Biography
Sienna Dahlen grew up in a small, rural town called Dawson Creek (no, it's not the same as the TV show!) in northern British Columbia, Canada.
A brief history:
Over a ten-year period of professional music-making in Montreal, QC Sienna completed her Bachelor of Music in Jazz degree at McGill University and released four full-length cds under her own name. Three years ago Sienna relocated to Toronto, ON and in the spring of 2008, she completed her Master of Music degree at the University of Toronto. Sienna freelances in Canada, the US and in Europe. In early May of 2009, Sienna recorded a collaborative album with the Danish pianist, Mads Baerentzen and his trio in Gothenburg, Sweden. During the same period she also toured with this group in Denmark and Switzerland. In addition, Sienna performed several shows with her Paris-based group in France and Belgium. Among other dates, the band performed at the FESTIVAL JAZZ SAINT-GERMAIN DES PRÈS and LE CENTRE CULTUREL CANADIEN in Paris as well as the renowned Handelsbeurs Theater in Gent. This members of the Sienna Dahlen Quartet include: drummer, Karl Jannuska, guitarist, Pierre Perchaud and bassist, Yoni Zelnik.
In March and April of 2009, Sienna completed an 11-date tour across Canada with her Toronto-based quartet featuring bassist, Andrew Downing, pianist, Dave Restivo and drummer, Nick Fraser with guitarist, Jim Head guesting on several dates.
Important Facts to Note:
*November 2009, Sienna is set to perform at the MUZENERGO INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL IN RUSSIA!
*April/May 2009, Sienna tours Europe with the Sienna Dahlen Quartet and the Baerentzen/Dahlen Project, playing shows in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden.
*Sienna is the vocalist on the soundtrack for the ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING, animated film, "The Danish Poet".
*In the summer of 2008, Sienna returned from her second tour in Europe where she performed three shows in Paris at the Café Universel and six other shows throughout Belgium, including the Abel Dubois Theatre in Mons with her new Paris-based group.
*In April, 2008 Sienna graduated from the Masters of Music in Jazz Performance program at the University of Toronto. She was the first vocalist to be accepted to this program.
*Sienna and her Montreal trio performed to a standing-room only crowd at the Quebec City Jazz Festival in August, 2007.
*In the spring of 2007, Sienna received a fellowship grant from the University of Toronto to work with the New York-based saxophonist/composer, David Binney.
*In Sept. of 2007 Sienna completed an 10-date tour of Belgium to promote her jazz cd, "Off the Floor..Into the Garden".
*Sienna's song "Seasons;Change" from her 2004 release, "Breathe" was licensed for an episode in the Global TV series "Regenisis II" in 2006.
Here is what some people on the Canadian music scene have had to say about Sienna Dahlen's music:
Her voice is amazing. She is remarkable and unique. I was spellbound listening to her songs, her effortless and beautiful tone, her exacting restraint and almost careless trust that her voice would just do exactly what she wanted it to allowing her to roll the words around in her mouth like little pearls. Wow!
Rique Franks, Award-Winning Canadian vocalist and recording artist
“…What an incredible direction for jazz. Excellent singer..and beautiful instrumental work...she sounds like she's got something to say and really knows how to say it. Joni Mitchell should hear her. People would hear a musical/spiritual link between them.”
Bill Henderson, Canadian Producer, Composer, Musician and SOCAN board-member
(For the album "Off the Floor…Into the Garden")
“..I love her poetry. A voice filled with Molten Light!”
Katie Malloch, CBC Radio 2 Host
"When I listen to an artist, I listen from three main perspectives: technical prowess/command of musical language, emotional/spiritual connection, and vision/creative artistry (ie: does this individual have a Voice, something that makes them unique?). There is much music that excels in one or two of these areas; the best music, however, displays a more or less equal balance between these elements, and in my opinion Sienna falls into this rather rare category."
Dave Restivo, Three-time National Jazz Award-Winning Pianist
Instrumentation
Sienna Solo-voice, acoustic guitar and piano
Sienna with a group-
The Sienna Dahlen Quartet (Toronto):
Andrew Downing-ac. bass
Dave Restivo-piano
Nick Fraser-drums
The Lifelines Ensemble
(Toronto, Montreal, NYC):
Dave Restivo-piano
Alyssa Falk-drums
Christine Jensen-saxophones
Jim Vivian-bass
Sienna Dahlen-voice
Sienna with a group (Montreal):
Rémi-Jean LeBlanc (or Morgan Moore)-bass
Jim Doxas-drums
John Sadowy-piano and keyboards
or Mike Rud-guitar
Sienna in Europe:
The Sienna Dahlen European Quartet (France):
Karl Jannuska (FR)-drums
Pierre Perchaud (FR)-guitar
Bassist-TBA
Sienna Dahlen-voice, piano
Baerentzen/Dahlen Project
(Denmark):
Mads Baerentzen (DK)-piano
Lars Daugaard (DK)-drums
Morten Ramboel (DK)-bass
Sienna Dahlen-voice
The Karl Jannuska Sextet (France):
Karl Jannuska-drums
Nicolas Kummert-tenor sax
Olivier Zanot-alto sax
Mathias Allemane-bass
Pierre Perchaud-guitar
Sienna Dahlen-voice
Duo (Switzerland)
Roberto Pianca-guitar
Sienna Dahlen-voice/ac. guitar
Discography
As a Leader:
1. REAL TIME- 1999 (Independent Release)
2. LITTLE TEMPTATIONS-2002 (Independent Release)
3. BREATHE- 2004 (Independent Release)
4. OFF THE FLOOR...INTO THE GARDEN- 2007 (I.R.)
As a Side-Vocalist/Collaborator:
1. Soundtrack for "THE DANISH POET"- music by Kevin Dean, (NFB/ONF)-ACADEMY-AWARD WINNING FILM (2007)
2. ABSTR/CNCR-iks, (Ora) 2003
3. ACADIAN FOLK SONG-Greg Amirault, (Effendi) 1999
4. PLAYGROUNDS-Joel Miller, (Justin Time Records)1998
5. ATTACK OF THE PLANET SMASHERS-The Planet Smashers, (Stomp Records) 1998
Links
| http://www.siennadahlen.com |