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Colette Wickenhagen

Trained as a dancer, singer, actress & entertainer in the UK and the Netherlands.

Born in a family of music lovers, Colette was brought up with jazz, as her father played and loved it! That love continues into the next generation.

Colette has sung many different styles of music as she worked as an entertainer for many years, but singing jazz is like “coming home” to Colette.

“One of the greatest gifts my father gave me was his enthusiasm, dedication to and love for music, in particular jazz music. I inherited that love and am forever grateful. We used to listen to Benny Webster, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, the Bosswell Sisters, Miles Davis and many others and went through all the emotions those fabulous musicians led us through. Once I started singing jazz I found that I just love singing those old wonderful songs with their timeless lyrics.”

1990 - Won the Polaroid Award & Soloist Award.

1992 - Won the Breukelen Jazz Award.

1994, her first solo cd: "the Kick of the Blues" was brought out and later that year she also sang on the Big Band Nijmegen cd: "Retrospective".

1994, toured through Bahrain and Kenya.

1997, did a project with the Royal Dutch Airforce Orchestra in Holland, Germany & Spain.

2000, she was a guest on the cd "Swing Time!" from the band Captains of Mainstream.

2001, guest on the cd "Summer Sessions 2001".

2002, guest on the cd "A Living Legend" from the saxophone legend Harry Verbeke.

2002, a new summer project with the Royal Dutch Airforce Orchestra in The Netherlands.

2003, a new cd was released with Clous van Mechelen playing the saxophone: “Songs for Sale”. Record label: Munich Records, BMCD 341.

2004, a new summer project (Brasilian project) with the Royal Dutch Airforce Orchestra in The Netherlands.

2007, invited to Moscow & Tver, Russia, to sing at the 13th International Vocal Jazz Festival: "Jazz Voices".

2009, NEW CD: Just Friends Jammin' Combo: Hans Kwakkernaat, Wiro Mahieu and Ben Schröder. Guests: Clous van Mechelen, Rinus Groeneveld, Frits Kaatee, Saskia Laroo and Michael Gustorff.

In 2009, invited to Moscow & Obninsk, Russia, to sing at the 15th International Vocal Jazz Festival: "Jazz Voices".

Would love to make a recording with Blue Note!

Would love to sing with Al Jarreau!

Awards

1990 - Won the Polaroid Award & Soloist Award, NL. 1992 - Won the Breukelen Jazz Award, NL.


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Take Five With...

Take Five With Colette Wickenhagen

Read "Take Five With Colette Wickenhagen" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Meet Colette Wickenhagen: Colette Wickenhagen, born in a Dutch family that loved music, especially jazz music. Winner of the Polaroid Award and the Breukelen Jazz Award. Studied successively at the Dance Conservatoire in The Hague, Netherlands, the Arts Educational School in London, and the Nel Roos and the Cabaret Academy in Amsterdam. Played throughout the years in many different orchestras: Harry Verbeke, Cees Slinger, John Engels, Gijs Hendriks, Rob van Kreeveld, Frits Landesbergen, Saskia Laroo, Michiel Borstlap, the Royal Dutch ...

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Recording

New CD Colette Wickenhagen: Just Friends Jammin'

New CD Colette Wickenhagen: Just Friends Jammin'

Source: Michael Ricci

Wonderful new CD of the Dutch jazz singer Colette Wickenhagen, has just been released.

A song of her last CD Songs for Sale is currently in the All About Jazz TOP 200 of the downloads. A FREE download of this new album Just Friends Jammin' will be uploaded soon!

On this album Colette has surrounded herself with the absolute best of Dutch jazz musicians. There is a lot of pure jazz improvisation going on. The sound is warm ...

Review 2009: “Colette doesn’t like to show off, and doesn’t need to do so either. But she just can’t help sounding like a complete jazz singer. She sings perfectly in tune and uses an impressive range, but still manages to sound warm and relaxed. Her behavior is like Duke Ellington’s singer Ivie Anderson: a glamorous showgirl onstage, dancing and flirting, but very down to earth and ‘one of the boys’ backstage.” (Jeroen de Valk, 2009, NL).

Review 2005: "… She has a voice like a luxuriously upholstered bridal suite. Pleasant, sumptuous, warm. Complete with exciting nooks and soft carpets in subdued shades. Colette Wickenhagen, one of the shiners of Amersfoort jazz, blossomed into the complete jazz diva with her elastic timbre, almost unlimited technique, playful improvisations, penetrating interpretation of the lyrics and remarkable radiation...." (Jeroen de Valk/NL).

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Photos

Music

A Night In Tunesia

From: Just Friend's Jammin'
By Colette Wickenhagen

On Green Dolphin Street

From: Songs for Sale
By Colette Wickenhagen

Videos

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