For the jazz singer Simone Kopmajer, from Styria, the old well-known saying seemed to be valid for a longer period, that the prophet is nowhere considered less than in his fatherland. In any case, the singer in the Far East, especially in Japan, had long been a star and enjoyed in the USA some reputation in the jazz scene, before she has now also come to fame and honor in her fatherland, Austria and increasingly also in Europe. Unlike the well-known saying, therefore, she could not be a prophet in the fatherland because she had turned her back on the fatherland for an extended period, seeking her fortune far away.

Thanks to her father, Simone Kopmajer was already actively involved with jazz at an early age, more precisely as a saxophonist of his band. Only a brief time later, the legendary, now 88-year-old jazz singer Sheila Jordan set the course of the jazz career for the seventeen-year-old Simone in the direction of singing. At Mark Murphy, a teacher at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, she learned to sing from the bottom up, making parallel to the vocal training regionally a name for herself as a jazz singer. With a scholarship from the Hans Koller Prize in her pocket, Simone Kopmajer left the continent of Europe and started her career in the US in the country of unlimited possibilities, which thereafter developed particularly successful in Southeast Asia and in Australia. Via the Pacific hemisphere, she returned to Europe, where she attracted attention with the album "The Best in YOU" in 2014, which was recognized as a "professionally designed, classic jazz vocal production". The latest album "Good Old Times" is trying to tie up to the success of the album "Good Old Times" containing jazz and pop classics as well as hits of the past century, including Van Morrison's "Have I told you lately", Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" and Bee Gees "May".

Together with her high caliber band comprising Jean-Paul Bourelly (guitar), Paul Urbanek (piano, keyboards), Jamaalade Tacuma (bass), Reinhardt Winkler (drums) and Margarete Deppe (cello) Simone Kopmajer is singing through the well-known, skillfully arranged songs, whose essence is presented very coolly into the here and today and thereby shines, sometimes luxuriously sparkles in fresh splendor. The approach of all those involved in the creation and presentation of the songs reminds of the art of star-decorated chefs, to create surprisingly new dishes from excellent starting by masterfully varying well-known dishes. Bon appetit!

Without calling for the alcohol consumption, it is recommended towards the end of the day or simply for relaxing purpose to pour a single malt whisky into a glass, with special pleasure a whisky of Japanese provenience in memory of the singer’s enormous success in the Land of the Rising Sun. In this combination of different enjoyments, thanks to the modern 176 kHz FLAC download, the sound on the album "The best of you" comes into its own in its purest form.

Simone Kopmajer, vocals
Jean-Paul Bourelly, guitar
Paul Urbanek, paino
Jamaaladeen Tacuma, bass
Reinhardt Win, drums