Dans le cadre du « mois du vocal » sur le blog Docteur Jazz, j’aimerai vous présenter quelques vocalistes étrangères… C’est le cas de Kateryna Kravchenko, chanteuse, compositrice et arrangeuse Ukrainienne, que j’ai découverte par hasard sur YouTube avec une vidéo, où elle double un solo de Dizzy Gillespie… Elle a bien voulu répondre à quelques questions.
DJ : Hi Kateryna, can you give us a short presentation ?
KK : My name is Kateryna Kravchenko. I am a native Ukrainian jazz singer and composer, now living in Germany. Since 2013, I’ve been actively participating in various jazz competitions and festivals in which I’ve won many awards. I performed with the Alexey Petukhov Quartet, sharing stage with Allan Harris, Eve Cornelious, Benny Benack III and Rachel Therrien. Since 2018, I’ve been studying Jazz Vocals at the Carl Maria von Weber School of Music in Dresden. At the end of 2020, I and my band released our debut album Stories.
DJ : Which are your main influences ? (Singers-musicians-styles)
KK : When I was 11 years old, my vocal teacher had me listen to a recording of Ella Fitzgerald singing Airmail Special. I’d never heard ‘scatting’ before and this recording completely changed my life. It was so fascinating! I wanted to listen to it day and night! I believe this passion is what inspired me to become a jazz musician. In recent years, I’ve mainly studied music that focuses on singers like Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jazzmeia Horn, Kurt Elling, Bobby McFerrin, Gretchen Parlato, and Norma Winstone. I’m also putting more and more effort into composing my own music, for which I’m mostly inspired by the works of Wayne Shorter, Avishai Cohen,and Kenny Wheeler.
DJ : What do you think about « scatting » in jazz vocal’s world ?
KK : I believe that thanks to « scatting », a singer’s voice becomes more like an instrument, and this gives singers the opportunity to improvise, and express their musical individuality.
DJ : Just a word or a simple phrase to define jazz ?
KK : Originality & creativity in expressing deep, intense moods.
DJ : If you were a jazz standard ?
KK : Hmm… I’d say Joy Spring by Clifford Brown.
DJ : What are your projects ?
KK : In 2018, I brought together a quartet of musicians from Brazil, Poland and Germany; and I like composing and arranging music with them. Recently we released our debut album Stories. Since 2020, I became a member of the National German Youth Orchestra — BuJazzO, which I enjoy singing in as part of their vocal ensemble and big band. The exchange of musical experiences with my homeland is also very important to me. I hope my band will soon be able to play concerts in Ukraine again, as well as hold workshops in children’s music schools there in order to develop the jazz culture of my country.
DJ : Thank you so much Kateryna, we will (I will, for sure) follow your works. Take care !
Stan
Une formation et un stage de SCAT sont disponibles dans la boutique du blog, pour tous les niveaux…