Judy Niemack


Judy Niemack is an American jazz vocalist.

Early life

Judy Niemack was born in Pasadena, California to a musical family. She began singing in a church choir from the age of seven. Niemack decided on a professional career in singing at age 17 and studied Bel canto singing with Primo Lino Puccinelli in Pasadena for 3 years. She studied classical voice and jazz improvisation with Gary Foster at Pasadena City College, and later attended the New England Conservatory of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music. After pursuing classical studies until 1975, she returned to California to study jazz improvisation with Marsh. Niemack eventually moved to New York City in 1977, her first major engagement was a week at the Village Vanguard, singing in Warne Marsh's band.

Professional career

Her debut album, By Heart was recorded in New York City and released in 1977; since then she has recorded 12 albums under her own name in addition to working with Toots Thielemans, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Clark Terry, Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Joe Lovano, Eddie Gómez and the :de:WDR Big Band|WDR Big Band.
In 1987, while living in New York, Niemack met guitarist Jeanfrançois Prins; the two would eventually marry in 1998. In 1992 Niemack relocated to Brussels and taught vocal jazz in the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, and the :de:Internationales Musik und Medien Zentrum|Royal Conservatory of the Hague. The couple recorded several CDs together and performed together extensively. In 1995 the couple moved to Berlin, where she became the first Professor of Jazz Voice in Germany, teaching at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" and also establishing the vocal jazz program at Musikene, the Basque School of Higher Music, in San Sebastian, Spain. The couple eventually divorced in 2016.

Teaching: Jazz and Vocal education career

Niemack has written and published a set of three widely praised method books on jazz singing; the Hear It and Sing It! series. Since 1995, she has been a professor of vocal jazz studies at the JIB. Prominent vocal students of Niemack's include artists such as Dominique Lacasa, Marc Secara, :de:Efrat Alony|Efrat Alony, :de:Lucia Cadotsch|Lucia Cadotsch and :de:Erik Leuthäuser|Erik Leuthäuser. Niemack has written lyrics for over 100 compositions by Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Richie Beirach, Pat Metheny and Kenny Dorham which have been recorded on numerous albums.

Personal

Niemack currently lives in both Berlin and New York City.

Discography