Theo Bleckmann

Theo Bleckmann is a jazz singer and new music composer, he was GRAMMY NOMINATED and received the ECHO award in 2010. His work was described as “from another planet” (New York Times), as “magical, futuristic,” (AllAboutJazz), “limitless” (Citypaper, Philadelphia) “transcendent” (Village Voice) and “brilliant” (New York Magazine). Bleckmann has released a series of very well-received albums on Winter & Winter, including recordings of Las Vegas standards, of Berlin Kabarett, and of popular “bar songs” (all with pianist Fumio Yasuda), a recording of newly-arranged songs by Charles Ives (with jazz/rock collective Kneebody), and his new acoustic Solos for Voice “I dwell in possibility”. Bleckmann has worked with such artists as Laurie Anderson, Anthony Braxton, Steve Coleman, Dave Douglas, Phillip Glass, Meredith Monk, Michael Tilson Thomas, John Zorn and The Bang on a Can All-Stars and was a guest vocalist with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Estonian Radio Choir, Merce Cunningham Dance Company and Mark Morris Dance. most prominently, Meredith Monk, with whom Bleckmann worked as a core ensemble member for fifteen years. He has recently been interview by Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air. Recognized as both a performer and composer, his work spans concerts, installations, theater, cabaret and performance art. He has sung worldwide on some of the great stages including Carnegie Hall's, Zankel Hall, and the Sydney Opera House. The New Yorker called him a 'local cult favorite', The New York Times 'excellent' and according to OUT Magazine Bleckmann is 'a singer who's only recently fallen to earth' and indeed Bleckmann's style has something otherworldly and ethereal. Bleckmann is also an educator. He is professor of Jazz Voice at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music and Adjunct Assistant Professor at The New School, Queens College and New York University. Theo Bleckmann grew up appreciating both traditional music from his native Germany as well as American popular music and The Great American Songbook. He trained as an ice dancer in Germany, and was a junior champion before deciding to pursue a career in music. In 1989 Bleckmann moved from his native Germany to New York City (subsequently becoming an American citizen in 2005) after meeting legendary jazz vocalist Sheila Jordan at a workshop in Graz, Austria, who remains an influential mentor and colleague to this day. Together they can be heard on Sheila Jordan's Jazzchild (High Note 1999). -Wikipedia Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.