Volledige biografie                                              

Thaïsa Olivia is een gepassioneerde zangeres met een warm, eigen geluid en een bijzondere flair en presentatie. Al op jonge leeftijd waren zingen en dansen haar passie en nam zij diverse lessen in diverse stijlen. Haar zangopleiding volgde ze aan het Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam, o.a. bij Sylvi Lane en vervolgde deze verder bij Mildred Aikema, Deborah Carter, Adrienne West en Al Foster in New York. 

Thaïsa Olivia trad in binnen en buitenland o.a. op met het Thaïsa Olivia Quartet, De Thaïsa Olivia Band, The Grand Piano Boogie Train, De Jaap Dekker Band, Big Band Balance, Hot Club de Frank, The Feenbrothers, het internationale muziekgezelschap ‘Up with People’ (tour VS en Europa) en The Croonettes (tour Duitsland).

Na drie jaar lang langs de Duitse theaters te hebben getoerd, als een van 'drie leading Ladies' van het daar bekende close harmony trio 'The Croonettes', is Thaïsa nu weer terug in Nederland om zich volledig op haar eigen jazz kwartet en andere projecten te richten.

Thaïsa vertolkt zorgvuldig uitgekozen stukken uit The Great American Songbook met veel gevoel voor lyriek en expressiviteit, waardoor bekende en minder bekende songs een geheel eigen interpretatie krijgen. Het repertoire bestaat o.a. uit stukken van of zijn gezongen door Cole Porter, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Cy Coleman, Rodgers & Hart, Harold Arlen, Jerome Kern en Kurt Elling.

Sinds enige tijd heeft zij zich ook toegelegd op het componeren van eigen werk met originele teksten en arrangementen, wat het komende seizoen een groot deel van het repertoire zal vormen. Ze wordt bijgestaan door haar uitstekende trio van muzikanten, die hun sporen ruimschoots hebben verdiend. Bij gelegenheid worden zij aangevuld met gastsolist Kurt Weiss op trompet. Haar CD ‘Let Go’, met zowel bewerkte jazz standards als ook eigen werk, is na even wachten uitgekomen. 

CD 'Let Go' Quotes:

Muziekwereld:

'Met de heldere klank van haar stem, technische skills en vaardigheid om alle stemmingen rondom het laten gaan van geliefden te vertolken, laat Thaïsa Olivia met dit album een diepe indruk na'.

Matthew Warnock, Review You:

'While there are many current singers who enjoy singing tunes out of the Great American Songbook in a traditional style, others, such as the talented singer Thaisa Olivia, prefer to move between the old and the new in their arrangements and vocal interpretations.  Olivia brings her unique voice and personalized approach to jazz on her album Let Go, and the results are absolutely first rate'.

'There is something to be said for taking expectations and throwing them out the window, as long as the end result is entertaining and successful, which this album absolutely is.  Fans of jazz vocalists, both traditional and modern, will find something to enjoy on these 10 well-thought out and expertly performed tracks'.

Dan MacIntosh, Review You:

'She vocalizes as though rock & roll, and a whole myriad of other musical styles, never even happened. Instead, she voices torch songs the way they were meant to be sung – over jazz arrangements'.

‘You’d hardly guess she was not a homegrown American vocalist by the sound of Let Go'.

'The musicianship is extremely American, with plenty of traditional jazz intrumentation throughout and finds Olivia scatting fast and accurately, in a way that would even make Ella Fitzgerald proud'.

'Olivia is a wonderful retro jazz vocalist and Let Go is a treat for fans of beautifully sung jazz’.

Wildy Haskell, Review You:

‘Thaïsa Olivia displays a distinctive talent for phrasing and interpretation on Let Go. Coupled with a deep, warm alto sound that is exceedingly pleasant to listen to, Olivia leaves a strong impression on all whose ears are within range of her voice.’

'Showing a level of control and precision that's impressive, while maintaining an unexpected warmth’.

'Her rendition of Cy Coleman's "With Every Breath I Take" will probably rank as one of the finest renditions of that song outside of the Original Broadway Cast Recording'.

‘Her ability to sell a song will ensure that audiences never walk away dissatisfied’.

Alex Henderson, Review You:

‘She is a charming and expressive singer’.

‘Olivia has good, clean articulation’.

'Olivia has no problem using the English language to get her points across emotionally'.

Nick De Riso, Review You:

'There’s isn’t much she won’t try, and that keeps the album from falling into a rut of expectation’.

Heath Andrews, Review You:

‘What vocalist Thaïsa Olivia does with the songbook is exciting and original’.

‘Though she draws on some familiar names like Cole Porter and Quincy Jones, Olivia gives them her own jazzy interpretations while juxtaposing them with some excellent pieces of original music.  Accompanying her beautiful, powerful, and even sultry voice are an equally talented group of musicians, all of whom are responsible for making Olivia's album, Let Go, a tremendous recording'.

'Let It Go is the result of what happens when you amass a talented group of musicians, and let them play out time-tested songs along with ones they wrote based off their love and appreciation for that kind of music.  As terrific as Thaïsa Olivia is as a vocalist, she's also found herself one of the best possible backing bands a vocalist could ever ask for.  Even at its slowest and sparsest moments, someone gives a performance to draw the listener into the song, and keep them there until it ends.  Letting go can be a tough thing to do, but it's even more difficult when something is this well done'.

Deborah J. Carter, USA. (Jazz vocalist):

'Through this selection of songs, ranging from her own composititions to tastefully arranged standards, Thaïsa tells her story in a way that is uniquely hers; with a melange of colors, styles, musing and some surprises. A lovely ride!'

Recensies                                                           Foto: JW Steenmeijer