Donna Wickham

Donna Wickham, a continually surprising singer with a beautiful and flexible voice, has set her sights high on her debut jazz recording. She put several of her favorite poems to music, pays tribute to a goddess from Norse mythology, and performs philosophical lyrics. “The album is essentially about a longing for beauty. The pieces that we perform are all very honest, universal and real to life.”

Donna grew up in Ft. Morgan, Colorado. “Both of my parents were musicians who introduced me to a lot of music, especially classical. I started taking piano lessons when I was five. I also played flute and oboe when I was in school, dabbled on the guitar, and have played electric bass on an occasional basis.” Donna sang throughout her childhood, performing in choirs and musicals, and gaining a love for writing music and improvising. She majored in Lyric Theater at the University of Denver, studied music education at the Lamont School of Music, got married, moved to Topeka, Kansas, and for a time sang regularly at a jazz club, with a cover band, and in choral music. But for a period she drifted away from music altogether, managing a successful health food restaurant. “One day my favorite professor from college walked in the door, we talked a bit, and he told me that I should go back to school and get my degree since all of my credits could be transferred. That convinced me to return to music.”

Donna earned a degree in vocal performance and a Masters in conducting from the University of Denver. While she was studying classical music in school, she was allowed to perform with the jazz ensembles, took a lot of private jazz lessons, and was regularly singing jazz. Right after she graduated, the vocal jazz instructor at Lamont took a sabbatical.  Donna was hired to fill in for that year, and then stayed on to head the vocal jazz program at the University of Denver. “My students are brilliant and I am in love with them. It excites me to help them. I teach my students all of the things that jazz instrumentalists learn, and that there is no limit to singing.”

The vocalist, who recorded previously as a classical choral musician and a background singer, created her debut jazz recording during the past year, partly as a result of her collaborations with the great pianist Art Lande. “Art has been very important to me musically. With him I have had the single most fruitful musical relationship I have ever had. When I first started thinking about the project, I told Art that the players all had to be not only excellent musicians but people with very generous souls. Fortunately each of them are very intuitive players, going way beyond just reading the music, really getting into the heart and soul of the pieces.” She is joined by Lande, bassist Bijoux Barbosa, drummer Matt Houston, percussionist Paul Mullikin (on the three Anna Akhmatova poems) and, for half of the selections, guitarist Dave Peterson. All are very fluent and versatile musicians who give her stimulating support.

Donna Wickham’s CD is filled with unique originals. Although not a mainstream jazz set or one filled with standards, it is definitely creative jazz. The first three selections are inspired by tales from Norse mythology that involve Freyja, the goddess of love, lust and beauty. “Invocation” is a perfect introduction both to the trilogy and the CD in general. The solos by Peterson, Lande and Barbosa perfectly fit the music and the singer is featured at two different tempos, not only interpreting the lyrics but scatting beautifully. “Brisingamen” is a musical depiction of an adventure in which Freyja makes a sensual deal with four dwarfs in order to own the most beautiful necklace in the world. “The Search” is a haunting and melancholy piece about Freyja’s search for her beloved husband Od, who had disappeared. The legend is that her tears fell to earth and turned into amber and gold. Donna’s overdubbed voices create beautiful and other worldly ensembles.

“You Are The Future,” is set to a poem by Rilke, and evolves from a jazz waltz to a samba. It  has a title that is natural for one who loves being a teacher. Donna’s inventive and highly expressive scat singing is a highlight.

The next three selections are a trio of poems by Russian poet Anna Akhmatova that Donna set to music. “Willow” starts out with a groove in 7/8 that Donna had played on the congas while thinking of the piece. “Willow” deals with grief, both over the death of a tree and of close relatives. “Under Her Dark Veil” is about ending a relationship that had become destructive. “ I knew for that piece I was going to have to sing in ways that were not pretty. The final poem, ‘I Taught Myself To Live Simply,’ has a quirky harmonic sense with a melody floating above it. I live a frugal life which fits this poem.” The adventurous and advanced music of these three pieces rewards repeated listenings.

She wrote both the words and the music for “Pajaros.” “It is about a time in my life when something beautiful and magical happened that was also the harbinger of much sorrow and pain. My then-husband and I were traveling in Guatemala. In Tikal at dusk, we were surrounded by thousands of birds all singing together. Later I imagined a mythology in which the birds were singing to us about the end of our marriage.”

Concluding the CD is the nostalgic and gospel-flavored “Nov. 1.” “This is about a real day, an ordinary day that I spent with my aging father. It concludes the recording by saying that the real beauty that we are always searching for can be found in the simple things that we experience.”

In addition to her teaching and the work involved in recording the CD, Donna has been busy in recent times. She formed the Firesign Vocal Quartet with three of her best friends from the choral world. The group explores new approaches to classical choral music and has performed new music concerts at colleges. She also sings with St. Martin’s Chamber Choir in Denver and performs with the DU faculty jazz combo.

In conclusion, Donna Wickham says “For the future I plan to keep on searching for musical soul mates and creating meaningful and original music.” She has certainly succeeded on her debut recording.