Radka Toneff
Radka Toneff ( born June 25, 1952 in Oslo, † 21 October 1982) was a Norwegian jazz singer. In her short career she had acquired only as a vocalist an exceptional position in the Norwegian jazz scene. Her singing style was characterized by an emotionally expressive voice with little vibrato.
Biography
As the daughter of the Bulgarian folk singer Toni Toneff musical career Radka was more or less mapped out, especially since her mother, a Norwegian who also played the piano. On her father's wish, she began then six years old, to take piano lessons. About rock and rhythm & blues came Radka Toneff already in the 1960s for singing. After finishing school she studied from 1971 to 1975 at the Music Conservatory in Oslo and planning to be a piano teacher. At this time she became interested in jazz after she met the brothers Erik and Jon Balke. In 1974 she co-founded with bassist Arild Andersen and guitarist Jon Eberson the Radka Toneff Quintet, with whom she released the album Winter Poem (1977 ) and It Dont't Come Easy (1979). The success of the two albums as well as TV and festival appearances made Radka Toneff known abruptly. In addition, she was elected in 1977 in Norway for Artist of the Year. 1979 Radka met in Stockholm living in Sweden American pianist Steve Dobrogosz, with whom she worked closely from now on. With him, she finally published in 1982 on the label Odin her most famous album Fairytales. This should already be the last studio recording of it. In October 1982, only thirty year old singer came under mysterious circumstances. Various print media speculated on suicide, but the closer their circle of friends disagreed. 1992 posthumous album with a live recording of a concert from 1981 was published in Hamburg together with Steve Dobrogosz, Arild Andersen and Alex Riel.
Despite their very short musical career Radka Toneff has exercised an immense influence on the Norwegian jazz scene. Even after her death, was therefore awarded by the Norwegian Jazz Federation of nationally known Buddy Award. At the International Jazz Festival in Molde an artist is awarded the Radka Toneff 's Memory Award annually. Furthermore, there is a fund in her honor, receive financial support from the young musicians.