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most af the reviews are in Dutch, we've worked on the translation of some of them. The originals can be viewed on the review page on the Dutch site. |
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2008 COLETTE & CLOUS
& COMPANY: SONG FOR SALE The “mysterious” abbreviation Colette & Clous hides the names of the Dutch duo Colette Wickenhagen and Clous van Mechelen. In 1986, Colette exchanged the professional world of dance productions for that of a jazz/blues singer. In the last more than 20 years, she performed with all kinds of formations (duo, trio, quartet, quintet, sextet and big band). The saxophone player
Clous van Mechelen has been a central figure within the Northern-European
jazz-scene for a very long time. You will find his name on this album
“Song for Sale” as a musician, producer and sound engineer. |
COLETTE & CLOUS & COMPANY:
SONG FOR SALE
Közremuködnek: Colette Wickenhagen / ének,
Clous van Mechelen / szaxofon, Kiadó: Munich Records (Hollandia) |
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2007 By: Marcelo Tchechenistky / Brasil CD – Songs For Sale / Colette Wickenhagen & Clous van Mechelen. It is difficult to start talking about someone on an artistic journey, who, I think, reaches clear perfection. I speak in this review of COLETTE WICKENHAGEN. The sound of her voice reminds me of those unforgettable Negro female voices from the foundation of the vocal jazz and, in addition, she develops it with an impressive feel for "swing", characteristic for this music of marginal origin, to such a degree of freedom, that her choice for this form of expression commands respect. Colette, in this CD, chose standards that allow her to exhibit that freedom so that, paradoxically, it really touches us. I asked myself, while listening time and time again to this delicious music, if Miss Colette wouldn’t like to explore new roads outside the traditional Jazz, I consider her mastery of this style obtained. She doesn’t do this alone. The group that accompanies her, these four brilliant musicians, make of this CD a masterpiece and they are an example for many vocalists who, wanting to innovate, lose track. I state: Colette is a great one. She deserves to be classified among the select group of Best Jazz Singers in this present time. She is accompanied on this CD by Clous Van Mechelen on saxophone, Nick van den Bos on piano, Menno Veenendaal on drums and George van Deijl on double bass, also executing accordion and vibraphone when it is required. They reach the ideal frame for accompanying Colette. I recommend you to enjoy, especially as an appetizer, “Frim Fram Sauce”, “Night and Day”, and “Can’t we be friends”. Unforgettable. Make sure you get it, the best present you can buy for someone else or for yourself. Marcelo. |
CD – Songs For Sale / Colette Wickenhagen & Clous van Mechelen. Es difícil ponerse a hablar de alguien que, en
el camino artístico que transita, Marcelo Tchechenistky |
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RUSSIA. Reactions from visitors: Moscow: Polina Sveridova (jazz
singer): Anatoli Saznef (doctor
and musician): Elena Birukova- Radio
‘Russian voice, showeditor Jazzshow: Alla Len (bezoeker):
Dr. Sergey (bezoeker): |
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Utrecht's Newspaper, monday 23 may 2005 Amersfoort rises convincingly out of the ashes … She has a voice
like a luxuriously upholstered bridal suite. Pleasant, sumptuous, warm.
Complete with exciting nooks and soft carpets in subdued shades. … A subdued saxophone player like Ad Coolen could give a quiet concert before an attentive and big audience. After which it was left to extrovert stage animals - take Colette Wickenhagen and Hans Dulfer - to set the place on fire elsewhere, around midnight…. JEROEN DE VALK |
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CD review: October 2003 To whoever knows Colette Wickenhagen, or to whoever thinks he does ... all right then: at least to me ... this cd comes as a great surprise. Colette was, after all, the embodiment of rhythm, of blues, of physical jazz with an almost tangible impact. On this album, these aspects are still there, but something has been added. Or better still: one aspect of her art is so much in the foreground that it rises above all other qualities: poetic eloquence. What I was used to in her music, was that it started you moving. The music on this cd makes you sit down and listen breathlessly. And later you realize that it started you moving anyway. Colette asked me to put on headphones, be inspired by the atmosphere and then write tasty liner notes. I find I cannot. When I listen so intensely - and the music is such that the intensity only increases - words fall short. The joy in music, the sincere delight, refuse to be caught in a catchy text. So the following sentences are to be regarded as resulting from an emergency plan. The first thing you notice
when you pick up the cd box, is of course the repertoire. Fifteen run-of-the-mill,
one might almost say hackneyed, standards. But that is exactly the secret.
Colette treats these songs as newly discovered finds. She recites the
words and sentences as if from a treasured volume of poetry. She sings
the melody as if it comes up spontaneously, perfectly fitting the rhythm
and the words of the lyrics. Contradictory though it may seem, it is this
almost pristine approach that evokes memories of the earlier tradition.
Memories of Sarah Vaughan now and then, and of Ella Fitzgerald. Fleeting,
without emphasis, but the connection is unmistakable. I have now listened to the recordings several times and again and again I am struck by new details. Those elusive, indefinable moments in timing, variation of melodic line, interaction with the contribution of the saxophone ..., all aspects hard to describe for the guileless listener, but contributing to the distinctiveness of the music. Of course Colette does not do this all by herself. Clous van Mechelen is such a fantastic counterpart and the accompaniment of the trio is so solid and inspiring, that risky improvisations were simply bound to emerge. But that these are invariably brought to a fascinating and successful conclusion is the merit of the singer who has managed to surprise and captivate us once more. JAN RENSEN. |
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Colette en Clous © Het Parool, 27-11-2003 One question remained, last night in the Parool Theatre. Why isn't the name Colette Wickenhagen common knowledge for the Dutch audience? What a voice. ''The Dutch Cleo Laine,'' according to a visitor. Maybe the cold she had, which made her voice a little huskier than usual, had a little to do with it. But it is defenitely an honorary title she deserved. Colette sang, accompanied by 'our' New Trio a few pieces from the new cd which was recently released in Amsterdam Noord at a concert she had with Clous van Mechelen & Company: Songs for Sale. Jazz classics in a relaxed mode. ''If you don't feel the need to be a renewer, it's better to be honest about it,'' according to Van Mechelen on the cover. He stays a Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Stan Getz en Johnny Griffin fan, just to mention a few. ''The way these people play, is the reason I make music.'' Dated? ''Maybe, but in a real jazz-mood.'' Together with The New Trio he took care of the first part of the program. ''As it should be with a real star,'' according to singer/guitarist Nick van Gasteren. A little jazz, a little rock, a little bebop and an ounce Chet Baker, with bass/guitarist Tom Kwakernaat as the Dutch variation to a singing Chet. Van Mechelen played sax and piano sometimes both at the same time and Colette took care of the feature of the program, with songs from Cole Porter and other classic giants. At home she grew up with music. ''We listened to Benny Webster, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and many other wonderful musicians.'' That's where her love for this timeless repertoire started. ''Clous cherished the same love and that brought us together.'' For the lover it was, in short, an evening of musical recognition. And as the evening progressed the enthusiasm grew. |
Why isn't this woman on the stage of Carré,'' uttered a new fan with a sigh, who then immediately bought a new cd, so that she can at least be heard at home, with pieces like Night and Day, Love for Sale and a classic which according to Wickenhagen herself was very appropriate for the Parool Theater: You'd be so nice to come home to. As far as we're concerned our door is always wide open. CORRIE VERKERK
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Part of the text of the book out of the cd "The Kick of the Blues", and out of a review, both written by Jan Rensen, 1994. Colette
Wickenhagen. Even if we have to "make do" with just listening to this cd, she is an almost tangible presence. Especially since she won the Soloist / Polaroid Award in 1990 together with the Big Band Nijmegen, and was awarded the Breukelen Jazz Award in 1992, people often asked in vain about a cd of this impressive singer. The cd was ofcourse taped 'live' in the intimate jazz club atmosphere of the eminent CNM Studio in Hilversum (NL), situated in a stylishly altered farmhouse. It is only logical that Colette Wickenhagen in her choice of repertory had a preference of songs that fit in with her extrovert radiation; bob-pieces saturated in blues like the swinging "Love me or leave me", the overly well known but still freshly interpreted "Cheek to Cheek", the humorous "I was born to be blue", or the passionate and in a somewhat slower tempo sung "Nature Boy". But also real ballads fit well into her program. You only have to listen to "Billie's Blues", (it is no coincidence that the word blues was used in the title of this cd) or with the slightly latin touch brought "The Shadow of your Smile". After the warmly coloured "'Round Midnight" with the melancholy sound of Jan Verwey's mouth-organ - which is the last song on this cd - there's only óne possibility left; to just start the cd all over again. JAN RENSEN. |
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18-02-2001 JOJA WENDT There was one, who
almost 'stole the Show': Colette, who was asked spontaniously
to sing along. HEIKO HABBE |
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18-06-2001 / Enschede Blues singer Colette Wickenhagen acted as the real 'seasoning' this evening. The singer, short in stature, had a great voice that left no-one untouched. Luckily they saved
the best for last. Without detracting from the merits of the orchestra,
Colette Wickenhagen 'stole' the show. With numbers like KAREL MASSELINK. |
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23-05-2000 "As well as being a jazzlady I am also a homebody" When Colette Wickenhagen (40) from Amstelhoek starts to sing, she manages to silence even the noisiest pub. Her strong melodious alto voice en extrovert presentation make even jazz-haters listen with attention."Presentation is so important, that I'd rather hear a singer who hasn't got a grand voice, but who can really recite well.I often hear from the layman: you know, I don't even like jazz, but what you're doing is very nice." "I am a real
performing artist. That's what I like best: energetic performances from
beginning to the end. I don't treat the band like an orchestral tape;
jazz is about the interaction."Love for jazz music was installed
in her from a very young age. Daddy Wickenhagen played the drums, saxophone
and piano. "I grew up with Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald en Ben Webster,"
she says. Teachers soon saw that acting and singing were also strong assets in her and they send her to the Arts Educational School in England."Just outside London I followed an all-round musical study. There I was taught that technique is only a means to an end, it should not be the ultimate goal, but a means to that goal. At the Dutch Conservatoires, presentation does not have an Important place. They forget to teach how to be able to let go of technique and theory.Back in the Netherlands she went to the Nel Roos Dance Academy in Amsterdam. And, eager to learn as she was, to the Cabaret / Small Arts Academy. After that she got work as a professional dancer with the dance company Intro Dans. In between all that she taught jazz and classical ballet classes. Everything went fine until she got a bad injury and even ended up in a wheelchair for a year and than two more years on crutches. "I got a tendency infection in both ankles which I really underestimated. Initially I went on dancing, but there came a moment when because of the pain it was impossible to carry on." The then 23-year old dancer had to reconcile herself with the fact that it was the end of her dancing career. "Actually it was my brother doing that I started to sing. He was an enormous jazz fan and took me to a jazz jam-session. We heard a pianist who played in the exact style my father used to play. I found that I new a lot of the repertoire and was able to sing along with many a song. Only I didn't know anything about he form of jazz music. Had to learn from scratch." Wickenhagen immediately got the attention from the director of the Big Band Nijmegen, who was sitting in the audience. |
"He asked me if I was interested in becoming the lead singer of the orchestra, and that's how it all started. With them we won the Polaroid Award and I won the Soloist price."
She has become a much sought after jazz singer and has since sung with many well known national and international celebrities.I've also done a couple of projects with the Royal Dutch Airforce Orchestra. Singing with a big band is very different from singing with an intimate combo. But I love doing both."Most of the songs she sings are so-called jazz standards, 'classics'."I don't have one favorite song, but some songs do have special emotional value for me. 'Round Midnight' for example, with the pain of a broken relationship. And 'the Shadow of your smile."I had sung that song at my fathers funeral. But everybody recognizes this.´"I actually was taught most (and best!) by Frank Sanders. He was working at the Small Arts Academy and taught me that the most important rule on a stage is being honest. Show real emotions with your body as well as your voice. Especially when you are acting."Her acting talents weren't lost. She played a role in a TV movie "The way to Peruwelz" and she worked for many years as an entertainer, actrice and vocalist with a party company that specialized in big corporate theme party's.Singing a leading role in a musical like Chicago or doing a one-woman show seems to be cut out for her "That's definitely one of my wishes," she sighs.Apart from being a singer and actress, wickenhagen is also mother of daughter Sunita (14) and son Lowi who is almost two years old. With help of her husband Ger Lohuis she can combine motherhood well with her stage-life. "Apart from being a jazzlady in glitter dresses I am a normal homebody too. Great, on the sofa in my camping smoking (training suit)." AUDE RIGA. |
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December
1999 Colette
Wickenhagen, blessed with enormous radiation and vocal talent, kept the
memory of Betty Carter alive with her improvisations, without giving away
her own identity as a singer. |
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