Anca Parghel
Encyclopedia
Anca Parghel Romania
n jazz
artist, was a singer (jazz, be-bop, samba, bel canto) who excelled in scat, improvisation and vocal percussion. She claimed to be a polyglot, speaking seven different languages, including English, German, Portuguese and her native Romanian.
She left home at age 14 to study at the Music High School in Iaşi
, later attending the Iaşi Conservatory which she graduated in 1981 (primary instrument piano, secondary: bel canto). However, since jazz was not exactly popular nor officially encouraged in this part of the world living behind the Iron Curtain, Anca studied jazz on her own. At the age of 18 she married painter Virgiliu Parghel (divorced 2001), with whom she had two sons, Ciprian and Tudor.
Anca Parghel taught music for a living in Suceava (Bucovina) at the local Arts high-school before turning to a professional singing career (circa 1989). She was a Professor of vocal jazz at the Brussels Royal Conservatory and the Lemmens Conservatory in Leuven
(1997–2002). She lived in Brussels for 8 years before making a triumphant return to her home country around 2004-2005. Academically, she wrote a dissertation about the improvisation of Charlie Parker
. As a music instructor and choir conductor she taught many generations of aspiring singers and professional musicians, and led many workshops across Europe in Bucharest, Chisinau, Brussels/Namur, in Germany and England. She toured extensively in Europe, mostly playing in local clubs in Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Austria and Switzerland.
She performed in Canada (most notably at the Rimouski Jazz Festival 2003 where she preceded and eclipsed famed French diva Anne Ducros (cf. Rimouski local press, in early September 2003 reporting on "Rimouski Festi Jazz") and in the United States (2003–2006). She performed on-stage and recorded with well-known jazz performers such as Larry Coryell, Jon Hendricks, Billy Hart, Archie Shepp, Claudio Roditi, John Engels, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Philippe Catherine, Eric Legnini, Peter Herbolzheimer, Peter Hertmans, Aldo Romano, Marc Levine, Gustavo Bergalli, Pierre van Dormael, John Ruocco, John Dankwooth, Paolo Radoni, Bruno Castellucci, Thomas Stanco, Hein van der Geyn, Ron van Rossum, Ricardo Del Fra, Felix Simtaine, Norma Winstone, Stephane Galland, Theo de Jong, Pierre Vaiana, Charles Loos, Ivan Paduart, Decebal Badila, Mark Griffith, Mircea Tiberian, Klaus Ignatzek, Rob Radna, the Romanian Radio Big-Band, bassist Christopher Dean Sullivan and percussionist Michael T.A. Thompson. Anca Parghel made occasional, unannounced late-night jam appearances in jazz clubs in New York City
where she played with the local bands led by Pat Higgins at the "Lennox Lounge", "St. Nick's Pub" or by Manny Duran at Cleopatra's Needle
. Her concert in Danville, Virginia at the North Theater on November 10, 2006 was played to an enchanted full house and created a local sensation (cf. Danville, VA press).
She recorded an electro-pop album with Romanian DJ Tom Boxer in 2007 and submitted the second single, "Brasil", to Selecția Națională 2008, the national song contest to find the right artist and song to represent Romania at Eurovision Song Contest 2008. The jury rejected the song, but Brasil gained commercial success in Romania and the rest of Europe.
Anca Parghel died from complications of ovarian cancer
which she fought bravely in her last months of life, appearing on stage just one month prior to her premature passing.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
artist, was a singer (jazz, be-bop, samba, bel canto) who excelled in scat, improvisation and vocal percussion. She claimed to be a polyglot, speaking seven different languages, including English, German, Portuguese and her native Romanian.
Biography
Born to a poor family she began singing at the age of three and was up onstage quickly as a prodigy child. She also sang in her church choir.She left home at age 14 to study at the Music High School in Iaşi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
, later attending the Iaşi Conservatory which she graduated in 1981 (primary instrument piano, secondary: bel canto). However, since jazz was not exactly popular nor officially encouraged in this part of the world living behind the Iron Curtain, Anca studied jazz on her own. At the age of 18 she married painter Virgiliu Parghel (divorced 2001), with whom she had two sons, Ciprian and Tudor.
Anca Parghel taught music for a living in Suceava (Bucovina) at the local Arts high-school before turning to a professional singing career (circa 1989). She was a Professor of vocal jazz at the Brussels Royal Conservatory and the Lemmens Conservatory in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
(1997–2002). She lived in Brussels for 8 years before making a triumphant return to her home country around 2004-2005. Academically, she wrote a dissertation about the improvisation of Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
. As a music instructor and choir conductor she taught many generations of aspiring singers and professional musicians, and led many workshops across Europe in Bucharest, Chisinau, Brussels/Namur, in Germany and England. She toured extensively in Europe, mostly playing in local clubs in Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Austria and Switzerland.
She performed in Canada (most notably at the Rimouski Jazz Festival 2003 where she preceded and eclipsed famed French diva Anne Ducros (cf. Rimouski local press, in early September 2003 reporting on "Rimouski Festi Jazz") and in the United States (2003–2006). She performed on-stage and recorded with well-known jazz performers such as Larry Coryell, Jon Hendricks, Billy Hart, Archie Shepp, Claudio Roditi, John Engels, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Philippe Catherine, Eric Legnini, Peter Herbolzheimer, Peter Hertmans, Aldo Romano, Marc Levine, Gustavo Bergalli, Pierre van Dormael, John Ruocco, John Dankwooth, Paolo Radoni, Bruno Castellucci, Thomas Stanco, Hein van der Geyn, Ron van Rossum, Ricardo Del Fra, Felix Simtaine, Norma Winstone, Stephane Galland, Theo de Jong, Pierre Vaiana, Charles Loos, Ivan Paduart, Decebal Badila, Mark Griffith, Mircea Tiberian, Klaus Ignatzek, Rob Radna, the Romanian Radio Big-Band, bassist Christopher Dean Sullivan and percussionist Michael T.A. Thompson. Anca Parghel made occasional, unannounced late-night jam appearances in jazz clubs in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where she played with the local bands led by Pat Higgins at the "Lennox Lounge", "St. Nick's Pub" or by Manny Duran at Cleopatra's Needle
Cleopatra's Needle
Cleopatra's Needle is the popular name for each of three Ancient Egyptian obelisks re-erected in London, Paris, and New York City during the nineteenth century. The London and New York ones are a pair, while the Paris one comes from a different original site where its twin remains...
. Her concert in Danville, Virginia at the North Theater on November 10, 2006 was played to an enchanted full house and created a local sensation (cf. Danville, VA press).
She recorded an electro-pop album with Romanian DJ Tom Boxer in 2007 and submitted the second single, "Brasil", to Selecția Națională 2008, the national song contest to find the right artist and song to represent Romania at Eurovision Song Contest 2008. The jury rejected the song, but Brasil gained commercial success in Romania and the rest of Europe.
Anca Parghel died from complications of ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
which she fought bravely in her last months of life, appearing on stage just one month prior to her premature passing.
Discography
- Tinerii dansează (Electrecord, 1986)
- Soul, My Secret Place (Blue Flame, 1987)
- Magic Bird (cu Mircea Tiberian) (Electrecord, 1988)
- Indian Princess (Blue Flame, 1989)
- Octet Ost (Amadeo, 1990)
- Ron und Tania (Polydor, 1991)
- Is That So? (Koala, 1992)
- Airballoon (Nabel, 1992)
- Beautiful Colours (Nabel, 1993)
- Carpathian Colours (Nabel, 1994)
- Jazz, My Secret Soul (Intercont Music, 1994)
- Indian Princess (Jazz Specials Edition) (Miramar, 1995)
- Noapte albă de crăciun / White Christmas Night (Prima Club, 1994)
- Midnight Prayer (Intercont Music, 1996)
- Primal Sound (Acoustic Music, 1999)
- Zamorena (feat. Tom Boxer; Roton, 2008)
- Brasil (Re-release of Zamorena album, following the succes of Brasil, a single from Zamorena) (ft. Tom Boxer and Fly Project; Roton, 2009)
External links
- Evenimentul Zilei (RomanianRomanian languageRomanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
) - Official site