2018 - FORUM WITH MICHAEL KRASNY/KQED - https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101863437
REVIEW of Sketch Fest shows - http://www.riffmagazine.com/festivals/sketchfest-tenenbaums-20180118/
REVIEWS, PREVIEWS of Under Glass
2015 - KQED ARTS - TOP 10 Bay Area Jazz Releases - http://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2015/12/13/the-top-10-bay-area-jazz-releases-of-2015/
2016 - KALW: Cross Currents - Bay Area Beats Feature podcast http://kalw.org/post/bay-area-beats-karina-denike#stream/0
2016 - NEW YORK MUSIC DAILY REVIEW : https://newyorkmusicdaily.wordpress.com/2015/10/30/karina/
2015 - KQED California Report Feature - http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/04/26/karina-denikes-long-road-to-under-glass
2015 - KTVU - by Dave Pehling - http://wn.ktvu.com/story/28809203/karina-denike#.VS7snqJy4ao.twitter
The Bay Bridged.com - http://thebaybridged.com/2015/04/16/singer-songwriter-karina-denike-releases-glass/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=The+Bay+Bridged&utm_content=Singer-songwriter+Karina+Deniké+releases+%27Under+Glass%27#.VTA4QFaEDwI
SF GATE and 96 Hours in The Chronicle -by Tony Dushane - http://www.sfgate.com/music/bandwidth/article/Singer-Karina-Denike-pursues-a-harmonious-solo-6202860.php?cmpid=email-mobile
NEW NOISE Magazine exclusive stream http://newnoisemagazine.com/exclusive-stream-karina-denike-park-it/
Nuthousepunks.com podcast interview
http://www.nuthousepunks.com/podcast/2015-04-15_sunglasses_after_dark_podcast.mp3
PRESS QUOTES
"Echoing the timeless sound of Rickie Lee Jones' classic jazzy early efforts, Under Glass mixes elements of noirish torch songs, doo-wop, cabaret and finger-snapping '60s soul in a travelogue that journeys across San Francisco. Featuring contributions from such Bay Area luminaries as multi-instrumentalist Ralph Carney (Tom Waits, B-52's), former Thee Oh Sees singer/keyboardist Brigid Dawson, trumpet player Ara Anderson (Tin Hat, OK GO) and Dodos mainstay Meric Long on guitar, the collection of songs swings effortlessly between styles with Deniké's commanding, crystalline vocals taking center stage." KTVU.Com - Dave Pehling
"In my humble opinion, she’s probably got 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
"….This project puts Denike in the classic pop chanteuse mode, carving out a niche in the narrow space between the indie and traditional music scenes… [ her ]songs combine a dizzying array of styles and influences: doo wop, early rock and soul, tin pan alley, cabaret, classic and contemporary singer songwriters. She distills everything into an organic, irresistable pop music. But 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." - The Bay Bridged.com
“I’ve been working with Karina for over 10 years. She is always amazing!”
- Fat Mike of NOFX
"The best of the best: a San Francisco singer-songwriter with a powerful voice and some serious songwriting skills. This stripped-down performance suits her perfectly." YOUTUBE feature for video "Cantilever Bridge"
"…special shout out to Karina Denike whose vocal prowess recalls traditional jazz chops with modern style, relevance, and soul."
- The Owl Mag
"Imaginative , Lynchian Karina Denike's excellent latest album, Under Glass, is a ride packed with both thrills and subtlety. The rare collection of songs that’s so good that you don’t notice that there’s no bass on any of them." New York Music Daily
REVIEWS of "The Biggest Lie" Arrangement for the The Songs of Tony Sly - A tribute RECORD:
"Some of Sly’s longtime friends, scenemates and frequent collaborators are present and well-accounted for, ready to not merely tug at your heart strings, but to anesthetize them in whiskey and set them ablaze. Case in point: album-opener “Biggest Lie,” as performed by the inimitable vocal talent that is (former Dance Hall Crasher) Karina Denike is sparse, moody and downright haunting. Keep the Kleenex handy for this one, kiddoes; we’re about to embark on a roller coaster of emotions." October 2013
"What really exalts the compilation is that each of the artists and bands on this album took the time and effort to contribute such meaningful and interesting interpretations of Tony’s songs. From KARINA DENIKE’s (DANCE HALL CRASHERS) haunting a cappella rendition of “Biggest Lie” to STRUNG OUT’s riffed-up speedy version of “Soulmate” to SNUFF’s Latin Jazz inspired take of “On the Outside,” it’s clear that no one held back in their approach to putting their signature on these classic songs. The result is transcendent; an homage to the indelible mark Tony Sly left on so many, through the voices of some of the very people he influenced most." Nov. 2013
".... Listeners will be shocked and compelled to pay attention as the solemn and hymnal presentation that Karina Denike makes of “Biggest Lie” opens The Songs Of Tony Sly and casts out a presence which could bring even the busiest and most hectic room to a grinding halt. Denike's beautiful, pensive voice dominated a airy aural palette which includes vibraphone and organ, and listeners will have no option to do anything other than stare and absorb the vibe. This performance bears about as much similarity to a punk song as an apple does to an orangutan, but even the hardest punk patrons will be unable to turn away; they know this song, know about the passing of its author and will just sit, listen and pay respect. That solemn vibe continues through The Mad Caddies' cover of “AM” and only breaks in volume level (not tone) when Strung Out tries its hand at “Soulmate.” That's where the going gets punkier, but the vibe of solemn respect endures...."GROUNDCONTROL MAG - Nov. 2013
"I put the comp together because even though No Use for a Name had sold shitloads of records, years had gone by since they sold lots of records," he says. "Their big records were sold in the '90s. His solo albums only sold 10 or 20,000. 12 Song Program is the best album I've ever put out. I wanted the world to know that we just lost a great artist….Singer-songwriter Karina Denike opens the album with a subdued rendition of "Biggest Lie," a song from the last No Use for a Name album, Record of the Year. "Karina picked that one on her own," says Mike. "I was like, 'Really?' It's a really fast hardcore song. She made it so amazing. I think it's the perfect opener. I told her I was opening the record with her. I know her name isn't as big as Rise Against, but it's all about the record." _ FAT MIKE for Clevescene.com
PRESS ON UNDERCOVER PRESENTS - Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan’s ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ visits Berkeley
September 4, 2013 3:00 pm - FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/karina-denike/
…."Karina Denike: a tremendously gifted musician and Berkeley High graduate Denike used her prerogative to tackle “Ballad of a Thin Man,” which gets a spooky noirish reading. Pressed to name some of her favorite tracks, she singles out Lily Taylor, and the klezmer band Kugelplex’s intricate version of “Desolation Row.” “‘From A Buick 6’ is a challenging song, and what she’s done is so beautiful,” Denike says. “It totally takes it out of what you expect of the song, making the lyrics feel warm and cozy. “I was trying to cast people who could vocally deliver, people who really know how to understand and convey lyrics with feeling,” she continues. “‘Desolation Row’ has so many verses. You have to keep someone’s attention. Kugelplex has taken it to some really fantastic places, making each verse its own entity, with strings, clarinets, different voices.”
If Dylan is one of popular culture’s masters of reinvention, Denike comes to his music with a visceral understanding about what it means to adopt a new persona. Born and raised mostly in England until the age of 12, she spent her youth in Cambridge, where her Czech Jewish parents landed after fleeing the Soviet Union’s suppression of the Prague Spring in 1968. Her mother had been born in England in 1944 when the family found refuge there from the Nazi invasion, though many relatives who stayed behind perished in the Holocaust. Back in Czechoslovakia, her mother was careful to maintain an exit strategy, and when Alexander Dubček ushered in the Prague Spring “she had this feeling things were going to get worse,” Denike says. “She wrote herself a letter from a fake aunt in England, and was able to get out. I don’t speak Czech anymore but it’s a big part of my identity."
Andrew Gilbert, whose Berkeleyside music column appears every Thursday, also covers music and dance for the San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe and KQED’s California Report. He lives in west Berkeley.
*09/02/13- SF BAY GUARDIAN --pick of the week! http://www.sfbg.com/2013/08/27/get-show-weirdos
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Show and Music Reviews for Karina Denike
PICTURE THIS: Hindi Zahra @ Bottom of the Hill, SF 10/1/11
Filling in the support slot was the mellow Karina Denike. Joining Denike, who sang lead vocals and played chord organ was Melody Ferris singing harmony, James Frazier on guitar, Eric Garland on drums, Michael McIntosh on keyboard and Aaron Novik on bass clarinet, rounding out her vocals with jazz lounge style. Hearing Denike harmonize with the bass clarinet was a real treat.
OWL MAG --- October 3 , 2011
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Local comedian Emily Heller has a cool radio show called “Slumming It” on FCC Free Radio with Marcello Fama.
Turns out she’s pals with local singerKarina Denike, who you might know from the ’90s 3rd wave ska band Dance Hall Crashers, and had a great interview with her on a recent show. Hear them chat about the golden age of East Bay punk, opening for MC Hammer, how the Rite Spot launched a ton of awesome bands, and the Dance Hall Crashers mysterious lez-appeal.
On a related note, Sunday we went out to the Riptide to see Karina Denike sing with the Cottontails. ... and we’re pret-ty sure Fat Mike from NOFX was hanging out for a minute..
...Karina plays with her own band 2nd Sundays at the Rite Spot Cafe
Mission Mission Blog MAY 17, 2011
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“When we first heard Karina Denike we were captivated by the depth of her music and her haunting delivery. You can listen to her songs over and over again and pick out new musical flavors and meanings with each hearing.”
David Kaye - Climate Theatre music box Series, San Francisco
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PRESS ON - UNDERCOVER PRESENTS - PIXIES DOOLITTLE 2011
- The 1989 Pixies album Doolittleinspired everything from Nirvana to popular '90s alt-revival dance party Debaser. And it's exactly this classic status that attracted UnderCover, a quarterly live cover band project masterminded by Bay Area music producers Charith Premawardhana, Lyz Luke, and Yosh Haraguchi. Their last outing involved a rotation of players, including Liz Phair, interpreting another tone-setting album, 1967's Velvet Underground + Nico. On tonight's excursion, over 100 musicians gouge away at a modern rock touchstone... Among the many stand-out moments, favorite local chanteuses Karina Denike and Lily Taylor cover the only Kim Deal-penned song on the album, "Silver."
Michael DeLong, Flavorpill – April 2011
I have never been a huge Pixies fan, but I totally enjoyed last Tuesday evening at SF Pubic Works when UnderCover Presents featured fifteen of the Bay Area’s finest bands in a celebration of the classic album Doolittle. Each band performed a different track off the album, and I am currently loving the CD of the studio recordings of the same tracks. AndI’ve been turned into some of the music of local bands that I had not heard before. Highlights of the night for me were discovering Karina Denike & Lily Taylor and Blue Rabbit.....Karina Denike & Lily Taylor were as sultry as can be on their rendition of “Silver.” The recorded tracks are just as amazing
Jamie Freeman SF Music Examiner 3/1/11
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------ More Press of Denike’s bands and recorded work ---------
8 Legged Monster – jazz big band
“8 legged Monster is a cast of heavyweights …. Each band member has star power in his own right, and each contributes a unique personal history to 8 legged Monster. The result is exciting.Mike Irwin Johnson typically writes with specific players in mind: "Olmos Def" features fat sounds and technical bravado from Olmos, while the lovely "Goodbye" shows the ravishing Denike at her most vulnerable.” Rachel Leah Swan - East Bay Express – 2009
"Sip a cocktail and cut a rug with 8 Legged Monster (plus six!) debuting this new (r)evolution of the big band. Special shout-out to vocalist Karina Denike (of the Dance Hall Crashers and The Cottontails), whose vocal prowess recalls traditional jazz chops with modern style, relevance, and soul. Cheers."
The Owl Mag – 10/29/11 – Lauren Nagel
Ralph Carney’s Serious Jass Project
“Let’s get one thing straight right now: the only “serious” thing about Ralph Carney’s delightful new record is his band’s dedication… to having a damn good time and making sure you do too…..…The only regret is that singer Karina Denike — who brightens up the old-south ballad “Mississippi Dreamboat” — doesn’t have more to do. Denike (who works with most of the same crew in The Cottontails) makes a great addition to the sound and hopefully will have a more substantial role on the Serious Jass Project’s next CD… there will be one, won’t there? Please, Ralph, tell us there will.”
Jazz Observer -2009
PRESS ON RAYBAND -
Among said S.F. Bay Area luminaries: the Ray Charles-inspired Rayband Orchestra will be at Coda(frequent venue of the first-rate local players from the Jazz Mafia) tonight at 10:00 p.m with songwriter-songstress-arranger and belter supreme Karina Denike sitting in as a Raelette. Karina and the Rayband Orchestra are also in the superb hard-swinging octet 8 Legged Monster, performing this Saturday at Club Deluxe on 1509-11 Haight (near the historic corner of Haight and Ashbury.
Paul Evetchery – Way too damn lazy to write a blogmusic blog -
PRESS on Dance Hall Crashers
"Irresistibly catchy melodic hooks" – Washington Post (DC)
"The Dance Hall Crashers are frankly brilliant" – Kerrang (London)
"Few musicians can cover this kind of ground in so short a period, except for Elvis Costello" – LA Times
"Their sneers alone are worth the price of admission" – Village Voice (NY)
"A force ten gale of punkoid joy" – NME (London)
Other notable press and appearances -
*One of Denike's bands, Mr. Lonesome and The Bluebelles' song "Just For You" was in the 20th Century Fox release movie*Karina Denike‘s vocal harmonies were featured on Tony Sly’s single “Via Munich” as a February 2010 spin.com download and on 7 tracks of his full length CD “12 song Program”
*Karina Denike’s group “Dance Hall Crashers” was featured in NME (London) in March 2010
*In 2009-2010 Karina Denike has been a part of Noise pop 2009, has performed in Tokyo Japan, Hotel Café L.A., Yoshis SF, Yerba Beuna Center for the Arts SF, The Legion of Honor SF, Bimbos SF, and holds 2 popular residencies in San Francisco.