Born: May 21, 1978 Primary Instrument: Vocal
Tine Bruhn moved to New York City in 2001 after having graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston. She quickly became part of New York’s jazz scene performing at some of the city’s best music venues including Smalls and Bar Next Door. She consistently plays with some of the top musicians in NYC and she has become a regular on the program at the well- known jazz club Zinc Bar. Ms. Bruhn performs weekly in duo setting with pianist Johnny O’Neal (Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Milt Jackson) at Robert on Columbus Circle.
The Danish-born singer grew up in Flensburg, Germany where she started her career at an early age. At 15 she founded the the vocal group “Kvart I Fire” which gained high recognition in the region, especially after the release of their CD “Go 4 it”. Additionally Tine sang in the semi-professional classical choirs “Landes Jugend Chor Schleswig Holstein” and “Jugend Kammer Chor Flensburg/Kiel”. Around that time she discovered her passion for jazz and went to many of the live jazz concerts by visiting Danish musicians such as NHØP and Danish Radio Big Band. After performing with a jazz trio she decided to make the big move to the United States. In Boston she studied with Sheryl Bentyne (Manhattan Transfer), recording artist Walter Beasley, Grammy award winner Richard Evans and distinguished scat educator Bob Stoloff.
Her debut solo CD “Entranced” was released in 2009 and featured Greg Hutchinson on drums and Maurice Brown on trumpet. It received stellar reviews in both the US and Europe and is getting played on radio stations around the world.
In April 2009 the Tine Bruhn Quartet was on tour in Europe where they played at sold out venues including “B-Flat” in Berlin. In the spring of 2010, Ms Bruhn and her group performed in Philadelphia at the the city’s number one jazz club, Chris’ Jazz Cafe. In November 2011, she brought her quintet on another tour to Germany and Denmark. The third tour was scheduled for November 2012 but was unfortunately canceled as the quintet was scheduled to fly out of NYC the day “Sandy” hit and re-booking flights was impossible.
Tine Bruhn’s new release “Nearness” is a duo recording of standards with pianist Johnny O'Neal. Tine Bruhn and Johnny O’Neal started working together in the summer of 2011 when her regular pianist had to cancel on short notice and sent Johnny O’Neal as a sub! Since then they have been appearing almost weekly at Robert Restaurant in NYC.
Mr. O'Neal has played with Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Lionel Hampton to name just a few. He has opened for Oscar Peterson at Carnegie Hall and he played the role of Art Tatum in the Oscar winning movie “Ray” based on Mr. Peterson’s recommendation. In a recent JazzTimes article, O’Neal is named as “one of jazz’s best-kept secrets”.
This recording is a natural ‘documentation’ of the musical relationship between these two very different musicians. Different in the sense of background, age, ethnicity, gender. But musicially they complement each other highly and the listener will hear a relaxedness and comfortness shining through. The music was recorded in only one day with just two takes per song. Johnny O’Neal states “We just went in there and laid it down! It just felt right!” Tenor saxophonist Stacy Dillard is feautured on four tracks. Ben Ratliff (NY Times) calls Dillard “a young saxophonist of serious promise,” and he has played with Wycliffe Gordon, Eric Reed and Roy Hargrove amongst many others.
Spike Wilner (Smalls Jazz Club, NYC) writes in his liner notes: “Tine Bruhn for me is an interesting throw back to another age - one of cool elegance and poise. Her demeanor and look are distinctly “jazz age”, as if she could step out of a Fitzgerald novel. Her voice has a throaty comfortableness and her feel is an easy, swinging and true jazz feeling. Her repertoire, similarly, classic in its choices. Real Tin-Pan Alley. Joined here on this recording by a true master, Johnny O'Neal and a young master Stacy Dillard, this blend has an authentic feel. I'm sure you'll enjoy this selection of tunes and be glad to get to know Tine Bruhn.”
“Tine Bruhn reveals a vocal texture suggesting a cross between a soprano sax and a flugelhorn with a technique that utilizes uncanny space, economy and dynamics. Nice interplay between Bruhn and the trio. Bruhn's phrasing is nothing short of hypnotic. The tune Har Du Visor Min Vän is the perfect vehicle for Bruhn's unique voice: “Don't talk about music with me. Let the song speak for you”. Through Tine Bruhn's crystal clear vocal timbre, they do.” (Jazz.com - Bill Barnes, July 09)
“A solid and throughout beautiful debut album.” (Gaffa Music Magazine, Denmark, August 09)
“Wonderful recording, and listeners especially dig 'Tears' and 'Baby, Let Me Love You' “ (Rob Hoff, Radio Host, Jazz Flight WQLN)
“At the heart of her stage presence, which was evident by the rapt audience gathered at sundown for the intimate show, is a movement of feeling, an emerging joy in her art form that makes the sound transcend time and place. It's easy to imagine Bruhn as a 1920s jazz singer serenading her audience in the local speakeasy, or simply as the Brooklyn-based musician that she is, raw, elegant, ethereal.” (The Copenhagen Voice - Rose Spaziani, July 2009)
“Tine has a beautiful voice that moves so softly with the music; making you feel all the emotions that the song was meant to deliver. And her delivery, is like the feeling you have right before a first kiss. The anticipation of her next note is chilling. One of her songs on her new album is titled “Close To Nothing”and if you listen to any of Tine's music, you must listen to that song. I like this lady a lot. And she is surrounded by a splendid band as well. Tine Bruhn's debut album “Entranced” by Inenomis Records is now available on CD Baby. I must get it.” (Mike McCabe - thebestindiemusic.com, May 09)
”It's so obvious when a jazz singer sounds like a jazz singer.......There's the sultry sound.......The delivery........the feeling...........The choices of music that make up a jazz repertoire. So, without any trepidation, I relegate my readers to the fine vocalise of Tine Bruhn jazz singer extraordinaire. Her delivery of the tune ''Search For Peace'' was stunning!! And, Tine brings the song to the forefront with a cogent performance. Her sidemen provide a nice Miles Davis-esque platform for Tine to ply her talents and to avoid beating a dead horse, please support this NY City based treasure.” (George W Carroll)
