Soul.Jazz.Blues.Gospel.Latin

© Simply Soleil
Soul.Jazz.Blues.Gospel.Latin
MUSICIANS
Soleil Niklasson
Florian Esch
Gert Kapo
Vincent ‘Themba‘ Goritzki
Juan Camilo Villa Robles
Andreas Griefingholt
THE BAND
Simply Soleil is a band with spirit and soul. The music is a diverse mix of Jazz, Blues, Soul, Latin and Gospel.
Vocals
Trumpet
Keys
Guitars
Bass
Drums
As a composer and vocalist Soleil Niklasson has defied boundaries and blended styles creating her own unique
sound. She has worked together with musicians like Stan Getz, Billy Preston, Linda Hopkins, Rod Stewart
and many more and has been touring in Europe and in the US. The Emmy-awarded singer Soleil Niklasson
captures her audience with her her striking voice and presence. The hand made music and her singing comes
truly from her heart and her voice touches the soul. The voice is strong and warm, earthly and full of energy. She
and her band reflect pure joy of life on her perfomances.
Soleil says: „This wonderful band has captured my feelings and I feel complete. They understand me and know
what it means to move hearts and souls. They feel the music like I feel it and so we are one, complete. Let the
journey begin! Good hearts, talent, the vision and creation, the music, the fun!!! Let´s get started!“
What more can you ask for when you are called Simply Soleil - the sun! Simply Soleil is an international band:
the global players are Soleil Niklasson from sunny Los Angeles California, her roots are in Chicago and she has
lived in many parts of our world. Gert Kapo (p) from Albania, Juan Camilo Villa Robles (bs) from Colombia, Vincent ‘Themba‘ Goritzki (git), Florian Esch (tr) and Andreas Griefingholt (dr) from Germany: A great fresh mix of
musicians melting together a diverse pallet of colour with their different cultural backgrounds and experiences.
REFERENCES
(excerpts)
Band: Jazz Club Minden, Jazzschmiede Düsseldorf, Jazztime Hildesheim, Hildener Jazztage, JazzclubVreden,
ACHTBRÜCKEN-Festival Köln, Club Bastion Kirchheim u.T., Jakobshof Aachen, Antiquarius Bonn
Soleil Niklasson: Jazzrally Düsseldorf, Rheingau Musikfestival, Stadtgarten Köln, Jazzschmiede Düsseldorf,
Hildener Jazztage, Kito Bremen, Jazzclub Lünen, Rheingau Musikfestival, Jazzclub Minden u.v.m.
HOMEPAGE
www.simplysoleil.com
www.facebook.com/SimplySoleil
CONTACT
goritzki music / fedor goritzki
phone: +49 (0)221 98864895 / cell: +49 (0)176 21996393
e-mail: [email protected]
Soul.Jazz.Blues.Gospel.Latin
© Rolf Schlehuber
Soleil Niklasson, vocals
Soleil Niklasson is a singer, composer and lyrist. She was born in Chicago Illinois, USA
and grew up in Los Angeles, California.
As a child she already started her carreer at the age of five on television and later
received an „Emmy“ for her vocal talent together with the famous singer Oscar Brown
Jr. During the following years she stood on stage both in the United States and Europe with people like Stevie Wonder, Billy Preston, Linda Hopkins, Stan Getz and Rod
Stewart.
With her debut album ‘Coming Home‘ (Blue Flame Records) with the band Hermosa
she has been highly praised. Her musical creativity is based on her love to Afro-American music, to Jazz, Soul, R&B, Gospel, Latin-American and Flamenco music. Soleil is
a spiritual and powerful singer, who has this very special musical gift, which she loves
to share with her audience.
© Simply Soleil
Florian Esch, trumpet
Besides his performances at the Theater of Bochum and Essen (Germany)
Florian has been involved in several projects such as the “Carla Bley Big Band“, “Escalator over the hill”, “Perfect Brass Band“, “RED DOG“ the variety entertainment show
“Balagan“, the musical “Hairspray“ and has worked with people like Dennis Davis.
Florian Esch studied Jazz and classical trumpet at Academies of music in Duesseldorf,
Berlin and Essen (Germany). He played in Big, Funk and Salsa Bands and is guest soloist in various jazz ensembles.
© Simply Soleil
Gert Kapo, keys
Gert Kapo was born in Tirana, Albania. He has been introduced to the sound and art
of the piano by his parents (both piano players and teachers). In the age of eight, ten
and twelve years Gert Kapo won three piano competitions in Albania. He studied piano
at Academy of Music in Cologne, Germany with Prof. Guenther Ludwig and Prof. Arbo
Valdma and graduated with honoring in 2003. During his career as piano player, composer and co-producer he has worked with musicians such as Eda Zari, Dominic Miller &
Rhani Krija (Sting), Sebastian Studnitzky, Martin Gjakonowski, Wladiswar Nadishana
and had private lessons with John Taylor, Bojan Zulfikarpasic and Jasper van´t Hof. His
musical repertoire belongs from jazz and pop to balkan folklore, salsa and afro-cuban
music. Gert Kapo lives in Cologne and speakes 5 languages fluently.
Soul.Jazz.Blues.Gospel.Latin
© Simply Soleil
Vincent ‘Themba‘ Goritzki, guitars
Vincent Themba studied jazz guitar with Heiner Rennebaum and Philipp van Endert
at Institut fuer Musik und Medien in Duesseldorf. After graduating school he moved to
South Africa for several years, that’s where his name ‘Themba’ comes from. The country
South Africa and it’s people has been one of the most important experiences for him,
musically and culturally.
Vincent Themba’s musical repertoire includes jazz, world music, afro, pop and hip-hop.
As a guitarist and composer he has played and worked together with Tim Heintz (Chaka Khan), Daniel Schnyder, Chupacabras, HopStop Banda, Carmen Brown and South
African stars such as Ernie Smith, Mimi Ntenjwa, Swazi Dlamini and Tshepo Mngoma.
© Simply Soleil
Juan Camilo Villa Robles, bass
Juan Camilo Villa Robles was born raised in Barranquilla, Columbia. He started his
musical carreer in the age of ten. With the band “Latin Sampling” he performed at numerous festivals e.g. Barranquijazz and Fesujazz in Bogotá. In 2002 „Latin Sampling“
has won the competition “Jugend Jazzt” (Jazzin Youth). As a soloist Juan Camilo has
been awarded with the Folkwang prize in 2008. He graduated studies for e-bass at Musikhochschule in Essen, Germany in 2010.
He has played together with musicians such as Marialy Pacheco, Florian Weber Quartet,
Sebastian Schunke, Bruno Böhmer Camcho-Trio Max von Einem, and WDR- & NDRBigband. Juan Camilo Villa lives and works in Cologne, Germany.
© Simply Soleil
Andreas Griefingholt, drums
Andreas Griefingholt was born in Osnabrueck, Germany and studied drums at Folkwang-Hochschule in Essen, Germany and in New York, USA with John Riley, Ralph
Peterson, Gene Jackson und Tom Rainy. He has worked with many musicians such as
Herb Geller, Gerd Dudek, Gunther Hampel, Udo Lindenberg, Wolfgang Schlüter, Joel
Frahm, Wolfgang Engstfeld, Ulli Beckerhoff. Lutz Büchner and Fiete Felsch and has
been awarded with many prizes. Andreas collaborated numerous CD and radio projects
and has been toured throughout Europe. During his stay in New York he has played
with Tim Sund and has accompanied his Quintet on many tours. Andreas has worked
together with Soleil Niklasson for many years, to be pointed out are her highly praised
band Hermosa and Simply Soleil.