Would you like to get to know the Polish jazz vocal legend, Urszula Dudziak?
Urszula Dudziak is one of the most influential singers in the history of jazz, including the USA, with her 4.5-octave voice and unmatched talent in wordless scat vocal technique.
The great Polish artist, who is over 80 years old today, was named 'Jazz Singer of the Year' by the Los Angeles Times in 1979. A key figure in the history of Polish jazz, she married violinist Michal Urbaniak and built her own unique vocal heritage over time, immigrating to the USA in 1973 after a successful early period and living there for nearly 40 years.
Urszula Bogumiła Dudziak-Urbaniak (born 22 October 1943) is a Polish jazz vocalist. She has worked with Krzysztof Komeda, Michał Urbaniak (her ex-husband), Gil Evans, Archie Shepp, and Lester Bowie. In 2007, her 1970s song "Papaya" gained widespread popularity in Asia and Latin America.
Working with different names such as Archie Shepp, Lester Bowie, and Bobby McFerrin in the eighties, Dudziak appeared on stage with Jay Clayton, Jeanne Lee, Bobby McFerrin, Norma Winstone, Michele Hendricks, and Lauren Newton in the early 90s under the name Vocal Summit Group.
In 1959, when she was a young girl, Dudziak heard Ella Fitzgerald singing on the radio. Thanks to Ella, Dudziak became interested in jazz. Ella is considered the most important name in scat jazz history.
Urszula Dudziak has not recorded albums for a long time. Her last album was released as a live performance recording in 2009. In our opinion, it is a must for those who love the scat style and those who wonder what kind of vocal peak a voice like Dudziak is, to listen to all of the artist's albums. Dudziak, who sang her songs almost without using meaningful words, was famous for singing the same notes in the same octave with any instrument at the same time.
When she returned to her country after many years in the USA, she began to interpret the influences of Polish folk, folk, and classical music, which she started in the 1960s, through her voice and music.
Dudziak, who is an artist who brings the skill of the musicians who accompany her to the top with her instruments, continues to be a source of inspiration for young artists who are especially fond of jazz vocals, with the albums she recorded in the past, even though she is now old.
You can listen to Urszula Dudziak's newly released album "Live at Warsaw Jazz Jamboree 1991" on digital platforms.