The most engaging way I know to express my heart and soul is through music and my own unique instrument, my voice.
Marie-Paule Franke is not only a versatile vocalist but she also writes her own compositions and lyrics. She studied at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent (Belgium) with a.o. David Linx and took master classes with jazz vocalist Judy Niemack.
Her musical journey took her from classical music through pop, rock, funk and chanson, to jazz. Over the years she has developed a very personal style. The meeting between her previous styles and influences of jazz icons such as Billie Holiday, Abbey Lincoln, Blossom Dearie and Joni Mitchel, can be felt in her work.
In 2010 she started a collaboration with Erik Vermeulen (piano) and Jouni Isoherranen (electric bass) under the name Marie-Paule Franke and her Dreamband and this led to the release of the album Tales from a Lonely Room (March 2014).
In November 2018, while visiting the Jazz clubs in New York, she met multiple Grammy award winner John Benitez and this led to a collaboration.
In April 2019 they recorded the album Clouds which contains nine of her own compositions. The album is produced and arranged by John Benitez and recorded in the Mozart Studio in New York. The musicians she worked with for this album are John Benitez (electric bass and double bass), Fred De Christófaro (tenor and alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet), Norbert Stachel (tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet, bass flute), Jim Ridl (acoustic piano and Hammond B3 organ), Francis Benitez (drums and percussion) and last but not least Kostadin Kamcev (mixing and mastering). Concert plans for the presentation of this album in New York were canceled due to the covid 19 pandemic.
In October 2023 she returned to New York and recorded two Latin Jazz singles, this time in a Trio setting with John Benitez (double bass), Fred Dongfeng Liu (acoustic piano) and Francis Benitez (percussion). The single ‘Tis Yours was released on January 12, 2024 and the second one is set to follow in the spring of 2024.
I'm so proud to present to you the release of the first of my two new singles which I recorded @the Eastside Sound Studio in Manhattan.
This is in the run-up to a new (Latin) album that we will start working on next year. I am humbled and honored by my amazing partners in crime: John Benitez double bass/arrangement Fred Dongfeng Liu, acoustic piano and Francis Steve Benitez, drums/brushes! Duff Harris, sound engineering! ❤️❤️❤️
Buy here2014, debut album
With Erik Vermeulen (piano) and Jouni Isoherranen (bass)
2018, EP leading to the album 'Clouds'
With Sam Vandekerckhove (piano), Mattias vanhoecke (keys) and Moussa Dembele (Djembé and Kora)
Buy hereVocals: Marie-Paule Franke
Wind instruments: Norbert Stachel &
Fred De Christófaro
Acoustic piano and Hammond B3 organ: Jim Ridl
Acoustic and electric bass: John Benitez
Drums and percussion: Francis Steve Benitez
"'Love is not all', with such a melodic open and free approach is beatific and soothing. Thanks so much for your artistry. I look forward to the opportunity to hear you live."
(Christopher Dean Sullivan, New York)
"Het plezier straalt van elke song af. Met haar lastige melodieen en teksten. waarin ze zonder overgang van de ene taal naar de andere overschakelt, heeft deze zangeres een geheel eigen stijl. Maar wel een die doordrenkt is met jazz."
(Hessel Fluitman – Jazzflits nummer 217, 1 april 2014)
"De stem van Marie-Paule klinkt soms ontroerend breekbaar en bij momenten doet haar frasering denken aan een musical- of zelfs cabaretzangeres. De sterkte van dit album is dat het bij iedere beluistering nog iets meer prijsgeeft.”
(Jos Demol – Jazz’Halo, 1 juli 2014)
"Clouds vormt een soort bevestiging van de eerdere ambities onder een nieuw elan. Dat vond Marie-Paule Franke via John Benitez en met uitstekende sidemen."
Lees verderBernard Lefèvre, Jazz'halo
