Monika Lidke

Monika Lidke – multi-lingual folk-jazz singer and songwriter
Biography
Born in Poland, Monika Lidke sang in a choir as a child and later studied classical guitar with Cezary Strokosz. Cezary quickly became a dear friend and they were involved in organising many guitar festivals together.
She went to Paris in 1992 to study singing, theatre and dance at Ecole Superieure du Spectacle. In Paris she also studied jazz singing with the inspirational Carole Simon, a songwriter who paints beautiful landscapes with sounds and words.
Paris was a place where Monika experimented within various artistic collaborations. “No Way!” was the trilingual project with which she composed eclectic tunes and arranged guerrilla gigs on the tube to promote the band. They attracted a devoted audience thanks to the unconventional methods of publicity that they used. A documentary about underground musicians called “On entend rien ici” describes their approach.
In 2004 Monika decided to learn more about jazz and chose to relocate to the UK. She felt at home in London and realised that she had a very personal vision for her music. Walks by the river Thames inspired new songs such as “Barnes bridge” and “Higher self”. An English breakfast witnessed the birth of “Bread on toast”, a song so impatient that it had to be written on the spot, on a “Metro” newspaper next to a plate of fried bacon and eggs! Monika’s debut album “Waking up to Beauty” is a celebration of life. Life’s beauty, its creative mistakes and its incessant movement are all expressed here. The intimate lyrics reflect with gratitude on past experiences, and a good splash of humour spices it all up.
The enchanting and dreamy essence of the album is heightened by references to fairy tales and stories such as “The little Prince”, “Beauty and the beast” and “Sleeping beauty”.
"Waking up to Beauty" is an intimate and life affirming set of songs in three languages: English, Polish and French. It is about growing and learning: facing the beast to discover the beauty within, having “Bread on toast” just to be able to do music, burning and building bridges and always hoping that what comes from the heart will be heard with the heart. The music never stops...
“Waking up to Beauty” has received extensive radio play in the UK (Jazz FM, The Jazz Show on Blast FM, UK Jazz Radio), Poland (National Radio 3), Spain (Artiste of the week on Heart FM Spain). Many more stations around the world repeatedly play Monika’s songs.
Since releasing her debut album, Monika Lidke and her band have performed at the London Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, Rhythms of the World Festival, Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho and at many other great venues. She recorded vocals and appeared as a guest singer with the Shez Raja Collective at their CD launch featuring Andy Sheppard at the Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho, at Marlborough Jazz Festival, Ealing Jazz Festival and The Vortex.
In 2010 Marek Niedzwiecki from Radio 3 in Poland included one of her songs on the compilation Smooth Jazz Cafe Volume 10, released by Magic Records, where Monika’s name is alongside such stars as Melody Gardot, Simply Red, Diana Krall, Basia and Stacey Kent.
Her song “Bread on toast” features on the brilliant short movie “Conversationing” (directed by Nick Calori), which is now being screened at many of the world’s film festivals.
She is currently working on her second album with some of London’s finest jazz musicians.

“Music is for me one of the wonders of this world and I thank all the people who make this dream a reality”. Monika Lidke
Website:
www.myspace.com/monikalidke
To buy a CD or MP3s go to:
www.cdbaby.com/cd/monikalidke
To contact Monika:
monikalidke@hotmail.co.uk