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KARINA DENIKÉ ( Long Bio)
Karina Deniké is a vocalist and songwriter from the San Francisco Bay Area. Born in Cambridge, England to Czech dissident artists, Deniké spent her early years performing street theatre throughout Europe, Northern Africa, and India. Upon settling in Oakland, California at age 12, she immersed herself in the vibrant local arts and music scenes of the area, soaking in everything from punk shows at the legendary 924 Gilman to the talents of jazz/soul greats Jon Hendricks, Fred Marshall (Vince Guaraldi, Chet Baker), and Sugar Pie Desanto. At age 18 she released her first album with the dual female fronted Dance Hall Crashers, and at 22 she was signed to major labels MCA and Warner/Discovery. Deniké has made a lifelong study of the finer nuances of vocals, harmony, and performance, moving fluidly from intimate torch song chanteuse to soul singer to punk powerhouse. “One of the most powerful, virtuosic voices around and a vocal delivery that’s JUST SEXY. You really have to see her live to know what I mean.” (MissionMission.com). From pop music to jazz to modern composers' works, she has lent her voice, arrangements, and compositions to more than 30 records, soundtracks, and countless national and international performances, and is an active member of the Bay Area music scenes.
After extensive and fruitful collaborative work, Karina Deniké is excited to present the first album entirely focused on her unique compositional voice. "The writing for this album, Under Glass, began when I fell in love with a beautiful Farfisa chord organ. A charming, quirky wooden toy whose big reedy sound fully transported me to another time. I immediately wrote the song 'Musee Mecanique', a 1930’s inspired love ditty with a nod to my dear San Francisco and her stunning shores."
Under Glass will be released April 14, 2015 and features Deniké's six piece band and an impressive list of additional talent. Centered around power vocal performances and ornamented with an unusually rich collection of vintage sounds — including the chord organ, bass clarinet, Fender VI baritone guitar, vibraphone, and celeste — Under Glass features some of the Bay Area’s finest musicians and composers: Aaron Novik (Tzadik Records, PortoFranco Records), Michael McIntosh (Ralph Carney's Serious Jass Project, the Cottontails), James Frazier, Eric Garland (Mads Tolling, Donavon), and Lily Taylor (Pour Le Corps Records). The album also highlights guests Deston Berry and Alex Dessert (Hepcat), Ralph Carney (Tom Waits, B-52's), Brigid Dawson (Thee Oh Sees), Ara Anderson (Tin Hat, OK GO), and Meric Long (The Dodos). "I am so fortunate to count some of my very favorite musicians as colleagues and friends, so naturally they were recruited and guilted into playing on my record. Harmonizing with Alex, Deston, Lily, and Brigid was a total blast, as was getting to harmonize lines with Aaron's bass clarinet. Not to mention having an opportunity to feature Michael's stride piano sass, Ralph's classic tenor, and Ara on mariachi style trumpet.“
With nods to doo wop drama, crackly records, Motown beats, girl group harmonies, 60's soundtracks, and Eastern European Lullabies, Under Glass is both strikingly original and warmly nostalgic. Its 12 reflective songs are filled with tales of female aviators, love, memory, and personal and regional history, firmly rooted in the musical worlds and seaside city Karina Denike calls home.
“(Deniké carves) out a niche in the narrow space between the indie and traditional music scenes. She distills everything into an organic, irresistible pop music. Her singing, like her music, is perfectly balanced – her sense of pitch, volume, phrasing are formidable. It is a rare thrill to run into a performer who has such technique and such artistry.” Todd Wanerman, Bay Bridged
Deniké has recorded with Dance Hall Crashers (MCA), NOFX (Epitaph), Tony Sly/No Use for a Name (Fat Wreck Chords), Ralph Carney's Serious Jass Project (Smog Veil), and Hepcat (Hellcat), among others. She has shared bills with artists including The Pretenders, Fiona Apple, Beck, The Ramones, Thee Oh Sees, and Aimee Mann and performed at prestigious venues and events around the world, such as the Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), the Reading Festival (UK), the Warped tour, and the Fillmore. Recently, she contributed the acclaimed opening track to The Songs of Tony Sly; A Tribute (Fat Wreck Chords), was the guest music director for the SF Bay Area's Undercover Presents Series tribute to Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited (hosted by The Contemporary Jewish Museum of San Francisco), contributed lead vocals and vocal production to the album Home Street Home: The sHit Musical (written by Fat Mike of NOFX, and Tony Award winner/Avenue Q co-writer Jeff Marx), contributed a song to the 20th Century Fox film This Means War featuring Reese Witherspoon, and performed at the opening party for the world renowned art festival dOCUMENTA 2012, in Kassel, Germany.
The twelve tracks on Under Glass are 1. "Park It," 2. "Anchors Away," 3. "Aviatrix," 4. "Musee Mecanique," 4. "Sideshow," 5. "Boxing Glove," 6. "Stop the Horses," 7. Havin' a Go," 8. "Golden Kimonos," 10. "You're so Quiet," 11. "Persephone" and 12. "Az Budes Velky."
Karina Denike Bio - ( Medium)
Virtuosic chanteuse Karina Denike will transport you to a decade that never happened—but should have.
Steeped in the lost eras of 1930’s torch songs and Motown soul, her original songs draw from sea shanties, Eastern European lullabies, doo wop drama and other unexpected sources. Her lock-solid vocal harmonies can hush rooms with a whisper and break hearts with a shout. Supporting herself on chord organ and vibraphone, and backed by an adventurous San Francisco band of established composers and musicians in their own right; Aaron Novik on Bass Clarinet, Lily Taylor and Melody Ferris on vocal harmonies, James Frazier on Fender VI baritone guitar, Eric Garland on Drums, and Michael McIntosh on keys, Denike is preparing to release her first solo album entitled Under Glass.
Yet Denike is no stranger to the stage. After performing street theater throughout the world as a child, Karina moved to Oakland, California to front the legendary punk-ska band Dance Hall Crashers (MCA, Fatwreckords), with whom she released six albums and toured widely. Denike has shared stages with The Pretenders, Fiona Apple, Beck, NOFX, The Misfits, The Buzzcocks and The Ramones at venues such as the Fillmore, The Shoreline Amphitheatre and festivals from Reading (UK) to Montreaux (Switzerland). She has since recorded with dozens of groups including NOFX, Tony Sly, Ralph Carney’s Serious Jass Project, Hepcat, No use for a Name, Mr. Lonesome and the Bluebelles and Jezebelle (Warner-Discovery). Denike continues to be a sought after vocalist and collaborator in SF’s music scene performing new composed works, with 14 piece jazz big bands, and 60’s Soul groups. She regularly sings with The Cottontails, Ralph Carney’s serious Jass Project, 8 legged monster, Rayband, and Mr. Lonesome and The Bluebelles. Her own self –titled group has been a featured band in San Francisco’s Noise-pop festival, The Mission Creek Festival, and Undercover presents: The Pixies, Doolittle, and Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited. Denike and her group have toured to Europe, Japan, L.A. and the East coast and hold a popular residency in SF’s thriving mission district. In June 2012 Denike played the opening party for the extremely prestigious dOCUMENTA arts festival in Kassel Germany.In 2013 Denike lent her voice to The award winning/Turner prize nominees, arts and film collective' The Otolith group''s newest film 'Medium Earth', was chosen to be the guest musical director for Undercover presents Bob Dylan HIghway 61 Revisited being presented at the Jewish contemporary museum in SF. She also contributed an original arrangement track to the Tony Sly tribute record being released on Fatwrecords in October 2013.
With a stunning voice, a killer band, and a catalog of infectiously sophisticated songs, Karina Denike is a considerable force in San Francisco and beyond. Conjuring a forgotten world of bitters and spirits, sinking ships and fighter planes, Denike’s songs are enduring and bittersweet—like a long lost friend who comes home after all these years to steal your heart.
Karina Denike band bio (short)
Karina Denike is a vocalist, composer, arranger and performer from the San Francisco Bay Area. Her original songs are comprised of snippets of torch songs, doo wop drama, Eastern European lullabies, crackly records and girl group harmony. Played on chord organ, and vibraphone with band members and local composers in their own right- Aaron Novik on Bass Clarinet, Lily Taylor, and Melody Ferris on vocal harmonies, Michael McIntosh on piano, James Frazier on Fender VI, and Eric Garland on drums. Karina Denike and her band hold a popular residency in SF and have performed in Japan, LA and NYC.They were part of Noisepop 2009 sharing the bill with Martha Wainwright, the Mission Creek festival 2010 and 2011, and were one of the featured bands in the Undercover Presents SF series for Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited. Denike's writing and performance credits also include fronting, touring and recording for groups Dance Hall Crashers( MCA, Pink and Black) ,Jezebelle ( Discovery/Warner), Mixtape, ( with members of Thee Oh Sees and The Dodos ), The Cottontails, Stara nova, Mr.Lonesome and The Bluebelles, 8 Legged Monster, Ralph Carney’s Serious Jass Project, and more. She has been a guest on albums by NOFX, HEPCAT, No Use for a Name, Tony Sly, Joey Cape, Aaron Novik, Katy Stephan in addition to many more beloved bands and has had her voice and compositions on numerous soundtracks including the 2012 20th century fox release "This means War".
- DISCOGRAPHY(& Notable Appearances) -
https://www.discogs.com/artist/953811-Karina-Denik%C3%A9?filter_anv=0&type=Credits