Judy Niemack

Judy Niemack distinguishes herself as both an accomplished jazz vocalist and instructor through an expressive, melody-focused approach paired with advanced skill in vocalese. Having received guidance from Warne Marsh, she first surfaced in the 1970s via the debut album By Heart. Further collaborations encompass the 1989 effort Blue-Bop alongside Cedar Walton, while additional standards collections comprise 1996’s Night and the Music, 2003’s About Time, 2007’s Blue Nights, and 2017’s Listening to You. Although she sustained a consistent role within New York’s performance circuit, Niemack has maintained residence in Europe across many years, serving as professor of jazz singing at Jazz Institut Berlin and the Basque School of Higher Music in Spain. Guest saxophonist Eric Alexander appeared on the 2022 release What’s Love.

Born in Pasadena, California, in 1954, Niemack was raised within a household centered on music and began performing through participation in her local church choir. During adolescence she already displayed notable vocal talent while studying bel canto under Primo Lino Puccinelli. Following graduation she undertook studies in classical voice and jazz improvisation at Pasadena City College before continuing at the New England Conservatory of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Returning to California in 1975, she pursued jazz instruction with Warne Marsh, and through his ensemble she achieved her New York debut at the Village Vanguard in 1977. Establishing a base in N.Y.C., she issued her first recording, By Heart, the subsequent year.

Although regular performances continued, several years passed before Niemack completed another full album, with Blue-Bop appearing in 1989. On that project pianist Cedar Walton provided support, and she interpreted his compositions “Bolivia,” “Dizzy Atmosphere,” and “Moanin’,” while trombonist Curtis Fuller made a guest contribution. Further releases during the 1990s included Heart’s Desire, Mingus, Monk & Mal recorded with pianist Mal Waldron, and Night and the Music featuring pianist Kenny Werner, bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Billy Hart, all issued on the Free Lance label.

During the same decade Niemack relocated to Europe, where she provided vocal jazz instruction at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, and the Royal Conservatory of the Hague. She also documented several projects with guitarist Jeanfrançois Prins, her husband at the time prior to their 2016 divorce. In 1995 she assumed the role of Professor of Jazz Voice at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler,” also known as Jazz Institut Berlin. She further produced the Hear It and Sing It! series of vocal method books and participated in establishing the vocal jazz curriculum at Musikene, the Basque School of Higher Music, located in San Sebastian, Spain.

The 2002 Sony Germany album About Time featured guitarist Prins together with bassist Eddie Gomez, vibraphonist David Friedman, and percussionist Café. Three years afterward Blue Nights appeared on Blujazz, again including Prins as well as pianist Jim McNeely, bassist Dennis Irwin, and drummer Victor Lewis, with saxophonist Gary Bartz and trumpeter Don Sickler among the guests. That year also saw a collaboration with New York’s Big Band Jazz Terraza on What’s Going On?. In the Sundance followed in 2009 with Prins, pianist Bruce Barth, bassist Rufus Reid, and drummer Bruno Castellucci. The 2017 duo recording Listening to You united her with pianist Dan Tepfer, after which she joined Jim McNeely and the DR Big Band for 2018’s New York Stories. Another piano-vocal session, Sing Your Song with pianist Wolfgang Koehler, arrived the next year. In 2022 Niemack issued What’s Love, a small-group date featuring guitarist Peter Bernstein, pianist Sullivan Fortner, bassist Doug Weiss, and drummer Joe Farnsworth, with saxophonist Eric Alexander as guest.