About

It all started when…

Femke is a vocalist who discovered her love for singing Jazz music, while she was living in New York City.  Femke 'honed her chops' in a variety of New York Jazz club open mike sessions and at the "University of the Streets" in the East Village, and enjoyed playing with, and learning from many seasoned Jazz musicians. 

When Femke left NYC and moved back to Toronto, she continued studying voice and jazz theory privately with Lisa Martinelli (Head of Jazz Voice at Humber College) and eventually formed her own Jazz trio.  With her trio (bass, piano and vocals) she performed at weddings, private house concerts/ parties, hotels and restaurants, the Dutch consulate as well as Indigo/ Chapters bookstores throughout Toronto.

She eventually moved to Victoria, BC with her family and more jazz workshops and vocal training followed with Gergana Velinova (Head of Jazz Vocal at the Victoria Conservatory of Music) and well-loved, local Jazz and Blues Vocalist Maureen Washington.  While at BC summer swing camp, she met and worked with the well-known and respected musicians and educators Jennifer Scott and Rene Worst, with whom she recorded the demo tracks on the website.  

Femke likes to sing in different languages (English, French and some Farsi and German).Her choice of songs is greatly inspired by her own life experience, and the interpretation of these songs by classic Jazz singers: Shirley Horn, Nina Simone, Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and contemporaries Karrin Allyson, Stacy Kent, Nicki Parrot, Becky Kilgore, Diane Panton and Diana Krall.  She is also inspired by the music of Eva Cassidy, Joni Mitchell and French legends Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf.  

Femke's life journey so far has shown her that expressing herself through singing is a way to celebrate our common humanity, and our Universal longing to connect from our hearts with each other and our True Selves.  Femke enjoys collaborating with other singers and musicians and has done several house concerts with Susannah Adams, Karel Roessingh, Joey Smith and Ken Seidman.  She has sung at Art Gallery openings, birthday parties and anniversaries, spiritual community gatherings and is an active volunteer on the board of Ujam in Victoria.

She is excited and grateful to be able to share her music with a wider audience in Victoria and to add some joy, spark and reflection to your special event.

For comments, inquiries or bookings, please see the contact page.