythm to hear the “conference of the scatting birds", a G2 summit of today's top vocal jazz improvisers, backed by a world-class band! They will infuse you with the irrepressible energy of vocal improvisation, presented by two artists who inspire one another. Judy and NY Voices leader Darmon have worked together in Europe, but this is their second appearance in the Big Apple: a rare event, not to be missed! Click on Judy Niemack's official website ...

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Performance / Tour

Judy Niemack featuring Eddie Gomez "About Time" Monday, April 10th at the Jazz Standard / Shows at 7:30 and 9:30

Judy Niemack featuring Eddie Gomez "About Time" Monday, April 10th at the Jazz Standard / Shows at 7:30 and 9:30

Source: All About Jazz

Judy Niemack featuring Eddie Gomez “About Time"

Monday, April 10th at the Jazz Standard Shows at 7:30 and 9:30

Eddie Gomez: bass Jeanfrancois Prins: guitar/arranger Edson Caf: percussion

“She puts over a tune with passion and singular phrasing. She slaloms with streamlined precision through tricky be-bop lines and changes. She twists, turns, scats, leaps and bounds with Olympian grace....displaying admirable control, balance and understatement"--G. Kalbacher, Hot House

Jazz ...

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Performance / Tour

Judy Niemack Band featuring Eddie Gomez at the Jazz Standard Monday, August 29th Sets at 7:30 and 9:30PM

Judy Niemack Band featuring Eddie Gomez at the Jazz Standard Monday, August 29th Sets at 7:30 and 9:30PM

Source: All About Jazz

August 29, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Monday, August 29th Judy Niemack Band featuring Eddie Gomez on bass Jeanfrançois Prins: Guitar Edson Cafe : percussion Jazz Standard 116 East 27th Street (btw. Park and Lex.) 212-576-2232 Shows at 7:30 and 9:30 $15.00 “If you want to know what real jazz singing can be (but rarely is), listen to Judy NIEMACK ... She is a musician in the truest sense, having mastered her instrument ...

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Performance / Tour

Judy Niemack Band featuring Eddie Gomez at the Jazz Standard Monday, August 29th Sets at 7:30 and 9:30PM

Judy Niemack Band featuring Eddie Gomez at the Jazz Standard Monday, August 29th Sets at 7:30 and 9:30PM

Source: All About Jazz

August 22, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Monday, August 29th Judy Niemack Band featuring Eddie Gomez on bass Jeanfrançois Prins: Guitar Edson Cafe : percussion Jazz Standard 116 East 27th Street (btw. Park and Lex.) 212-576-2232 Shows at 7:30 and 9:30 $15.00 “If you want to know what real jazz singing can be (but rarely is), listen to Judy NIEMACK ... She is a musician in the truest sense, having mastered her instrument ...

81

Performance / Tour

Judy Niemack-Darmon Meader "Scat-tacular!" Live at Sweet Rhythm, Tuesday, Sept. 13th

Judy Niemack-Darmon Meader "Scat-tacular!" Live at Sweet Rhythm, Tuesday, Sept. 13th

Source: All About Jazz

August 3, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] September 13th : “Judy Niemack-Darmon Meader Scat-tacular!" Live at Sweet Rhythm, Tuesday, Sept. 13th SETS 8 PM AND 10 PM COVER $15 $10 FOOD AND DRINK MINIMUM sweet rhythm 88 Seventh Ave So. @ Bleecker Reservations. Tel: (212) 255-3626 “If you want to know what real jazz singing can be (but rarely is), listen to Judy NIEMACK ... She is a musician in the truest sense, ...

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Performance / Tour

Judy Niemack Band featuring Eddie Gomez at the Jazz Standard Monday, August 29th Sets at 7:30 and 9:30PM

Judy Niemack Band featuring Eddie Gomez at the Jazz Standard Monday, August 29th Sets at 7:30 and 9:30PM

Source: All About Jazz

July 19, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Monday, August 29th Judy Niemack Band featuring Eddie Gomez on bass Jeanfrançois Prins: Guitar Edson Cafe : percussion Jazz Standard 116 East 27th Street (btw. Park and Lex.) 212-576-2232 Shows at 7:30 and 9:30 $15.00 “If you want to know what real jazz singing can be (but rarely is), listen to Judy NIEMACK ... She is a musician in the truest sense, having mastered her instrument ...

"Her creative odyssey provides a fascinating illustration of the high road to mastery that transcends the limitations of genre...a vocalist of theatrical depth and consumate syllabic invention. Ever since her debut with (Warne) Marsh at the Village Vanguard, audiences have marvelled at the grace with which Niemack scats." — K. Leander Williams, Downbeat "To hear Judy Niemack's immaculate delivery of poetic romance and lilting spirit from the classic American songbook is to believe she was weaned on it...She didn't merely dabble in folk, opera, jazz, avant-garde and the great American standards; she studied and explored them..

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Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

Judy is availabe for private lessons online, and in NYC and in Berlin.  Rates are $150 per hour

University/Conservatory positions:

1993-1995, Professor of Vocal Jazz, Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, Belgium

Guest Professor, Royal Conservatory in Den Hague, Holland.

1994-1996, Professor of Vocal Jazz, Royal Conservatory of Brussels, Belgium

1995-2020: First Professor of Vocal Jazz, Jazz Institut Berlin, Germany

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Voices in Flight

GAM Records
2023

buy

What's Love?

Sunnyside Records
2022

buy

New York Stories

Sunnyside Records
2018

buy

Listening to You

Sunnyside Records
2017

buy

In the Sundance

Bluejazz
2009

buy

Born To Be Blue

From: What's Love?
By Judy Niemack

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