Anna Mjöll
Encyclopedia
Anna Mjöll is an Iceland
ic jazz singer and songwriter. She uses Anna Mjöll as her performing name; her full name is Anna Mjöll Ólafsdóttir.
, Iceland. She is the daughter of guitarist, composer and arranger Ólafur Gaukur and singer, model and radio program director/producer Svanhildur Jakobsdóttir. Her parents had one of the most successful bands in the history of Iceland, "Sextett Ólafs Gauks" - with their own TV show, numerous albums and constant touring. Mjöll was trained in piano, guitar and cello. She released her first CD recorded with her mother at age 19, and performed on Iceland television numerous times prior to her 1996 Eurovision appearance where she represented Iceland with the song Sjúbídú
(Shoo-be-doo) which she co-wrote with her father. Following her Eurovision appearance, Mjöll toured worldwide with singer Julio Iglesias
for three years. In 2006 Mjöll co-wrote and performed three songs with C.J. Vanston for the film "For Your Consideration
" directed by Christopher Guest
.
In 2009 Mjöll released a CD, The Shadow Of Your Smile, featuring a mix of Icelandic songs and jazz standards. The CD featured a number of notable musicians including Vinnie Colaiuta
, Dave Carpenter
, Don Grusin
, Neil Stubenhaus
and Luis Conte
, and was voted one of the top 5 Female Vocal Jazz CD's of 2009 at Arnaldo DeSouteiro's Jazz Station. In 2009 Mjöll was voted one of the top 5 Jazz singers of the year by DeSouteiro's Jazz Station. In 2010 Mjöll released her first solo holiday CD, "Christmas JaZZmaZ". "Christmas JaZZmaZ" features original arrangements by Ólafur Gaukur and musicians including Vinnie Colaiuta, Luis Conte, Ólafur Gaukur, Don Grusin, Dave Carpenter and Charlie Bisharat, and was voted one of the top 10 Female Vocal Jazz CD's of 2010 at Arnaldo DeSouteiro's Jazz Station. In 2010 Anna Mjöll was voted one of the 10 best female Jazz singers of the year by DeSouteiro's Jazz Station, and "Christmas JaZZmaZ" was voted "Christmas CD of the Year".
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic jazz singer and songwriter. She uses Anna Mjöll as her performing name; her full name is Anna Mjöll Ólafsdóttir.
Biography
Anna Mjöll was born in ReykjavíkReykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland. She is the daughter of guitarist, composer and arranger Ólafur Gaukur and singer, model and radio program director/producer Svanhildur Jakobsdóttir. Her parents had one of the most successful bands in the history of Iceland, "Sextett Ólafs Gauks" - with their own TV show, numerous albums and constant touring. Mjöll was trained in piano, guitar and cello. She released her first CD recorded with her mother at age 19, and performed on Iceland television numerous times prior to her 1996 Eurovision appearance where she represented Iceland with the song Sjúbídú
Sjúbídú
Sjúbídú was the Icelandic entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996, performed in Icelandic by Anna Mjöll.The song deals with the global currency of popular music. Anna Mjöll asks her listeners if they remember such performers as Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Billie Holiday...
(Shoo-be-doo) which she co-wrote with her father. Following her Eurovision appearance, Mjöll toured worldwide with singer Julio Iglesias
Julio Iglesias
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
for three years. In 2006 Mjöll co-wrote and performed three songs with C.J. Vanston for the film "For Your Consideration
For Your Consideration (film)
For Your Consideration is a 2006 comedy film directed by Christopher Guest. It was co-written by Guest and Eugene Levy, both also starring in the film....
" directed by Christopher Guest
Christopher Guest
Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest , better known as Christopher Guest, is an American screenwriter, composer, musician, director, actor and comedian. He is most widely known in Hollywood for having written, directed and starred in several improvisational "mockumentary" films that...
.
In 2009 Mjöll released a CD, The Shadow Of Your Smile, featuring a mix of Icelandic songs and jazz standards. The CD featured a number of notable musicians including Vinnie Colaiuta
Vinnie Colaiuta
Vincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
, Dave Carpenter
Dave Carpenter
Dave Carpenter was an American bass player.After studying music at Ohio State University, he launched his professional career by moving to New York...
, Don Grusin
Don Grusin
Don Grusin , is an American songwriter, producer and keyboardist. He holds a Masters Degree in Economics from the University of Colorado and for a period of his life taught at the National Autonomous University of Mexico as well as at Foothill College, California before deciding to enter the music...
, Neil Stubenhaus
Neil Stubenhaus
Neil Stubenhaus is an American bass guitarist.-Career:He started his musical training playing drums and switched to bass guitar at the age of 12. He studied at the Berklee College of Music where he graduated in 1975...
and Luis Conte
Luis Conte
Luis Conte is a Cuban percussionist.-Early years:As a child in Cuba, Conte began his musical odyssey playing the guitar. However, he soon switched to percussion, and that has remained his mode since....
, and was voted one of the top 5 Female Vocal Jazz CD's of 2009 at Arnaldo DeSouteiro's Jazz Station. In 2009 Mjöll was voted one of the top 5 Jazz singers of the year by DeSouteiro's Jazz Station. In 2010 Mjöll released her first solo holiday CD, "Christmas JaZZmaZ". "Christmas JaZZmaZ" features original arrangements by Ólafur Gaukur and musicians including Vinnie Colaiuta, Luis Conte, Ólafur Gaukur, Don Grusin, Dave Carpenter and Charlie Bisharat, and was voted one of the top 10 Female Vocal Jazz CD's of 2010 at Arnaldo DeSouteiro's Jazz Station. In 2010 Anna Mjöll was voted one of the 10 best female Jazz singers of the year by DeSouteiro's Jazz Station, and "Christmas JaZZmaZ" was voted "Christmas CD of the Year".