Album Notes

Hildegunn Gjedrem was born in Norway. She moved to the United States in 2001 to pursue studies in Vocal Jazz at the renowned University of North Texas. In 2005 she was awarded “Best Jazz Vocalist” by Downbeat Magazine. Also in 2005, Hildegunn was given the G9alt Scholarship of the Arts by Sparebank 1 of Norway. In the summer of 2006 she was one of 8 singers selected from 28 countries to travel to Switzerland and compete in the Montreux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition, judged by Al Jarreau, and was further selected as one of the finalists there. She has been featured vocalist with the Grammy Award winning One O’Clock Lab Band on several occasions, such as their 2005 tour of Poland and their 2007 concert with living legend bassist Rufus Reid. She has performed at Festivals and Conferences such as IAJE in Toronto, Long Beach and New York. She is active as a freelance singer in the Dallas/Ft.Worth Metroplex, at festivals, as a studio singer as well as with her own music. With her 2007 debut album “The End of the Beginning” Hildegunn has proved herself to be a warm and talented performer with a sound all her own, highly musically influenced by her Scandinavian roots. She has excelled as a writer, arranger and singer. The Hildegunn Gjedrem Group has a truly unique voice for modern jazz.