Elisabeth Kontomanou

Vocalist and composer

Of Greek and African origin, a jazz singer Elisabeth Kontomanou has worked with the best musicians on both the European and American scenes: Sam Newsome, Leon Parker, Ari Hoenig, JD Allen, Jean-Michel Pilc, Michel Legrand, Mike Stern (Miles Davis), John Scofield, Jon Hicks (RIP), Alain Jean-Marie, Biréli Lagrène, and Paco Seri.

She first gained her recognition at “La Défense” and was nominated for a Django d’Or Award in 1999 and was awarded La Victoire de la musique in 2006.

As well as performing across several continents Elisabeth has also played in world renowned New York jazz venues as the Blue Note, Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil, the Knitting Factory, The super club or Casino De Paris (in France).

Not limited to purely musical endeavours, she has branched out to both musical and cinema “Masque de Lune” by Michel Legrand, “Rag Time” off Broadway in 2003.

She has brought her bands in a lot of festivals like the following JVC Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Kultur Jazz Festival, #KalevalaMusicWheel

Settling in Sweden in the 80’s Elisabeth Kontomanou was a member of the group R & B Shine for three years as well as singing with jazz musicians like the legendary bass player Red Mitchell.

When back to France in 1986 she founded the quartet “Conversation”, with the pianist and arranger Jean-Yves Candela and the Brazilian drummer Néné (Hermeto Pascual, Egberto Gismonti) winning the jazz competition of “La Defense”.

The following year she meets her many year collaborator Jean-Michel Pilc.

In 1991 Kontomanou is hired by Michel Legrand for the musical movie “Chase the Moon” (Moon Mask) and to perform with his big band.

Her first album as a leader is released in 1993 including Stephane Belmondo on flugel horn.

In1995 the singer moved to the United States where she became a very sought after side woman. Three years later she began touring with the Canadian pianist Andy Milne, a pupil of Oscar Peterson.

In 1997 she meets the saxophonist Sam Newsome and becomes a member of his band Global Unity. In 1999 she was nominated for “Django d'Or”. The same year she recorded the album in the Embrace sextet accompanied by saxophonists JD Allen and Brooklyn Sam Newsome (the former partner Terence Blanchard) and Hands and Incantation (2000), a duet with Jean-Michel Pilc.

After that Elisabeth Kontomanou creates the octet Fort Green Project. She appears in legendary jazz clubs like Village Vanguard and The Blue Note.

In 2001 she moves to Hudson NY where she performs with visual artist Ayanna Olitt-Bassiouni.

In 2003 the singer appears on the stage in the musical played “Rag Time” (from film by Milos Forman) in which she plays the role of Sarah.

In 2004 she received the best of the best jazz vocalist award by the jazz Mobile in Harlem New York.

The same year she releases Midnight Sun, always accompanied by Jean-Michel Pilc, but also by the bassist Thomas Bramerie and drummer Ali Muhammed Jackson (Winton marsalis).

In 2006 she gets Victoire de la Musique award (the best jazz singer of the year) for the album Waiting for Spring: eleven songs carried by the guitar John Scofield, the bassist Daryll Hall and the drummer Donald Kontomanou.

In 2007 she recorded Back to My Groove a very personal album with only original compositions featuring the soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome and the percussionist Leon Parker.

Her next album Brewin 'the Blues (2008) is a duo devoted to the music of Billie Holiday.

In 2008 Elisabeth makes records with the philharmonic orchestra of Lorraine directed

by Jacques Mercier in which two songs are arranged by the trumpet player Tom Harrell.

In 2012 the release of “Secret in the Wind” - a gospel duo album with the American pianist

Geri Allen.

Discography

Albums

1993 - Elisabeth Kontomanou

(EMP/Harmonia Mundi)

1999 - Embrace

(Steeple Chase)

2000 - Hands and Incantation (feat. j-M Pilc)

(Steeple Chase)

2004 - Midnight Sun

(PlusLoin Music)

2005 - Waitin' for Spring

(PlusLoin Music)

2007 - Back to My Groove

(PlusLoin Music)

2008 - Brewin' the Blues (feat. L Courthaliac)

(PlusLoin Music)

2009 - Siren Song: Live at Arsenal

(PlusLoin Music)

2012 - Secret Of The Wind (feat. Geri Allen)

(PlusLoin Music)

2014 - Amoureuse

(PlusLoin Music)

2015 - Happy People (to be released)

As a Special Guest

1997 - Cornelius Claudio Kreuch »Scoop"

(Act)

1998 - Leon Parker - Awakening

(Sony music)

1998 - Sam Newsome and Global Unity

(Colombia/Sony)

1999 - James Hurt - Dark Grooves, Mystical Rhythms

(Blue Note)

1999 - Sam Newsome - The Tender Side of Sammy Straighthorn

(Steeple Chase)

2001 - Sam Newsome - Global Unity

(Palmetto)

2001 - Leon Parker - The Simple Life

(Label M)

2001 - Mike Stern - Voices

(Atlantic records)

2004 - Mike Stern - These Times

(ESC records)

2005 - Franck Amsalem - A Week In Paris

(PlusLoin Music)

2006 - André Ceccarelli - Golden Land

(CAM records)

2008 - Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Abyss

(Universal)

Links to some soundtracks:

http://api.dmcloud.net/player/pubpage/

4e709e80f325e11e5f000025/54ac004694a6f60dce0d7007/

d1f2ce5b4375428fae06237f59fd382e?wmode=opaque

https://youtu.be/BBMFmkjVxGg

https://youtu.be/BZfBQhXosRI

https://youtu.be/Q06r5xB3wsk

https://youtu.be/g2EH1HoCwKY